These are the stories that drove conversation this week.

Former Minister of Defense, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), urged Nigerians to defend themselves against killers in the country.

Danjuma made the call while speaking at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, Taraba.

His words, “There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, some rural states in Nigeria.
“We must resist it. We must stop it. Everyone of us must rise up.”

In reaction, the Ministry of Defence said that it had received reports from Nigerians on the misconduct of soldiers as regards the farmers and herdsmen’s clashes.

It said such soldiers have been put through “disciplinary procedures.”

The ministry said it, however, had yet to receive any report from Taraba, adding that its doors were open to complaints from Nigerians on the activities of the troops.

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the main opposition party, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) deserves to be deregistered for absolute failure both as ruling and opposition party.

The minister attacked the party for “disgraceful and insensitive politics that the PDP has been playing with the abduction and release of the Dapchi girls.”

“Indeed, there should be a new criterion for withdrawing the registration of a party like the PDP which has failed both as a ruling and an opposition party!

“If a party cannot rule and cannot be in opposition, what else can it do?’’ he said.

The PDP, in reply, said the APC is less a party compared to the PDP.

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Nigerian rapper, Babalola Falemi popularly known as Saucekid has been released from US prison, after serving his time.

He was jailed for two years for aggravated identity theft. He was said to have stolen $15,388 from unsuspecting victims.

In a video which surfaced on Instagram, Saucekid was being welcomed by an unknown friend.

The video was captioned “My bro is back!! SINZU”.

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The PDP has apologised to Nigerians over mistakes it made while in power.

The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus said this at an event in Abuja.

“We made mistakes. On behalf of my colleagues and members of this party, I apologise to Nigerians,” Secondus said.

“We have learnt from our mistakes. It was all part of our evolution process. Without it, there can be no maturity. I believe that PDP is more matured, to provide the best for this country.”

The party said it apologised to Nigerians so as to create a pathway for national healing and renewal of hope so as to rescue the country from “the current pathetic situation occasioned by the painful misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Information Minister, Lai Mohammed asked the PDP to accompany its “apology to Nigerians by returning all the funds looted from the public treasury under its watch during its 16 years in power”.

Also, the National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians not to accept the apology tendered by the PDP.

Tinubu said this while speaking at a colloquium organised in honour of his 66th birthday.

He said, “Don’t take their apologies. They lied, they falsified, they changed figures. For 16 years, they made fake promises and they say don’t talk about it? It is like when you catch a thief and the thief tells you not to talk about it, but tells you to go and steal your own.”

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Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, again criticised the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Gates, in an interview with the CNN, said that the Federal Government’s investment in education and health was not good enough.

“The current quality and quantity of investment in this young generation in health and education just isn’t good enough. So, I was very direct,” he told CNN.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in reaction, said the Buhari administration has invested well in human capital, and has launched Nigeria’s largest pro-poor programme ever.

Osinbajo said the Buhari administration has invested heavily, not only in its Social Investment Programmes, but also in agriculture.

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Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), has said he has uncovered an alleged plan by the Nigerian Police Force and the Kogi Government to assassinate him using lethal injection while travelling to the State.

He said that is why they insist on prosecuting him in Kogi, instead of Abuja, for a crime he allegedly committed.
Meanwhile, the police has declared Melaye wanted.

The lawmaker was declared wanted alongside Mohammed Audu, son of a former governor of the state, Abubakar Audu.

Police said the duo have also been placed on Interpol watch list for allegedly providing false information to the police in relation to an alleged attempt on Melaye’s life last year.

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The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said the visit of the MLK family members to Nigeria was not sponsored by the Federal Government.

Dabiri-Erewa in a statement by her media aide, Abdurrahman Balogun, dismissed insinuations that the government paid for the award, stressing that nothing could be further from the truth.

“It must be categorically stated here that the trip was totally privately funded and not one kobo was spent by the Nigerian government, as it was all a private initiative,” she explained.

Also, Isaac Newton-Farris, one of the organisers of the leadership award received by President Buhari says allegation of $3 million payment is embarrassing.

An angry Newton-Farris described the allegations as insulting and embarrassing.

He said it is a dent on the image of the family, saying he collected no dime but said what he said based on conviction.

“It’s a lie… It’s fake news… Everyone in Nigeria should be ashamed,” he said.

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African and European diplomats have lauded Nigeria’s agriculture sector for its role in pulling the country out of recession.

The envoys gave their commendations at the ongoing 4th International Agro-Food Fair taking place in Lagos.

The representative of the European Union trade delegation, Ibi Ikpoki, said the agricultural sector played a huge role in Nigeria’s exit from recession.

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British model, Naomi Campbell, who arrived Lagos to headline the Arise Fashion Week (AFW) 2018, went to visit Eko Atlantic and met President Muhammadu Buhari, who also was on a two-day visit to the State.

Diverse reactions, however, came up when the supermodel tweeted that she was invited by the President to Nigeria – although, she has deleted the tweet and corrected herself.

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has released some names of officials of the opposition PDP that it said looted the treasury while the party was in power.

The government was responding to a challenge by the spokesperson of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in response to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who said the PDP administration carried out massive looting of the treasury in the 16 years it was in power.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, picked up the challenge and said, “Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.”

He said the PDP Chair, Uche Secondus, on February 19, 2015, received N200 million from the office of then National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Then PDP Financial Secretary, on October 24, 2014, took N600 million only from the office of then NSA.

“Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA,” he said.

The minister also said a stalwart of the PDP, the Chairman of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, is also in trial for receiving N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA.

“Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies.”

Mohammed said a Federal High Court on Thursday ruled that a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA.

“This list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this.

“We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available,” Mohammed said.

The PDP described the list of alleged “looters” published by the federal government as “hollow and laughable.”

In a statement, the PDP said, “We are not in doubt that the individuals he has mentioned will take their legitimate stride and pursue appropriate action in the court.

“However, attacks on individuals, who are members of our party, does not in anyway detract from the fact that the PDP, as a political platform, is not a party of corruption.”