Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Friday morning -

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. A group of unidentified bandits, Thursday, attacked and killed Reverend Father David Tanko, a Catholic priest at Kufai Amadu in Takum, Taraba State. The cleric was on his way to Takum for a peace meeting with his fellow clergymen on how to resolve the lingering Tiv, Jukun crisis when he was killed. The chairman of the council, Shiban Tikari who confirmed the incident to newsmen said that after killing him, the attackers set him and his car on fire.

2. The FCT Police Command on Thursday announced commencement of investigation into intercepted explosive materials discovered in Abuja. It, however, assured the public of adequate security. FCT Police said the explosives were discovered on Wednesday by a joint team of police operatives from the Command Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and Nyanya Police Division.

3. The Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, yesterday emerged flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the November 16 governorship election. Bello won the primary conducted in Lokoja, the state capital on Thursday by 3,127 votes. A total of 3,596 delegates were accredited. The Governor defeated Hadiza Iyoma Ibrahim, Yahaya Odidi Audu, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, Engr. Abubakar Bashir, Engr. Danlami Umar Mohammed, YakubuMohammed, Hassan Abdullahi and Ekele Aishat Blessing.

4. Following the allegation of N1.6bn fraud, a Lagos Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dr Waripamo Owei-Dudafa. Justice Mohammed Idris in his judgment held that the EFCC failed to prove any of the 22-count charges levelled against Owei-Dudafa beyond reasonable doubt. In the 190-page judgment, Justice Mohammed said EFCC’s case was based on suspicions and suspicions “cannot take the place of legal evidence. The judge also observed that the EFCC failed to call vital witnesses, including Jonathan and former NSA Sambo Dasuki, who could have helped its case.

5. An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service was yesterday accused of collecting a sum of N200,000 from a commercial driver who identified himself as Olanrewaju Olasupo before releasing his impounded vehicle to him. Olasupo’s bus was impounded along with tomatoes on Monday in Ijoun, Yewa-North Local government area of Ogun state. However, Olasupo alleged to have paid the bribe to one officer Akin in Abeokuta command without being given a receipt for the payment. Olasupo explained that he took some traders to purchase tomatoes in Ijoun when his vehicle was impounded on their way back.

6. The Ogun State Police Command on Thursday, said it had arrested three members of a community vigilante group for the alleged murder of one Ahmed Obisanwo, a 400-level student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye. The three suspects, who were paraded on Wednesday at Eleweran State Police headquarters, were said to have killed Ahmed and threw his corpse into a river, after he was arrested by the group over cult related activities in Ijebu Igbo town. Speaking with newsmen during the parade, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, explained that the trio of Idowu Ayodele, 53, Segun Ogunsanwo, 53, and Akeem Salisu, 55, had invaded a hotel in Ijebu-Igbo area of the state on August 8, dispossessed lodgers of their valuables and seized two young men.

7. The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal for Adamawa State yesterday affirmed the election of Sen Ishaku Abbo for Adamawa North Senatorial District. The tribunal dismissed it on the grounds of the inability of the petitioners to prove their case.The petitioners, Sen Garba Binta Masi and the All Progressives Congress (APC), had based their petition on claims of over-voting, non-use of card readers, and other instances of ‘noncompliance with the Electoral Act.’ Delivering the judgement, Chairman of the election petition tribunal, Justice Suleiman Akanbi, said the petitioners failed to produce concrete evidence to back their allegations of lack of compliance with the Electoral Act.
8. President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Yokohama, Japan, sought the support of the Asian government in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea as well as illegal fishing in that region.The President made the request during a bilateral meeting between the Nigerian delegation and Japanese officials led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on the margins of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7).

9. The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, on Thursday said the Federal Government is to recruit 40,000 Community Police Constables across the federation as part of the measures to strengthen community policing in the country. Adamu said this in Enugu during the launch of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV). He said each of the 774 council areas in the country will have a minimum of 50 constables to strengthen security at the local levels.

10. Imo State Government under the leadership of Emeka Ihedioha on Thursday ordered a citizen’s arrest against Sen. Rochas Okorocha, over alleged assault on a government official, Mr Jasper Ndubuaku. The Secretary to State Government (SSG), Mr Uche Onyeaguocha, gave the order after the Chairman of the Recovery of Government Properties, Mr Jasper Ndubuaku, was allegedly assaulted at Okorocha’s residence. Onyeaguocha said that the state had also placed Okorocha on security watch and urged Imo citizens to arrest him and alert the government whenever they found him in the state.