• ‘EFCC, ICPC officials accuse Buhari of sabotaging fight against corruption’
• Joint task force reportedly kills 10 Boko Haram commanders in Lake Chad region
• Buhari has allowed corruption to thrive – Bishop Kukah
• Labour minister, Ngige, declares for presidency
• West African scientists to boost COVID-19 vaccine production

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top news stories you shouldn’t miss:

‘EFCC, ICPC officials accuse Buhari of sabotaging fight against corruption’

EFCC and ICPC officials say their commitment to work has been affected by the controversial presidential pardon of Jolly Nyame, former governor of Taraba, and Joshua Dariye, former governor of Plateau, both of whom were convicted and jailed for stealing state funds, Premium Times reports.

The report says an EFCC official said political will on the part of the president is absent, and this time we cannot blame the judiciary.

“People risked their lives and friendships to investigate the ex-governors. They refused to be compromised. Now it appears all the efforts were in vain,” an official said.

Buhari has allowed corruption to thrive – Bishop Kukah

The Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah Sunday, criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity, corruption and division along ethnic fault lines in Nigeria, saying the president has destroyed every aspect of life in Nigeria but has allowed corruption to thrive and grow.

“Our dear country, Nigeria, still totters and wobbles as we screech towards a dangerous and avoidable canyon of dry bones.

“With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy.

“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, mosques, infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our roads and rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well.”

Joint task force reportedly kills 10 Boko Haram commanders in Lake Chad region

Over a hundred of the insurgents were said to have been killed in a coordinated land and air offensives carried out by the troops.

Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) spokesperson, Muhammad Dole, said in a statement Sunday, that the offensives were conducted under Operation Lake Sanity, a joint operation involving the MNJTF troops from Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon and troops from operation Hadin Kai.

“In the course of the operation, a significant number of innocent citizens, mostly women and children held captive by the criminals, were rescued.”

“Some of the commanders include Abubakar Dan Buduma, Abubakar Shuwa, Abu Ali and Abu Jubrilla among others,” he said.

Labour minister, Ngige, declares for 2023 presidency

His media office stated Sunday, that the minister had been consulting stakeholders in his All Progressives Congress (APC) party as well as stalwarts of opposition political parties.

He is scheduled to publicly declare his intention on April 19, the media office stated.

It added that Ngige gave his explanation for consulting opposition political parties when he addressed his supporters at Amansea, Enugu, after visiting Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

West African scientists to boost COVID-19 vaccine production

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Public Relations and Outreach Lead, CelebrateLAB Conference, Efam Dovi, disclosed that they are set to come around and boost the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and other medical products in the sub-region.

“While health inequity against the continent is not new, the COVID-19 pandemic reopened the conversation on ensuring the continent’s self-sufficiency in healthcare products and solutions through local manufacturing to expand access to healthcare.

“This effort will require wider collaboration across the region to ensure that the needed expertise and resources are available to create the right environment for product manufacturing.

“Critical among these initiatives will be building professional expertise in clinical research and health diagnostics to ensure that medical products manufactured in Africa are suitable for Africans,” Dovi said.