Sack police chief Idris now, Reps tell President Buhari - Newspaper review

macfranc007 February 08, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Adeola Opeyemi

The main headlines of the mainstream Nigerian newspapers for Thursday, February 8, are focused on the killings by suspected herdsmen and the deployment of Nigerian army troops to the states affected by the crisis.

Vanguard reports that the federal government yesterday, ordered the immediate deployment of troops to Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger and Kaduna states to contain insecurity in the six states.

The development came following ceaseless clashes between farmers and herdsmen which have resulted in several deaths and destruction of property worth several billions of naira.

Vanguard Newspaper

The Nation reports that the Army said it would begin a special exercise tagged: ”Operation Cat Race”, which in Tiv language means “Ayem Akpatuma’’ to tackle the recurring herdsmen/farmers clashes and criminal activities in the states.

Chief of Training and Operations, Army Headquarters, Major General David Ahmadu, who represented Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the exercise would be targeted at killer-herdsmen, cattle rustlers, armed bandits, kidnappers, armed militias and other criminal elements.

The Nation Newspaper

The Guardian reports that the House of Representatives yesterday unanimously called for the immediate sacking of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Abubakar Nuhu Danburam (APC, Kano) at a plenary presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.Danburam had alleged that the IGP, in cahoots with the Kano state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, turned a blind eye to the spate of thuggery in the state.

The ensuing debate, however, pitted the supporters of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano state governor, and his successor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, against one another before the House turned the heat on the IGP, adopting an amendment proposed by John Dyegh (APC, Benue). Dyegh said the House needed to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the IGP, alleging the police boss ignored the directive to relocate to Benue state in the wake of attacks by herdsmen.

The Guardian Newspaper

The Punch reports that the Senate stepped down a report by its joint Committee on Police Affairs; and National Security and Intelligence for not having the input of Governor Ortom on the security situation in Benue state.

The senators, who spoke on the report presented by the Chairman of the panel, Senator Abu Ibrahim, described it as one-sided.

They said the report had only the submissions made by the Inspector-General of Police, who made allegations against Ortom and the Benue state government.

Punch Newspaper

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This Day reports that Former President Olusegun Obasanjo wednesday declared that he had no candidate for any political office in the 2019 general elections, saying he would remain an elder statesman with a passion for a greater Nigeria.

Obasanjo, who shed more light on his Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) at his Abeokuta home, Ogun state capital, noted that the group’s mission is to galvanize the people to appreciate their interests and power.