Nigerian Police personnel lament deduction, lateness in payment of their salaries; Minister proposes extra year for graduates to make them employable and other stories that made headlines this week

These are the top ten stories that drove conversation this week.

Ahead of next month’s FIFA World Cup in Russia, Nigeria’s Super Eagles will take on La Liga club, Atleticó Madrid, on May 22 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

It is the first time the Spanish team will be visiting the country and the game will serve as preparation for Gernot Rohr’s men for the Mundial.

The President of La Liga, Javier Tebas, said, “This is a historic announcement and we are excited to share this news with our Nigerian fans: Atleticó Madrid, one of La Liga’s greatest clubs, will come to Nigeria and give our fans the chance to enjoy watching their stars up close. Africa and Nigeria, in particular, are very important for us and have a lot of love for Spanish football, something we are proud of.”


In a letter to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, the National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, said President Muhammadu Buhari has a predetermined plan to use federal agencies like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Army, and the Police to ‘truncate’ Nigeria’s democracy.

The PDP, in the letter dated April 30, 2018, accused Buhari of violating the Nigerian constitution and persecuting members of the opposition, as well as attacking journalists and “well-meaning” Nigerians who hold different opinions from Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The British, German, French, Chinese, the U.S, and the Russian embassies in Nigeria, as well as the European Union secretariat in Abuja, were copied in the letter.


Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, known as Evans, broke down in tears when he appeared before the Lagos High Court in Igbosere, where he was arraigned on two fresh charges of kidnapping.

Evans declined coming down from the prison van (Black Maria) in protest that he has been maltreated, isolated from visitors, poorly fed and as a result, he vision has been affected.

Justice Akintoye in reaction directed prison officials to ensure that Evans and his co-defendants were treated like other inmates, noting that they were still presumed innocent.


The Nigerian Army troops of 22 Brigade deployed in Operation Lafiya Dole in conjunction with allies of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) rescued over 1,000 hostages from the Boko Haram terrorists.

The hostages who are majorly women, children as well as some young men who were forced to become Boko Haram fighters, were rescued from Malamkari, Amchaka, Walasa and Gora villages of Bama Local Government Area of Borno.


President Buhari undertook a four-day medical trip to the United Kingdom.

His spokesperson, Garba Shehu said, “In the course of the technical stop-over for aircraft maintenance in London on his way back from Washington last week, the president had a meeting with his doctor.”

The doctor requested “the president to return for a meeting which he agreed to do. President Buhari will return on Saturday, May 12th,” he said.

He, however, got back into the country on Friday, May 11.


The Nigerian Senate summoned the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it on Wednesday over the rising insecurity in different parts of the country and to brief the lawmakers on the maltreatment of Senator Dino Melaye, who was arrested and arraigned by the police at the Federal High Court Abuja, and at the Magistrate’s Court in Lokoja.

The IG on two occasions had shunned Senate’s summons, and sent the Deputy Inspector General of Operation to represent him but was not admitted into the chambers.

The Senate also summoned security chiefs over the proliferation of arms, which it said is aiding criminality.

And for the third time, the IG failed to appear.

Idris said he failed to appear for a third time because he found no reason to do so, having learnt that the invitation was “a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous” on the part of senators.


Some police personnel lamented the reduction in their salaries for the past few months, Premium Times reported.

The police officers, cutting across states, said they have had portions from their salaries deducted especially for the months of February, March and April.

The police officers also complained about the lateness in the payment of their monthly salaries, urging the authorities to look into the matter.

Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, however, explained the short payment of salaries as experienced by some of its personnel. He confirmed the development but added that the issue is being treated appropriately.

He said the salaries for the months of February, March and April were particularly affected. He urged the officers affected to exercise patience as the matter would be resolved.


Federal Government shut down three leading drug companies after a BBC investigation into addiction to cough syrup containing codeine.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it shut the firms for failing to fully co-operate with its inspectors.

The BBC investigation showed that the syrup was being sold on the black market, and was being used by young Nigerians to get high.

NAFDAC director Mojisola Adeyeye said in a statement that Peace Standard Pharmaceuticals, Bioraj Pharmaceuticals and Emzor Pharmaceuticals had been shut because of “apparent resistance to provide needed documents during our inspection”.


The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, put forward a proposal requesting graduates of Nigerian Universities to spend an extra year after graduation in specialised institutions to make them employable.

According to him, the suggestion was being made because many university graduates were not good enough to be employed by industries and as such re-schooling would serve as a training ground for graduates to be well equipped on the rudiments of the course studied.


The Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM) formed by former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has adopted a political party.

Obasanjo announced at a press conference on Thursday that the movement had adopted “a renewed and reinvigorated African Democratic Congress, ADC.”

He, however, announced that he would not be a member of the ADC.

The leadership of the Movement, after detailed examination, wide consultation and bearing in mind the orientation, policies and direction of the Movement, have agreed to adopt ADC as its platform to work with others for bringing about desirable change in the Nigeria polity and governance. I congratulate the leadership of the Movement for their decision and their choice. The emergence of ADC is the beginning of hard work to continue to consolidate our democracy and to make development in all its ramifications real, relevant, accessible, popular and reaching out to all Nigerians wherever they may be,” Obasanjo said at the press conference.

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