Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 21st June, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 21st June 2024

1. President Tinubu Returns To Nigeria From South Africa

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, returned to Abuja, Nigeria, after his official visit to South Africa.

Naija News understands the President arrived in Abuja around 5:30 pm after participating in the inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term in office.

Before departing South Africa, President Tinubu also held a bilateral meeting with Ramaphosa where they discussed challenges being faced by African countries and agreed on the need to collaborate to tackle the challenges.

According to presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu told his South African counterpart that he was delighted with his experience at the event.

2. Federal High Court Rules On Law Used In Dethroning Ado Bayero, Others

A Federal High Court in Kano State has set aside all steps the Kano state government took to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law.

Naija News recalls that the Kano House of Assembly had repealed the law, after which Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf implemented it by dethroning Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano and also reversed the creation of four emirates, Bichi, Rano Karaye and Gaya, by his predecessor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The law was relied upon to re-appoint the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, dethroned by Ganduje in 2020, as the 16th Emir of Kano.

However, a kingmaker in the former Kano emirate, Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, challenged the propriety of the law and asked the court, through his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), to declare the law null and void.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman set aside the action of the Kano government, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.

3. Police, PSC Not Fighting But We Can’t Allow Those Who Will Commit Suicide To Be Recruited Into The Force – IGP

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has emphasized that there is no fight between the Police Force and the Police Service Commission (PSC), over the just concluded recruitment of constables.

The IGP noted that the Force only noticed some discrepancies in the recruitment conducted as well as the calibre of those recruited and made its mind known to the commission.

Egbetokun emphasized that the Police Force can not just fold its hands and allow the wrong set of people to be recruited as Police officers as if such is allowed, it is a recipe for future disaster.

Naija News reports the IGP made the submission on Thursday during his meeting with commanders in Abuja.

He added that the Supreme Court, in its wisdom, has given the authority on recruitment to the PSC, but the force must be carried along as a major stakeholder in the process.

4. Nigeria’s Public Debt Increased By ₦24.33 Trillion In Three Months – DMO

Nigeria’s total public debt has surged to a staggering ₦121.67 trillion as of March 31, 2024, marking a significant rise of ₦24.33 trillion or 24.99 percent in just three months, according to the latest figures released by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

This sharp increase from the December 2023 figure of ₦97.34 trillion has raised concerns over the country’s fiscal sustainability.

The DMO’s report, issued in a press release on Thursday in Abuja, detailed that the total public debt comprises the combined domestic and external debts of the Federal Government, all thirty-six state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory.

The breakdown provided shows that the total domestic debt stood at N65.65 trillion, while the external debt amounted to N56.02 trillion.

The rise in the total debt figure, notably higher in naira terms, has been attributed primarily to the devaluation of the naira.

Despite the nominal increase in debt, when converted to US dollars, the total debt actually shows a reduction, from USD108.23 billion in December 2023 to USD91.46 billion by the end of March 2024.

5. Details Of Tinubu’s Meeting With South African President, Ramaphosa Emerge

President Bola Tinubu and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, have held a bilateral talk following the latter’s swearing-in ceremony.

Naija News reported that the meeting was less than 24 hours after Ramaphosa was sworn in for a second term at the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony held at the Union Building, Pretoria.

In a post via his X handle, Tinubu disclosed that their discussion was focused on strengthening cooperation and enhancing the economic ties between Nigeria and South Africa.

President Tinubu noted that they intend to work together to address their countries’ challenges through robust trade and economic strategies.

6. Court Scraps Ondo 33 Local Council Development Areas

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, on Thursday, scrapped the 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the administration of late former Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

It declared the creation as unconstitutional and illegal.

Presiding Judge, Justice A.O Adebusuoye, said the LCDAs were not lawfully created.

In August 2023, the Ondo State Assembly passed the bill for the creation of additional LCDAs after Akeredolu transmitted the bill for its creation to the lawmakers.

The development comes months after the Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from inaugurating the newly appointed caretaker committees for the 51 local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) of the state.

Justice Yemi Fasanmi granted an interlocutory injunction to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state on Tuesday, pending the determination of the suit.

The court also restrained the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Attorney General of Ondo State, who are joint defendants in the case.

7. Kano Govt Orders Removal Of Ado Bayero From Nasarawa Palace, To Demolish Building

The Kano State government, under the leadership of Governor Abba Yusuf, has instructed the Police to remove the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado, from the Nasarawa Palace.

The government said the palace is set to be demolished to allow for a reconstruction and renovation.

The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Baffa Bichi, gave the order while addressing newsmen at the government house on Thursday.

Dederi submitted that Bayero is trespassing on government property, and the State Commissioner of Police has been ordered to remove him.

The Commissioner insisted that the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, remains the Emir and urged the people of the state to remain peaceful in the face of the recent court order which he claimed validated the dissolution of the five emirates carried out by the state government.

8. IGP Egbetokun Reacts To Call For His Sack By President Tinubu

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reacted to the calls for him to be sacked by President Bola Tinubu.

The IGP on Thursday, during a meeting with commanders in Abuja, said those calling for his sack are entitled to their opinion and he won’t respond to the calls.

He added that he has no problem with those calling for his sack from office as everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.

Egbetokun, said, “I won’t respond to a call for my removal. Anybody can call for my removal.

“Anybody who doesn’t like me can come out tomorrow and say, remove the IG. That’s not a problem. We are all entitled to our opinion.”

9. Rivers Crisis: Police Barricade Of LG Secretariats Will Continue – IGP

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to maintaining peace and order in Rivers State by continuing the police barricade at local government secretariats amid ongoing legal and political turmoil.

The directive comes as the state awaits a court ruling on the local government crisis that has gripped the region.

The IGP made this announcement in Abuja while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a conference with Commissioners of Police and other senior officers.

In addition to addressing the situation in Rivers, IGP Egbetokun also commented on recent controversies surrounding the recruitment of police constables.

He responded to allegations from the Police Service Commission (PSC) about the recruitment process, stressing that the management of the Force is vigilant against the induction of individuals deemed untrainable or unsuitable for police duties.

10. Your One-sided Policies Are Causing Suffering For Nigerians – PRP Blasts Tinubu

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has called for a reversal of the economic policies implemented by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The party, in a statement on Thursday, signed by its National Chairman, Falalu Bello, said the policies of the current administration are anti-people and causing suffering to the masses.

Bello added that the policies of the Tinubu government, such as the removal of subsidies on fuel, electricity, etc., devaluation of currency, increases in interest rates, and others, were all influenced by the dictates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB).

He lamented, however, that they have brought nothing but misery to Nigerians.

The PRP chairman added that despite the suffering of the masses, those in government are living extravagant lifestyles and therefore called for the urgent reversal of the policies which have caused untold hardship to Nigerians.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.