NEWS HEADLINES FOR 20th FEBRUARY 2021.

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May God give Nigeria prudent, honest leaders like Jakande – TINUBU

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Friday, hailed the late first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, saying the country needed more leaders with integrity and pragmatism.

Jakande, who served between October 1, 1979, and December 31, 1983, passed away last Thursday at the age of 91. Tinubu, who is also a former governor of Lagos, spoke at the eighth-day Fidau prayer session for Jakande, saying had started his political career at the late ex-governor’s house.

The event was also attended by former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; former Inspector General of Police, Musliliu Smith; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and other dignitaries.

There are indications that the government might consider releasing some arrested bandits as a part of the bargains to secure the release of 27 pupils and 15 workers of Government Science College, Kagara, in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, kidnapped on Thursday.
It was learnt on Friday that the group of bandits responsible for the abduction wanted their gang members in custody of security agencies released as a swap deal to free the abductees.
Bandits in military uniform had reportedly stormed the school around 2am on Wednesday, and seized their victims, killing a Senior Secondary School 3 pupil who raised the alarm in the process. They consequently led their victims – tied in pairs – to a nearby spot around Attahiru Secondary School where they had reportedly parked their motorcycles and whisked them into a forest.
In a bid to secure their release, officials of Niger and Zamfara state governments met some bandits at Dutsin Magaji of Kotonkoro Forest in Rafi on Thursday evening. The forest reportedly connects the four states of Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger and Kaduna.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had also deployed 252 additional operatives and a helicopter to reinforce the ongoing rescue operation for the abducted pupils and staff members of the school.

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has dared the Lagos State Government to embrace open governance by revealing how much it generates from toll in a statement on Friday.
George said this was necessary since the state had become the personal fiefdom of one politician.
He also called on the state government to prove that the son of All Progressives Congress leader, Seyi Tinubu, does not own or control the Lekki tollgate.

The PDP chieftain called on the Lagos State Government to do this by honouring Freedom of Information requests and revealing the terms of agreement between the Lekki Concession Company and the state government.

He said the state government must address allegations that Tinubu’s son and his former Chief of Staff, Sunday Dare, who is now the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, control the tollgate.

Recall that the lekki toll gate was the epicenter of where peacefull protersters were shot on the 20^th of october 2020.

The Executive Director, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Segun Awolowo, on Friday described as biggest surprise the swift way Nigeria’s economy recovered from recession.
Awolowo spoke in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the council remained committed to its targets to realise at least $30bn in the next 10 years from zero oil export.
While admitting the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, Awolowo said Nigeria could still get $30bn in terms of non oil export as projected. He however said the country must increase production and productivity across the two sectors that the zero oil plan is postulating for the country.

What could be a clash of two Nigerian brothers in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may have been avoided following a declaration by the welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, that he would never stage a fight against his friend Israel Adesanya.

Usman stated yesterday that he would be interested in moving up to the middleweight division, but only if Adesanya was no longer champion.
Kamaru Usman, who hails from Auchi, Edo State and Israel Adesanya, a native of Odogbolu in Ogun State are two eminent characters in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
Usman says he would ‘absolutely’ consider stepping up to 185 pounds after he beat Gilbert Burns 34 seconds into the third round at UFC 258 – taking his record to 18-1, defending his title for the third time, and breaking Georges St Pierre’s consecutive welterweight victories record in the process.
However, the Nigerian-born Texan has admitted the move is dependent on Adesanya as he ‘would never entertain going up to fight Izzy’ and claims he would rather ‘two Africans held belts than one African with two belts’.

The Nigerian Nightmare – who is set for welterweight rematches against Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, and Leon Edwards – has said he would consider the step up if Adesanya says he wants nothing to do with’ the middleweight anymore.