Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 9th January, 2025
1. Tinubu Splits Nigerian Aviation College Into Six Geopolitical Campuses
President Bola Tinubu has approved the division of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Kaduna State, into six campuses to enhance efficiency, ensure national coverage, and improve operations.
The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) disclosed this development on Wednesday through its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
“President Bola Tinubu has decided to split the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria–Kaduna State, into six campuses to ensure efficiency, national coverage, and smooth operations,” the APC Ondo chapter posted.
The new campuses will be strategically distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to the announcement, the campuses will be located in:
Akure (Southwest);
Osubi (South-South);
Ebonyi (Southeast);
Ilorin (North Central);
Yola (Northeast); and
Zaria (Northwest).
2. ‘El-Rufai’s Ministerial Nomination, Rejection Does Not Concern APC Governors’ – Gov Sule
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said the controversy surrounding the ministerial ordeal of former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, does not concern the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF).
Naturenex reports that Sule, while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, clarified that El-Rufai remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite the National Assembly’s rejection of his ministerial nomination in August 2023.
Sule, a member of the PGF, stated that the circumstances leading to El-Rufai’s nomination and rejection were outside the purview of the PGF or the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The governor further emphasised that the president and other relevant agencies are solely responsible for decisions regarding ministerial appointments.
3. Peter Obi Clarifies His Reported Arrest
The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said the reports of his arrest circulating on the internet were false.
Obi stated that the reports were made up by rumour-mongers to distract the citizens from focusing on critical issues affecting the country.
In a statement on Wednesday on his social media handle, he advised Nigerians and supporters to disregard the reports.
4. I Didn’t Say We Are Launching National Air Carrier, I Was Misquoted – Kana
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, has said he was misquoted on the launch of a National Air Carrier.
Naturenex reports that Kana said his statement on reviving a national carrier for the country was a vision that would be implemented if it would be favourable to the nation.
In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, he stated that he remains dedicated to implementing the policy of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, concerning the sector.
The Permanent Secretary assured the commitment of the ministry to taking the aviation sector to a greater height.
5. France Speaks On Colluding With Nigeria To Destabilize Niger Republic
France has stated that the allegation by the Niger Republic claiming that they are colluding with Nigeria to destabilize their country is groundless.
Recall that the Nigerien military Leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, had accused France of plotting to destabilise the country by using neighbouring Benin and Nigeria as a base for attacks.
Tchiani, who spoke in Hausa in an interview, alleged that France was negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria to destabilise his country.
However, Political Counsellor to the Embassy of France in Nigeria, Bertrand de Seissan, dismissed the allegation while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
6. Call, Data Tariffs Increase Will Not Be 100%’ – Tijani Gives Details Of Meeting With Telecom Operators
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has assured Nigerians that telecommunications tariffs will not be increased by 100 percent as telecom operators are currently pushing.
Naturenex reports that Tijani made this known at the end of a stakeholders meeting with Mobile Network Operators, MNOs, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Minister confirmed that call and data tariffs will soon increase, stressing that the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, would approve the new tariffs and make it public to Nigerians.
The minister also noted that the federal government would no longer leave investments in infrastructure in the sector to private companies alone.
7. Ganduje Dismisses Peter Obi’s Threat-To-Life Claim As Misleading And Baseless
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has described claims by Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi of threats to his life as “unfortunate, misleading, and outright falsehood.”
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday night, Ganduje dismissed Obi’s allegations as a deliberate attempt at mischief and emotional blackmail.
Obi had alleged via his verified X handle that the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made threatening remarks about him during an interview on Arise TV on January 4, 2025.
However, Ganduje refuted this, asserting that Morka’s comments were misrepresented.
Ganduje emphasized the responsibility of public figures to provide truthful and accurate information, noting that spreading falsehood undermines public trust.
He added that Morka’s remarks responded to comments about “prophets of doom” and “voodoo economics” and did not constitute or suggest any threat.
8. ‘Most Surrendered Boko Haram, Other Terrorists, Have Hard Currencies On Them’ – CDS Musa Makes Shocking Revelation
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that most of the surrendered insurgents from Boko Haram and other terrorist groups always have hard currencies on them.
General Musa lamented, however, that Nigeria does not have the jurisdiction to trace and track the source of such funds.
He hinted that such funds are part of the larger pool of what the terrorists have been using to train themselves and buy weapons for over fifteen years.
The CDS, who spoke during a recent interview with Aljazeera, therefore called on the United Nations (UN) to investigate the source of such funds, adding that it is obvious the insurgents are getting international support to sustain themselves and carry out terror activities for almost two decades.
General Musa submitted that it is only the UN that has the jurisdiction to trace and track the source of funding that Boko Haram members and other insurgents have been using to procure equipment and other logistics for over fifteen years.
9. PDP, Labour Party Reject ₦55 Billion Allocation For Presidential Fleet In 2025 Budget
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party have strongly criticized the ₦55.5 billion allocated for the maintenance of the presidential fleet in the 2025 Appropriation Bill, currently awaiting approval by the National Assembly.
The contentious allocation includes expenses for the overhaul of three aircraft engines, fuelling, fumigation, air navigation, cleaning, and general maintenance.
If approved, it would surpass the total spent on the fleet between July 2023 and September 2024, which amounted to ₦19.43 billion.
Critics argue that the budgetary priority is misplaced, particularly given Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The South-West Chairman of the PDP, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, in an interview with Punch questioned whether the presidency was planning to procure additional aircraft.
Similarly, Labour Party factional National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, described the allocation as “inhuman and satanic,” criticizing the government for prioritizing luxury expenses while millions of Nigerians struggle to make ends meet.
10. Six Soldiers Killed In ISWAP Raid On Borno Base – DHQ Confirms
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the death of six soldiers during an attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants on a military base in Sabon Gari, located in the Damboa district of Borno State.
Naturenex reported that the attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, involved insurgents arriving in trucks and motorcycles, setting fire to the base and army vehicles during the raid.
According to military sources, the soldiers engaged the attackers in an intense firefight before reinforcements arrived.
In its official statement released on Wednesday, the DHQ reported that 34 ISWAP fighters were killed in retaliation, and 23 AK-47 rifles, along with over 200 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, were recovered.
However, the attack resulted in the deaths of six personnel, whose names are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin.
