These are the top ten stories that drove conversation this week.
The Nigerian Air Force had made claims of air strikes, but a video – five minutes, 17 seconds – of Boko Haram terrorists celebrating Sallah in Sambisa forest surfaced online.
In the video, three terrorists were heard thanking their God for a successful Ramadan.
“Infidels are in trouble. Thank Allah the fasting is over and Allah pass everybody,” an insurgent said.
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the most hypocritical Nigerian leader, vowing to expose him on July 3.
He said this at the gala dinner and award ceremony of the International Press Institute (IPI) in Abuja.
“Obasanjo is the most hypocritical leader this nation has ever produced,” Soyinka said.
“Obasanjo has crossed the red line… I will launch a publication to expose him at Freedom Park in Lagos on July 3.”
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, disclosed plans by the Federal Government to shut down one of the country’s land border to avoid smuggling of foreign rice into the country.
Ogbeh made the disclosure during a leadership clinic under the auspices of Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI), in Abuja stressing that the planned action had become necessary to encourage local production and sustain the economy of the country.
He added that a neighbouring country was bent on destroying the economy of Nigeria and discouraging local production of rice, hence the need to shut down the border.
The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole has said that polio remains a threat in Nigeria as over 100,000 children are yet to be immunised against the disease in the North East.
The minister said despite this, the government is making considerable progress in immunisation programmes in the region.
In an interview with Punch, Nigerian singer, Skiibii said he became a better musician and person since parting ways with his former bosses, Kcee and his brother, E-Money.
“I am hundred percent a better person since I left Five Star Music. When I was at Five Star, I didn’t think I could shoot a video on my own. But it is a different story now. Apart from music, I can do a lot of things on my own. Now, I can take care of my family and pay salaries. When I was with Five Star, I didn’t always have money; I was a boy. If I went to a show, we would share the money and my percentage couldn’t take care of my responsibilities.”
The Federal Government announced plans to disburse $322 million repatriated from the accounts of former Head of State, late General Sani Abacha in Switzerland to Nigerians.
National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu at an interactive session with newsmen recently, noted that the development is in line with the President’s agenda of ensuring that the $322 million was returned for deployment in the social safety nets project, which would make targeted transfers to the poor and vulnerable households.
Ibekaku-Nwagwu added that the funds would be paid directly into the accounts of the poorest Nigerians through their various accounts for two years and identification numbers to be made available on the website being developed by the National Social Investment office and the World Bank, adding that agencies working on the modalities would brief the public on June 28.
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday, signed the 2018 budget of N9.12 trillion, seven months after it was presented but expressed displeasure at the alteration of the bill by the lawmakers.
Buhari said “the logic behind the Constitutional direction that budgets should be proposed by the Executive is that it is the Executive that knows and defines its policies and projects. Unfortunately, that has not been given much regard in what has been sent to me,” adding that he may remedy the situation through a supplementary budget.
The budget estimate of N8.26 trillion initially presented to the National Assembly on November 7, 2017, was increased to N9.12 trillion by the lawmakers.
In reaction to the concerns raised by President Buhari, the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah; and the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, spoke on behalf the legislature in separate interviews saying the lawmakers did what they were supposed to do.
Na’Allah said, “You have to balance between the six geo-political zones. It is the balancing efforts by the National Assembly that led to those observations and happily enough, he himself has said he is coming with a supplementary budget which will be dealt with as quickly as possible. I assure you about that one.”
On his part, Ado-Doguwa said, “Certainly, you wouldn’t expect us to just rubber stamp and just bring it back. We have to do the nitty-gritty of budget consideration.
“Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well and we have done what we think is the right thing to do to deliver on the expectations and the mandate bestowed on us by the people of our constituencies.”
Still on the budget, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma said the FG is to borrow N1.6 trillion to finance part of the 2018 budget.
He said N793 billion would be borrowed domestically, while N849 billion would be borrowed from foreign sources to finance the budget deficit.
He added that the overall budget deficit of N1.950 trillion in the budget represented 1.74 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
A Nigerian Army Captain attached to troops operating in Mafa Local Government Area, Borno committed suicide.
According to military sources, the incident occurred at the 7 Division Medical Centre on June 18 where the officer whose name is being withheld, threatened shooting a storekeeper at the Medical Centre Armoury in Maiduguri, who fled for safety, only to turn his rifle on his own stomach and open fire, killing himself in the process. He was rushed for treatment but passed on shortly thereafter.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has admonished judicial officers to be wary of the antics of politicians as the country gradually moves into another season of intense political activities.
While swearing in 12 High Court judges recently elevated to the Court of Appeal, Onnoghen advised them to always be guided by the Constitution, their Code of Conduct and oath of office, and as well warned against yielding themselves and positions as tools for politicians.
Goals from Ahmed Musa (49′, 75′) led Nigeria to a win over Iceland in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
This gives the Super Eagles the much-needed hope ahead of their last group game against Argentina on Tuesday.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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