These are the top ten stories that drove conversation this week.

France President, Emmanuel Macron Tuesday, visited the New Afrika Shrine, a nightclub in Lagos founded by Nigerian music legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

He was entertained with feature concerts, fashion shows by leading African designers and he met with stars from Nollywood.

Macron had earlier met with President Muhammadu Buhari in a closed-door bilateral meeting at the Presidential Villa and pledged to increase the cooperation between Nigeria and France in tackling security challenges brought about by the activities of Boko Haram and ISIS jihadists in Nigeria.

The Benue Government has praised military troops in the state, Operation Whirl Stroke for drastically reducing the spate of herdsmen attacks.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Lawrence Onoja Jr,  who made the commendation in Markurdi over the weekend, noted that “since the commencement of the military operation on May 18, the spate of attacks in Benue have reduced, with most of the invaders being repelled in several communities and some of those displaced enabled to return to their homes, though these have been reduced to rubbles and their means of livelihood completely destroyed.”

An Abuja Federal High Court has granted bail to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

Trial judge. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu Monday, granted the embattled former NSA bail in the sum of N200 million bail bonds and two sureties each in like sum who must be public servants of no less than Grade Level 16 and must deposit evidence of last promotion to the court registrar.

Police officers in Borno Monday, took to the streets of Maiduguri, in a protest over unpaid allowances.

According to the officers who barricaded major roads around the police headquarters for up to three hours, apart from being owed about five months of unpaid allowances, they have not been provided with accommodation, among other basic needs.

On this, tentatively, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa.

At the end of the meeting, there was no official communication from the presidency or the IGP on the purpose of the visit, but there are speculations that the meeting is connected with the protests by some policemen in Maiduguri.

Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, however, issued a statement dismissing media report of the protest, as he claimed that the said policemen only made inquiries on their allowances and salaries before returning to their duty posts.

The statement also added that the delay in payment is occassioned by the late passage of the 2018 budget, adding that with its assent by President Buhari, the issue will soon be addressed.

The Lagos Government says it is perfecting plans to prosecute the owner and driver of the ill-fated fuel tanker which exploded on Otedola Bridge along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who disclosed this on Monday while briefing Government House Correspondents after the Security Council Meeting chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, said an investigation into the matter was in top gear.

“I have just received a letter from the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice which stated very clearly charges which we are going to prefer against the driver and the owner of that tanker.”

The apex Fulani social-cultural organisation, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has rejected calls for the sacking of the service chiefs.

Secretary-General of the organisation, Saleh Al-Hassan, who was guest during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme Monday, said those calling for the sack of the service chiefs “are corrupt politicians,” adding that the solution to the herders-farmers crisis remains to ranch which must be partly funded by the government and supported by all Nigerians.

A new faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged in Abuja on Wednesday.

The new faction which is named Reformed-APC (R-APC) comprises aggrieved members of the APC, mostly from the National Assembly.

At a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja, the group said the new faction was formed due to the failure of the APC, which it noted to be “severely underperforming and unable to meet its potentials for good governance.”

In reaction, the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole dismissed the factional group and its sponsors.

A National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) member, Linda Angela Igwetu was shot dead Wednesday, by a SARS officer identified as Benjamin Peters.

The deceased was billed to pass out of the NYSC programme on Thursday.

She was said to have gone out with her friends as part of the celebration for the completion of her one year service when the incident happened.

See details here.

The Nigeria Police has since dismissed Peters.

FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Sadiq Bello who disclosed this at a press briefing said the policeman, has been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction and is awaiting trial while appealing for calm and understanding from members of the public and the family of the deceased.

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong Thursday, met with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa over the incessant killings of Christians in the northern part of the country.

The Christian leaders demanded for the review of the country’s security architecture to end incessant killings by suspected herdsmen and also urged the President to speed up actions for the release of Christian girls in captivity, especially the abducted student of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Leah Sharibu.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed the embattled President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick as it’s 1st Vice President.

Pinnick’s appointment follows the resignation of the 1st Vice President, Kwesi Nyantakyi and the prevailing situation in the Football Federation of Nigeria, as contained in a letter dated July 5, 2018, signed by CAF’s General Secretary, Amr Fahmy.

Read » Police kill NYSC member, new APC faction emerges and other stories that drove conversation this week on YNaija