Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Wednesday morning

1. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday insisted that he has fulfilled his promise to eradicate polio from Nigeria.

Buhari, who spoke at the formal certification of the Wild Polio Virus eradication in the African region during the virtual session of the 70th World Health Organisation (WHO) regional committee for Africa, also expressed optimism that just like Polio, COVID-19 would be defeated both in Nigeria and Africa.

2. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has berated Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister over his attack on a reporter with Daily Trust, Charles Eyo.

SERAP said Fani-Kayode should publicly apologize for hurling insults on Eyo who was doing his job.

3. President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he delayed in approving community policing in Nigeria.

Buhari said the inability of states to pay workers was responsible for the delay in approving community policing.

4. Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said that the peace and reconciliation process initiated by the Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area among the various ethnic groups will help to complement security efforts to restore law and order and advance towards sustainable peace in the area.

Speaking during the visit of a delegation from Atyap Chiefdom, to present a formal update on the peace and reconciliation process between the communities in the Chiefdom, Governor El-Rufai, commended the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area for the successful peace and reconciliation summit they held on Saturday, August 23, 2020.

5. Olusola Olagunju, a patient at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State has died following an industrial action embarked upon by health workers amidst the coronavirus disease.

The victim was said to have died after the aggrieved workers switched off the oxygen.

6. Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said on Tuesday that she inherited a debt of N3.2 billion when she assumed office in November 2017.

Adeyeye speaking at an online news conference to highlight the activities of the agency, said that, however, the debt had been settled.

7. Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, has described as false reports that he conspired with a lawyer to testify against Ibrahim Magu, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Malami in a statement signed by his spokesman, Umar Gwandu, said that the report about the Malami’s involvement with one Donald Wokoma was false.

8. Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria, HURIWA, has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for his failure to stop the members of his inner caucus from embarking on medical trips abroad.

According to the rights group, the President Muhammadu Buhari government has shown no interest into investing massively in reviving the moribund health sector despite the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

9. The management of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust and other titles, has expressed anger over the attack on its reporter, Eyo Charles by Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation.

Daily Trust said should anything happen to its reporters, Fani-Kayode would be held responsible.

10. Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, has told the club to terminate his contract, so he can leave as a free agent, Marca reports.

Messi is understood to have told the Catalans, to activate a clause in his contract, which allows him to leave the club at the end of the seasonguard allegedly rapes Pastor’s 8-year-old girl

The Police in Delta State have in custody a 46-year-old security guard who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl.

The incident occured in Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area on Monday, August 24, in an uncompleted building.

Onome Onovwakpoyeya, Police Public Relations Officer, told journalists on Tuesday in Asaba that the suspect was exposed by neighbours.

“The suspect was caught in the act by his neighbours after he lured the little girl into the building,” the spokesman said.

NAN quoted a source as saying the suspect is a security guard at the building site which is close to the victim’s residence.

“We learnt from the little girl that the suspect lured her into the building by lying that he would send her on an errand. When her parents did not see her, they alerted people.

“A woman said she saw the little girl entering the uncompleted building. We rushed into the building and caught him defiling her. We found that he tied the hands of the girl before forcing his way into her body.”

The source disclosed that the father of the victim, a Pastor, had opted to keep quiet so as to shield the girl from stigmatisation.

“The father was not prepared to raise any alarm, but we were angry and arrested the suspect. We have taken him to the Ibusa Police Station.”