1. Rivers State police command, on Thursday, announced that it has arrested a suspected serial killer of young women, Gracious David West, who allegedly lures his victims to low budget hotels in Port-Harcourt, the state capital. The police had earlier said that David West’s victims since July are no fewer than eight ladies. However, a statement on Thursday night by the Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba, said the alleged serial killer, who is also a cultist, was nabbed on his way to Uyo, Akwa Ibom from Port-Harcourt.
2. The Federal Government, States and Local Government Areas (LGAs) on Thursday shared N740.88 billion as federal allocation for the month of August. This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting and signed by Mr Ahmed Idris, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), in Abuja. The communique said that the gross statutory revenue of N631.79 billion received for August was lower than the N674.36 billion received in the previous month by N42.56 billion.
3. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has condemned the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa where many non-nationals, including Nigerians lost their lives and properties. They also condemned the reprisals in Nigeria and called on the governments of both countries to resolve the issue. CBCN, however, commended the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) for their condemnation of the attacks and urged the government to take decisive steps to end it.
4. A group known as Customary Government of the Indigenous People of Biafra, CG-IPOB, has dragged former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, rtd, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Attorney-General of the Federation to a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu. In their suit, the pro-Biafra group wants the court to decide on issues relating to self-determination, regional autonomy, and roles the respondents played during the civil war, referendum, among other things.
5. The Theatre Command, Operation LAFIYA DOLE on Thursday accused global humanitarian organisatoon, Action Against Hunger of sabotage against Nigeria’s anti-terrorism war. The Command accused the organisation of engaging in notorious activities despite several warnings to desist from aiding and abetting terrorists and their atrocities. The army alleged that the Command had, on many occasions, raised the alarm over the issue during meetings with the NGOs operating in the North East Theater of Operation.
6. President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja directed security chiefs to bring an end cases of crude oil theft in the country. The Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, said the President gave the challenge when he met behind closed doors with security chiefs, at the State House, Abuja.
7. Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, disclosed that issues concerning the Biafran people were before the various arms and agencies of the United Nations, adding that Biafra’s case would no longer be swept under the carpet. Kanu demanded from the UN an urgent action against the numerous rights abuses inflicted daily upon Biafra agitators by the government of the day and the need to support the undeniable right of Biafrans to self-determination as enshrined in law, statute and various UN conventions.
8. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, on Thursday affirmed the victory of Gov. Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 9, general elections. Nsima Ekere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed a petition challenging the result of the election. However, delivering judgment, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice A.M Yakuba, dismissed the case filed by Ekete, on grounds that the petition lacked merit.
9. A Federal High Court in Abuja, Thursday, ordered the forfeiture of all assets belonging to Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) limited to the federal government. This development followed the conviction of the involved firms on 11-count charge bordering on economic sabotage, money laundering, tax evasion amongst others preferred against them by the federal government. Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo premised the order on the admission of guilt by the firm and its officials in the criminal charges against them.
10. The Presidency has dismissed claims that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had been sidelined following President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration of an Economic Advisory Team (EAC) to replace the Economic Management Team (EMT). While the EMT was headed by Osinbajo, the newly constituted EAC will report directly to President Buhari. The Presidency said all that the president had done particularly this week was just to tweak governance and get the best for Nigerians.
