Naija News: Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 4th July, 2024

Naija News: Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 4th July, 2024

1. Governors from the South East, under the South East Governors’ Forum, convened in Enugu on Tuesday to strategize on securing the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The governors resolved to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to advocate for Kanu’s release and discuss other critical regional and national issues.

   The Forum’s decisions were outlined in a communiqué read by the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, after their meeting at the Lion Building, Government House, Enugu. Uzodimma, flanked by his colleagues Alex Otti of Abia, Charles Soludo of Anambra, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, and the host governor, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, emphasized that releasing Kanu would promote peace in the region.

2. Members of the Ibeku Youth Association have called for the unconditional release of their kinsman, detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, from DSS custody.

   In a communiqué signed by the National President of the Ibeku Youth Association, Mr. Martins Chiedozie Nwosu, and the National Secretary, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, and read to the press at Isieke, Ibeku ancestral home in Umuahia, the group expressed their sorrow over Kanu’s prolonged detention.

3. The Senate has laid the blame for the recent suicide bombing in Gwoza, Borno State, at the feet of failure of intelligence on the part of the nation’s security forces.

   This was part of the conclusions reached by the lawmakers at a debate on the issue during plenary on Wednesday.

4. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, has given the commitment of the judiciary to always deliver justice in all matters, and asked that the judicial arm be given the free hand to operate.

   The CJN, who spoke on Wednesday, assured President Bola Tinubu that the judiciary would not disappoint his administration, but asked that the judicial arm be “left to function to perform its role unhindered, as much as possible.”

5. Students at the University of Benin are staging a protest over a power outage that has lasted for more than three weeks.

   The outage occurred after the university failed to reach an agreement with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company over disputed electricity billing.

6. A primary six pupil, identified as Joshua, was swept away by a flood in the Ikosi, Ketu area of Lagos State. The pupil was returning home from school with his classmates when the tragic incident occurred on Taiwo Street in Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos.

   Reacting to the tragedy, Joshua’s mother, a fruit seller, wept and lamented the loss of her only child. “Joshua died hungry and cold. He was in primary six and was supposed to write his common entrance exam,” she said.

7. The Senate on Wednesday raised an alarm over the increase in substandard Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, and diesel in the Nigerian market.

   Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong observed that on June 16, 2024, a report revealed that 12 diesel cargoes conveying a total of 660 kilotons of diesel, were exported by refineries to offshore Lome, Togo for further distribution to West African markets, mainly Nigeria.

8. Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has emphasized that state governors are advocating for fiscal federalism to enable individual states to afford a living wage for Nigerian workers.

   Oyebanji, while reiterating the interest of the Nigerian Governor Forum (NGF), said that no state governors want to retrench workers because they are not able to afford the new minimum wage.

9. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a warning against any planned protests targeting the commission.

   In a statement released on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, disclosed that a “shadowy group” is organizing a protest against the Commission. This group has been campaigning on social media, recruiting impressionable young Nigerians, including students, to oppose the EFCC.

10. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he did not discuss the issue of releasing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, during his meeting with South East governors in Enugu state.

    IDOMA VOICE earlier reported that Obasanjo, alongside Chief Emeka Anyaoku and His Royal Majesty Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, met with the South East governors.