• Terrorists attack Military checkpoint at Zuma Rock, Abuja, reportedly kill Soldiers in shootout
• BBC, Daily Trust To Face Consequences For Terrorism Reporting – Lai Mohammed
• PDP Reps caucus joins Senate counterpart over six weeks ultimatum to Buhari
• I’ll end banditry in Zamfara if elected president – Atiku
• Okoh takes over as CAN President

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

Terrorists attack Military checkpoint at Zuma Rock, Abuja, reportedly kill Soldiers in shootout

According to reports, Boko Haram terrorists stormed an army checkpoint near Zuma Rock, which is on the border between the Federal Capital Territory and Niger State, on Thursday night and killed an unknown number of soldiers.

The terrorists reportedly arrived at Zuma Rock, which is on the axis of Madalla and Suleija along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, at around 8.30 p.m. and surprised the soldiers by opening fire from a variety of angles.

According to sources, the terrorists later gave up on their plan to enter Abuja and withdrew toward the Kaduna Axis.

The bandits, who were reportedly on several motorcycles, attacked some villages and stores in Madalla as they fled and reportedly carried food on their motorcycles.

More soldiers and equipment from the army base in Zuma Barracks were sent as reinforcements to the scene after the terrorists withdrew in order to stabilize and take control of the situation.

According to reports, the fighting caused a severe traffic jam as drivers remained stuck on the Abuja-Kaduna highway out of fear that they might get caught in the crossfire.

The attack comes just six days after terrorists ambushed a Presidential Guards patrol team along the Bwari-Kubwa Road, killing six soldiers and officers as a result.

BBC, Daily Trust To Face Consequences For Terrorism Reporting – Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, said on Thursday that the BBC and the Daily Trust will face penalties for glorifying terrorism in their reporting.

Recently, documentaries by the BBC and Daily Trust that featured interviews with bandit warlords were released.

Such reportage, in Mr. Mohammed’s opinion, legitimizes terrorism.

“Let me assure you, they will not get away with this naked glorification of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.

“When otherwise reputable platforms like BBC give their platform to terrorists, showing their faces as if they’re Nollywood stars . . . I want to assure them that they won’t get away with it, the appropriate sanctions will be meted.

“All I can say is that there is a regulatory body, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and they are also aware of these incidents and are looking at which part of the broadcasting codes have been violated by both the BBC and the Daily Trust,” the minister said.

“But I can assure you that there will be consequences. For those who will argue that BBC is a foreign broadcaster and as such, it is not licensed by NBC, let me assure you, they will not get away with this naked glorification of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.

“I have said it many times here that the media is the oxygen that the terrorists and bandits need to breathe. When other reputable platforms like BBC now give their platform to terrorists, showing their faces as if they are Nollywood stars, what does that means? I want to assure them they won’t get away with it. There are sanctions to be meted on both the BBC and the Daily Trust.”

PDP Reps caucus joins Senate counterpart over six weeks ultimatum to Buhari

The PDP caucus in the House of Representatives has joined its counterpart in the Senate in giving President Muhammadu Buhari a six-week deadline to address insecurity or face being removed from office.

Following a meeting of the PDP Caucus of the National Assembly on Thursday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, issued the notice.

More than 20 lawmakers attended the meeting, which was presided over by the Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT).

After the parliamentarians met behind closed doors, Mr. Elumelu gave a press briefing on the decision made.

He said that if the nation’s general insecurity is not addressed, House members will also file a formal impeachment complaint against the president.

The lower chamber will start gathering signatures to start impeachment proceedings against Mr. Buhari, according to Mr. Elumelu, if the security situation is not improved by the end of the six-week deadline.

He pointed out that, through resolutions and security summits, the parliamentarians had used every available tool to solve the nation’s security issues.

He alleges that Mr. Buhari disregarded every suggestion made by the Legislators to handle the nation’s security.

He stated that the impeachment effort is a cross-party endeavor rather than a partisan one. He said that although many members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party in power, are in favor of the impeachment attempt, they are reluctant to speak out.

I’ll end banditry in Zamfara if elected president – Atiku

If elected president, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, has vowed to free Zamfara State from terrorist gangs that have killed, kidnapped, and displaced thousands of people.

Mr. Abubakar made this pledge on Wednesday night following a meeting with Dauda Lawal-Dare, the PDP’s candidate for governor of Zamfara State.

According to Atiku, help was on the way for the state’s residents.

He accused the All Progressives Congress administration of allowing the state’s violence to spiral out of control, which he claimed had made the state backward and its residents vulnerable.

According to a statement from the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Atiku stated that the first way to save the state was to vote out the APC.

“In order to achieve that, there is the need for having a united PDP which will be formidable enough to face any opposition no matter how difficult it may be,” Atiku was quoted as saying.

“The best thing to do for the people of Zamfara State is to bring about peace, secure farms, and provide businesses.

“But the situation now is otherwise. We must unseat the APC to rescue and rebuild the state and the country. PDP administration will also resuscitate the textile industry,” he reportedly added.

Okoh takes over as CAN President

Dr. Samson Supo Ayokunle’s term as president officially ended on Thursday when the General Assembly of the Christian Association of Nigeria approved the election of Archbishop Daniel Okoh as the organization’s new leader.

After receiving a unanimous vote from the 259 delegates present at CAN’s 12th General Assembly, Okoh, the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church International, Onitsha, was elected as the organization’s new spiritual leader. He will hold office for a single five-year term.

The new CAN President, in his acceptance speech, charged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to quell the rising insecurity in the country.

He said, “While thanking the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), for his efforts to combat terrorism and banditry, I would like to appeal to His Excellency to end the bloodletting, kidnapping and general insecurity in all the geo-political zones of the country.

“I believe that government can do more to secure the lives and property given all the modern technology within its reach.”

He also assured that the apex Christian organisation would continue to participate actively and effectively in nation building.