15TH AUGUST NEWSPAPER HEADLINES FROM NIGERIA

1. Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Tuesday, directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS.

He said that any Unit that will emerge from the process, must be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.

2. Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has commenced the process of overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to address complaints and allegations on human rights violations against some of the personnel by members of the public.

A statement by Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said in the new arrangement, a new Commissioner of Police has been appointed as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide.

3. The Presidency has dispelled the rumoured extension of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 10-working-day vacation in London.

On Tuesday night, stories emerged on social media, that Buhari was planning to stay beyond his scheduled time, but in reaction, the presidency via its verified Twitter handle, @NGRPresident, said it was false and misleading.

4. The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo for his intervention in the blockade of the National Assembly complex.

He said the response of Osinbajo in sacking the Director-General of the Department State Security Services (DSS) helped to douse the tension created by the blockade.

5. A presidential aspirant, Ibrahim Dankwambo, on Tuesday said that the restructuring of Nigeria was necessary for the nation to actualise its aspirations.

He said most of the challenges the country was faced with were because of the weak federal system it was operating.

6. Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) has confirmed the death of a former Assistant Controller-General of Prisons, Nanvyet Gwali.

The Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr Francis Enobore, who confirmed the death of Gwali in a statement, said that Gwali was murdered by yet to be identified gunmen on Aug. 10 at his farm in Laminga, near keffi, Nassarawa State.

7. Several Boko Haram insurgents have lost their lives, while many others were injured in a clash with troops of the Nigerian Army.

The incident happened after a failed attack coordinated by the insurgents on a military formation at Gundari, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyeama Nwachukwu said.

8. Premium Times has called for the immediate release of its reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained on Tuesday by the Nigeria Police over a report.

The Publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, in a statement, lamented that the development happened on the day the Nigerian presidency was complaining about the excesses of a unit in the police, noting that Ogundipe was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Olorunyomi said the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and its education correspondent, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained and manhandled.

9. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has told Senate President Bukola Saraki, that the only way he can avoid impeachment is if he resigns.

He claimed that Saraki, after his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is now a member of the minority in the Senate.

10. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered 23 new political parties.

In a notice on Tuesday, the commission invited chairmen and secretaries of the party to pick up their certificates at its headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. This brought to 91 the total number of parties in the country.

DAILYPOST