Daily News Roundup

Nigerian students numbering over 1,262 have appealed to the Federal Government to evacuate them from the Republic of Sudan where a fierce military confrontation between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force, has claimed 330 lives, with 3,200 injured.

 The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday denied meeting with Adamawa government officials to rig the supplementary governorship election in the state. The denial came following a report that INEC officials deployed to supervise the election paid a nocturnal visit to the state Government House ostensibly to rig the polls for Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

**************

 The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 26 persons suspected to be involved in the cult clashes being recorded across the state. The clashes, which are said to involve members of the Supreme Vikings and Black Axe Confraternities, had reportedly claimed no fewer than 30 lives in the last two weeks.

**************

 The High Court, Federal Capital Territory, has fixed May 12 to decide on whether or not to lift the suspension order placed on the Labour Party national chairman, Julius Abure, and other officials of the party. Justice Hamza Muazu fixed the date after taking arguments and objections from various counsels on the matter.

**************

. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the probe of the security operatives involved in the illegal declaration of Senator Aisha Dahiru, also known as Binani, as governor-elect of Adamawa State. In a circular on Thursday, the president approved the suspension of Hudu Yunusa Ari, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State who illegally declared Binani winner of the election when collation had not been concluded.

**************

 The Military High Command, on Thursday, played down the alarm raised by the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. El-Rufai, who charged the military to step up its efforts, had said bandits could take advantage of the transition period to launch bloody attacks across the country.

**************

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has hit back at the presidency over the recent statement issued by Garba Shehu, Presidential spokesman. In the statement issued on Wednesday night, Shehu accused Ortom of allowing the crisis in Benue to escalate. But reacting through his spokesman, Nathaniel Ikyur, Ortom said the attempt to twist the killings in Benue was unfortunate and reprehensible.

**************

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday scored his administration high in the just concluded elections in the country, enthusing that the elections were so transparent that some members of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, were routed and unseated. He stated this in his Sallah message which was issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

from daily post