Nigerian students give South African companies 48 hours to leave the country; Facts emerge on Abdulmutallab and much more
So you do not miss out on all that happened in the news on Thursday, here is a summary.
Facts emerged on how Farouk Abdulmutallab was mentored into becoming a suicide bomber; Court turned down Olisa Metuh’s application to invite Sambo Dasuki as witness; Kaduna locals tried to rescue Germans that were abducted by gunmen; and Nigerian students gave South African companies 48 hours to leave the country.
1. Court turns down Metuh’s application to invite Dasuki
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court refused Olisa Metuh’s application to compel Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser, NSA, to testify in his trial.
The court also declined Mr. Metuh’s request to travel to the United Kingdom for eight weeks of medical treatment
In turn, Mr. Metuh asked Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to disqualify himself from the case.
2. How Abdulmutallab was mentored to become suicide bomber
The New York Times, through a Freedom of Information Act request, has obtained documents containing detailed accounts of how slain Al Qaeda leader, Anwar al-Awlaki, mentored a Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to explode a bomb hidden in his underpants, on a flight from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Detroit, United States, on Christmas Day in 2009.
Mr. Abdulmutallab, commonly referred to as the “underwear bomber” by United States media, is the son of former chairman of First Bank Plc, Umaru Abdulmutallab. In 2012, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a defiant guilty plea.
3. Gunmen killed brave Kaduna locals who tried rescuing abducted Germans
Locals in Kaduna staged a formidable attempt to rescue two German nationals abducted on Wednesday, but their efforts ended on a deadly note as two residents were shot dead.
Peter Breunig, a professor of archaeology, and his colleague, Johannes Buringer, were seized while excavating a site in Jenjela village of Kagargo Local Government Area.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday summoned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to brief Mr. Osinbajo on efforts to rescue the Germans.
4. Stella Oduah said she is not indebted to any bank
Anambra senator, Stella Oduah, described as untrue allegations that she was indebted to Sterling Bank and other commercial banks.
On Wednesday, a Lagos Federal High Court restrained Mrs. Oduah and Sea Petroleum from making withdrawals from 21 accounts in some commercial banks.
5. I almost committed suicide out of poverty — Mr Ibu
Nollywood comic star, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, said he was suicidal before attaining his present celebrity status.
Ibu, the fifth Nigerian celebrity visiting the #BBNaija housemates on Day 31, narrated his experience during the dairy session with `Biggie’ in the Diary Room.
The comic actor said he `nearly’ committed suicide during “his struggles in life.”
6. No padding in 2017 budget — Budget Office
The Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, said there is no padding in the 2017 Budget as being alleged in some quarters.
Mr. Akabueze said that “padding” was a term used to describe unauthorised or undisclosed insertions into the budget.
7. Harvard School appoints Murtala Muhammed’s daughter onto its Leadership Board
The Women’s Leadership Board of the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States of America invited Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode onto its Board.
Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode, a lawyer, administrator and philanthropist, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a Nigerian non-governmental organisation.
8. Nigerian students threaten South African companies
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) gave a 48 hours ultimatum to all South African companies in Nigeria to relocate over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
The students gave the ultimatum at a peaceful demonstration at some South African companies in Abuja.
9. Nigerian govt files another charge against Saraki
The Federal Government filed one more charge against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is standing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Mr. Saraki was initially facing a 16-count charge of fraud levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
10. Naira appreciates further at parallel market
The Naira consolidated its gains against the dollar at the parallel market, few days after the CBN announced a new forex policy.
The Nigerian currency exchanged at N500 to a dollar after closing at N505 on Wednesday, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N600 and N510 respectively.
