• Niger government feigns ignorance of civilians living in bombed area
• Religion and ethnicity are out of the Boko Haram insurgency – Buhari
• ‘Prison experiences TB deaths, wardens cover up the story’
• IGP vows to deal with killers of policemen
• Justice will be served, CAN assures about Osinachi

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

Niger government feigns ignorance of civilians living in bombed area

The Niger Government Thursday, said it is not aware that civilians are living in Kurebe Community in Shiroro Local Government Area, where residents said Nigeria Air Force (NAF) strike killed at least six children last week Wednesday.

The state’s commissioner for local government, chieftaincy affairs and internal security, Emmanuel Umar, in a statement, said residents of the area are taking refuge in other parts of the state after the community was infiltrated by bandits.

“The state government says there are no civilians residing in these areas for some time now due to the infiltrations and activities of the terrorists which forced the locals to seek shelter as IDPs in other parts of the state.”

He said the military operations in the area have been successful as several bandits have been killed and their abductees freed.

He said joint efforts by the state government “in conjunction with security agencies have repelled bandits attacks in Shiroro and Munya LGA and rescued many abductees accordingly.”

Religion and ethnicity are out of the Boko Haram insurgency – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday, declared that the Boko Haram insurgency has neither religious nor ethnic underpinning, adding that the majority of Nigerians now know the truth.

While receiving Karin Ahmad Khan, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), at State House, Abuja, Buhari said that with concerted public enlightenment, it has become clear to people that Boko Haram is a perversion of religion, rather than an Islamic ideology.

‘Prison experiences TB deaths, wardens cover it up’

According to Premium Times, at least 20 inmates have died of pulmonary tuberculosis and about a hundred suffered the infection in the old Katsina custodial centre.

They described the incident as an effect of corruption and a “shockingly poor” state of hygiene and health services in the 104-year-old facility.

Senior officials, including those in charge of the facility in Katsina, have attempted a coverup to avoid accountability, this newspaper learnt. Also, officials, who should know because their role involves receiving reports on such development, were kept in the dark.

IGP vows to deal with killers of policemen

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has pledged to bring to book those who have launched attacks on policemen, destroying their facilities and other operational assets around the nation, particularly in the Southeast.

Following the development, the IGP ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets to complement personnel attached to Operation Restore Peace in the Southeast.

Justice will be served, CAN assures about Osinachi

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has pledged to ensure justice for the late gospel music singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, who died recently, following alleged maltreatment and assault by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.

CAN President, Rev. Dr Samson Ayokunle, gave the pledge in a statement in Abuja yesterday, condemning the gruesome murder of the late gospel music minister.

Ayokunle, who described Osinachi’s untimely demise as sad and worrisome, commiserated with her family and promised to ensure that justice was not perverted in the matter.