Today, August 20, 2015, major Nigerian newspapers are focusing on a number of issues, from the military raining bombs on fleeing Boko Haram insurgents to Senators being concerned over President Buhari’s appointment of a new executive management team for the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
President Muhammadu Buhari may have overlooked the statutory requirement of seeking the Senate’s confirmation for his nominees before they can become substantive appointees, This Day reports.
Some members of the National Assembly have expressed concern over Buhari’s appointment of a new executive management team for AMCON without seeking the confirmation of the Senate.
This Day front page, August 20, 2015.
A National Assembly source, the dilemma in the appointments by the president, who directed that their appointments too effect immediately, is that with the lawmakers on recess till September 29, this will mean that the confirmation will be kept in abeyance.
President Buhari had on Tuesday, August 18, approved the dissolution of AMCON’s executive management team and simultaneously approved the reconstitution of a new management team for the corporation.
It is clearly stipulated in the AMCON Act 2010 that such appointments by the president shall be subject to the confirmation of the Senate, but the statement from the president’s media aide, Femi Adesina, was silent on this.
When contacted, a senior presidency official admitted that it was an oversight, adding that it will be corrected as a letter will also be forwarded by the president to the Senate seeking for the confirmation of his nominees, in line with the AMCON Act.
Daily Sun reports that it was war yesterday in Sambisa forest, Borno state as Nigerian troops attacked Boko Haram insurgents, killing many and recovering vehicles and ammunition.
Daily Sun front page, August 20, 2015.
According to Colonel Sani Usman, the acting director of Army Public Relations, the warplanes Nigerian Air Force of the warplanes bombarded Boko Haram camps in Sambisa forest, killing scores.
A number of terrorists fleeing the forest in seven pick-up vans and motorcycles were also killed ground troops.
The military recovered assorted weapons, including rocket propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns, two AK47 rifles and large quantities of 7.62mm NATO and 12.7mm ammunition, which were all destroyed along with the vehicles and motorcycles by the troops.
In other news, Nigerian embassy in Delhi, India, has written to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the arrest of two Nigerians arrested in Punjab recently while on their way to Pakistan, to allegedly join the Islamic State terrorist group, The Punch reports.
The Nigerian embassy has requested to see two youths from Kano, identified as Imran Kabeer and Sani Jamiliu, who are currently being detained by the Punjab Police in India.
According to Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, the spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian embassy officials had applied to see the suspects to “ascertain their claim of Nigerian nationality.”
The Punch front page, August 20, 2015.
The duo, who had arrived India on student visas about a year ago, were arrested on suspicions that they were on their way to join ISIS and that they attempted to enter Pakistan without valid travel documents.
Meanwhile, there are fears that the nation’s economy will be affected following the public sector funds component of banks’ deposit base which may have started to shrink, Vanguard reports.
This is as the overall cash inflow from the system in the month of August, so far, is about N440 billion compared to about N613 billion in the corresponding period of last month.
Vanguard front page, August 20, 2015.
Bank treasures have said, though the funds are not coming in as in previous months, about N232 billion is being expected before end of next week.
Some bank treasurers are also worried over the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which will remove public sector funds from the banking system.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is battling to resolve how 20 oil companies got $4.5 million tax holidays to which they are not entitled, The Nation reports.
The Nation front page, August 20, 2015.
It was gathered that about 20 local oil companies benefited from the tax holidays given during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, after buying over marginal fields from some International Oil Companies (IOCs).
The EFCC may likely probe the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Solid Minerals and the Nigerian Customs Service.
They are also likely to interrogate three former ministers and some officials of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
A former Special Assistant to an ex-minister has already been interrogated.
Complete Sports front page, August 20, 2015.
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