16th August Newspaper Headlines from Nigeria

1. The Nigerian Naval authorities have reshuffled its top hierarchy in the commands, sweeping out the Flag Officers Commanding and replacing them with new ones.

The new Flag Officers Commanding (FOC), equivalent of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) in the Army, are Rear Admiral O.H. Ngalabak, Rear Admiral S.I Enoch, Rear Admiral U Onyia, Rear Admiral David Adeniran and Rear Admiral Saidu Garba while Admiral Ngalabak will man Western Naval Command, Enoch goes to Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Onyia goes to Logistics Command, Adeniran to Eastern Naval Command and Garba to Central Command.

2. The Nigeria Police Force have made first public statement on the arrest and detention of Premium Times’ journalist, Samuel Ogundipe.

Speaking on the arrest, the police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said he was not aware of details of the arrest, pointing out that no Nigerian is beyond being invited by the police when an investigation is being carried out.

3. The Presidency, on Wednesday said the former Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Mr. Lawal Daura, who was dismissed last week, was being debriefed and was not under detention.

Adesina explained that Daura, with a lot of security matters at his disposal, has to be properly debriefed before he can be totally freed.

4. Super Eagles winger, Victor Moses has announced his retirement from playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The 26-year-old announced his retirement from international football with the Eagles via his instagram page on Wednesday evening.

5. The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has released the names of the nine corps members that drowned in a river in Taraba State.

The list showed that four of them were from the South-South, one from the North-West and the rest four from the South-East.

6. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and 49 senior officers on Wednesday at the Army Headquarters, Abuja took a language proficiency test in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages.

Brig.-Gen Texas Chukwu, the army spokesman, said the test was part of the army’s effort to ensure that all personnel are proficient in the use of the three major Nigerian languages.

7. The Presidency has reacted to reports in some sections of the media, alleging that President Muhammdu Buhari has rejected the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Garba Shehu. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity described the allegations that the President declined assent to the Bill, because of objections to the use of card readers, as wild and baseless.

8. Members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly have elected Hon. Nuhu Goroh Shadalafiya as the new Deputy Speaker of the state legislature.

During Wednesday’s plenary, the Speaker, Aminu Abdullahi Shaghali, dismissed the reasons adduced by John Audu-Kwaturu and another defecting lawmaker, Junaidu Yakubu (Kudan constituency), saying “they were not tenable since there was no crisis or rancour in APC at both the state and the national levels.”

9. Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure its forthcoming presidential primaries is free, fair and devoid of any rancor.

The former soldier said the party should learn from past mistakes, which led to its defeat during the 2015 general elections, saying that the aspirants should not see the contest as a do-or-die affair.

10. The Benue State Government has lamented the continuous persecution of Governor Samuel Ortom and members of his administration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, accused the EFCC of not relenting in inviting officials of the state government to its office, stressing that the arbitrary invitations were already affecting the running of government in the state.\

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