Good morning.

Here are the top 5 stories you should be monitoring today:

In a recent development, The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports that soldiers will be withdrawn from the streets of Aba and Umuahia in Abia.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said the statement made by the governor of the state, Ikepeazu, should not be misconstrued as withdrawal of troops.

Read his full statement here.

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that hundreds of its members in Abia and Rivers were missing after clashes with the army.

IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, disclosed that some members of the group, who were detained in military barracks, had not been accounted for.

He added, “Genocide and mass killings of Biafrans and Christian communities, especially in northern Nigeria, are nothing new. What is more troubling this time is that certain political office holders in the South-East are comfortable with the idea of inviting Hausa-Fulani Islamic army to come into Abia State to execute hundreds of young men and women in cold blood simply for asking for their right to self-determination.”

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The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had an hour-long meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday over the ongoing crisis in Abia.

He said the aim of the meeting was to ensure the security of all Nigerians.

He also berated Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike for claiming that the kidnappings and robberies in his State were carried out by SARS operatives.

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The incumbent party, All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced that its panel on restructuring would hold public hearing in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Secretary of the committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi, said the hearing would commence on September 18 in Benin, the Edo State capital in the South South zone.

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Meanwhile, the minister of women affairs, Aisha Alhassan, appeared before the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.

The NWC APC summoned the minister, having said a few days ago that she would support former vice president, Atiku Abubakar in 2019, even if President Muhammadu Buhari decides to run.