Newspapers Review: 10 Things You Need To Know Today

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers
1. President Muhamadu Buhari, Friday departed Abuja for Jordan ahead of Counter Terrorism Summit holding in the country. He was accompanied by governors Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger States.
Buhari is expected to join other Heads of State at a retreat tagged ‘Aqaba Retreat’ in the review of strategies in the execution of war against terrorism.

2. The draw for the 2018 World Cup held in Russia on Friday, and Nigeria has been drawn in group D alongside Argentina, Croatia and Iceland. Egypt is in group A alongside Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Morocco is grouped alongside Spain Iran and Portugal. Tunisia and Senegal are found in groups F and G respectively.

3. A former Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement and Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, on Friday faulted the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Maikanti Baru for not following due process as recommended by the Public Procurement Act in the award of contracts by the NNPC. Ezekwesili, who was the lead discussant at a roundtable to analyse the issues surrounding the October faceoff between the GMD of the NNPC and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibeh Kachikwu, argued strongly that the NNPC breached the nation’s public procurement procedures.

4. Security personnel at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife have arrested some persons in connection with a fight which led to the death of one Olufemi Ayoola Omoboriowo. The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, said in a statement that the deceased was not a student of the institution.

5. One of the returnees from Libya following the ongoing slave trade in the country, Foka Fotsi, has said that the new slave trade-human trafficking in Libya is being carried out by many nationalities, including Nigerians and Ghanaians.

6. The Governing Council of the Imo State University, Owerri, has suspended the Registrar of the institution, Dr. Emeka Ejinkeonye, for six months. The Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ralph Njoku-Obi, said the decision to suspend the registrar was taken at the Council’s 61st Regular Meeting held on November 24, 2017. Report says he was suspended over alleged insubordination, treachery, stubbornness and lack of respect for constituted authority.

7. The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Hassan-Kukah has blamed the woes of the country on the shunning of politics by members of the Catholic Church.
He also called on Catholics who, he said were natural community builders, to vote out bad government.

8. The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung is optimistic that the Super Eagles will advance from Group D of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Dalung made the statement after the draws were made on Friday at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow, where Nigeria were drawn in Group D with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland. The minister said if quality friendly games were lined up for the team, the Eagles would get beyond the quarter-finals.

9. One of the Nigerians repatriated by the Federal Government from Libya earlier in the week, 35-year-old Harrison Okotie, has narrated that he lost one of his eyes to traffickers after he was sold for 2000 diners in the country.

10. The Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed the killing of four of its men in a clash with gunmen in Numan local government area of the state. The command spokesman, Othman Abubakar, who confirmed the incident in Yola to newsmen, said the four policemen were on patrol when the incident occurred. Abubakar said the identities of the gunmen have not been ascertained yet.