Today's Headlines: ECOWAS rejects junta’s 3-year transition plan, Leaked memo: DSS arrests Abuja-Kaduna train manager

Niger: ECOWAS rejects junta’s 3-year transition plan

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The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has rejected the three-year transition plan proposed by Niger Republic’s military junta.

It will be recalled that the coup leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, had at a meeting with ECOWAS delegation, led by General Abadulsalami Abubakar, retd, in Niamey on Saturday, promised the military government would return Niger Republic to democracy in three years.

Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, told BBC in an interview, yesterday, that the proposal was unacceptable to ECOWAS, setting the ground for a military operation.

Meanwhile, thousands of Nigeriens flooded the streets yesterday declaring support for the military junta.

Their demonstration came against the backdrop of ECOWAS’ insistence on invading the country to rout out coupists should diplomacy fail to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to power.

Leaked memo: DSS arrests Abuja-Kaduna train manager

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The Department of State Services has arrested the Manager, Abuja-Kaduna Kaduna Train Services, Pascal Nnorli, following the leak of a memo warning of the possible terror attack on the Abuja-Kaduna railway.

A reliable source in the Nigerian Railway Corporation told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the manager was arrested along with the tions Manager, Victor Adamu, and other staff members.

The PUNCH had reported that the DSS last Wednesday issued a security alert to the Nigerian Railway Corporation on a plot by bandits to attack the Abuja-Kaduna train link at any possible time.

In a memo signed by the Director of the DSS, FCT Command, R.N. Adepemu, the secret police warned train passengers to be security-conscious.

Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, the NRC source said, “Do you know that they have arrested our manager since last Thursday – the two of them, the operation manager and Pascal? But they have released one of them.

Ex-UN Pension Boss Faults FG On N185bn Palliative To States

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A social development expert and former Chairperson, United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), Dr. Olusoji Adeniyi, has faulted the federal government’s plan to grant the 36 states of the federation and FCT N5bn each, to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

He said this at the 18th bi-annual leadership lecture; graduation and matriculation of 20th intakes of African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Sunday in Abuja.

He said the problem associated with palliatives in every administration was that the government wants to go cap in hand, thinking that people are on the streets waiting to be fed.

“For instance how do we distribute equally to the 36 states and FCT and give them all N5bn each, when the wealth quantile across the states are different. The numbers in Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt cannot be compared with the numbers in Ebonyi, Bayelsa, with some having over one million population and others with far less population. I don’t think this was well-thought plan,” Adeniyi said.

Tinubu Must Step On Toes To Succeed, Says APC chieftain

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A former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in South Africa, Mr Bola Babarinde has said President Bola Tinubu must be ready to step on toes in order to achieve the Renewed Hope agenda of his administration.

Babarinde, in a statement made available to the Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, said hard decisions must be made to get Nigerians out of the current economic hardship.

“For the present government to succeed, President Bola Tinubu should be ready to steps on toes of enemies of the people to make Nigeria better and a proud country for all of us,” he said.

The APC chieftain also said that the president should be ready to fight corruption toward getting the country on the right path and be respected in the comity of nations.

According to him, any nation that treat corruption with kid gloves is on the way to obliteration and perdition.

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