Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 14th October, 2024
1. Nigeria Was Not Snubbed In UN Election – Presidency Explains
The presidency has debunked claims that Nigeria was snubbed in the election for countries to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly.
The presidency in a statement on Sunday, which was signed by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Nigeria did not present itself for election into the council.
Onanuga added that there was no competition in the African continent as all countries presented enjoyed regional backing and secured all available seats for the region.
He explained that whatever vote was recorded for Nigeria must have been cast in error in the secret balloting by some countries which thought Nigeria was on the ballot.
The presidential aide cautioned Nigerians not be quick to disparage or drag the country, especially on international matters.
2. FG Proposes Increase Of VAT From 7.5% To 10%
The federal government is proposing to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.
The executive bill to effect the increase and make it legal is already before the National Assembly, Naturenex understands.
According to a report published by The Cable on Sunday, the National Assembly is seeking to raise VAT to 10 percent by 2025. It also seeks to increase the VAT to 12.5 percent by 2026 through 2029, and 15% as from 2030 according to the document seen by the platform.
Meanwhile, the bill also proposes a reduction in the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) from 30 percent to 27.5 percent by 2025, and a further cut to 25 percent by 2026.
According to the bill, companies with less than ₦20 million turnover are exempted from paying the CIT.
3. Killings, Kidnappings Have Become Worse – Peter Obi Condemns Fatal Shooting Of SuperSports Crew
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2024 election, Peter Obi, has condemned the killing of some crew members of Supersports TV in a tragic ambush along the Ihiala-Orlu Road, Anambra State.
Naturenex reports that a SuperSports crew member and a police officer were fatally shot by unknown gunmen while on their way to cover the Super Eagles 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya.
The victims were ambushed on the Ihiala-Orlu Road in Anambra State, on Tuesday, 8th October 2024, while travelling to cover Nigeria vs Libya 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which ended in a 1-0 win for the Super Eagles on Friday, October 11.
The bandits’ attack on the bus carrying the SuperSport crew members and security personnel resulted in the loss of a cameraman, a police officer, and the bus driver.
Reacting in a post on his X handle on Sunday, Peter Obi stated that kidnappings and killings in Nigeria have continued unabated and is getting worse by the day.
According to the former Anambra State Governor, Nigerians are gradually losing count of the people who have lost their lives to insecurity.
4. Insecurity: Nigeria To Purchase 34 New Fighter Jets For NAF
The federal government is set to purchase 34 new fighter jets for the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) to improve its fighting capabilities against bandits, terrorists and other criminals.
This was made known in a statement on Sunday by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa.
According to him, the new fighter jets comprise 24 M-346 Fighter Ground Attack jets and 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters.
The new jets would be in addition to the 12 Super Tucano, two additional DA-62 surveillance aircraft and T-129 ATAK helicopters, and two Diamond-62 Multi-Purpose aircraft among others which have been acquired in the last two years.
Akinboyewa disclosed that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, along with officials from the Ministries of Defence and Finance were in Italy to finalise the acquisition of the new jets.
5. Resolve Wike, Fubara’s Matter Before It Completely Goes Out Of Hands – Okupe To FG
A former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, has called on the federal government and political elites in Rivers State to resolve the crisis between Governor Sim Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Recall that Wike and his successor, Fubara, have been in a political struggle over the control of the state for some months now, which has created tension in the state and polarised the state assembly.
The crisis recently escalated in the wake of the conduct of the October 5 council elections, the outcome of which led to the violent destruction of some council secretariats by political thugs.
In an interview with journalists on Sunday, Okupe said the political crisis bedevilling Rivers State has got to a point where it could seriously harm the nation’s democracy if not quickly resolved.
Okupe linked the rift between Fubara and Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to that of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the then Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Akintola,
According to the ex-presidential spokesman, it is clear that only a political solution can effectively resolve all issues and all sides of the crisis.
6. PDP Crisis Intensifies As Factional Acting National Chairman Accepts Appointment
The leadership crisis within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to deepen as factional Acting National Chairman, Ahmed Mohammed, has formally accepted his appointment in a letter addressed to party members.
The letter, dated October 13, 2024, and released by suspended PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, expressed Mohammed’s appreciation for the support he has received since stepping into the role.
He highlighted the need for serious reflection on the party’s management and its effectiveness as an opposition force in the current political landscape.
He also addressed the party’s internal struggles, acknowledging that conflicts have weakened its ability to function as a strong opposition.
Mohammed reiterated the importance of returning to the PDP’s founding principles and assured members of his commitment to leading the party in line with its Constitution.
7. Why We Imposed Tax On Dead Bodies – Enugu State
The Enugu State Government has opened up on the reason for imposing tax on corpses in mortuaries across the state.
Speaking on Sunday, the Executive Chairman of Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), Emmanuel Nnamani, said the move was not spurred by a revenue generation drive.
He stated this while reacting to the Mortuary Tax circular addressed to all the morticians.
According to him, the tax was in line with the state Mortuary Tax Law which had existed for years, adding that it was not new to the state.
Nnamani clarified that the mortuary tax was ₦40 daily only as against ₦40,000.
8. Igboho Submits Petition For Creation Of Yoruba Nation To UK PM, Keir Starmer
Freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, to consider the creation of a Yoruba nation.
Naturenex understands that Igboho submitted the petition on behalf of Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, the leader of the Yoruba Nation movement.
The movement is seeking the immediate intervention of the UK Prime Minister and his government in their agitation to set up a country that will be predominantly owned by indigenous Yoruba people.
The development was disclosed by Igboho’s spokesman, Koiki, via his X page on Sunday.
9. PDP Crisis Embarrassing, Only God’s Miracle Can Save The Party – Fayose
A former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has described the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as embarrassing.
He said the suspension and counter-suspension by various factions of the PDP at the level of national leadership has brought the party to a new low.
Fayose who spoke during an interview with Channels Television Sunday Politics, said only God’s intervention through a miracle can put the party together again.
The former Governor also identified arrogance of a few members as what is haunting the PDP.
He submitted that such persons are affected by the loss of the 2023 general election to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and only a divine intervention can solve the party’s problem.
10. NDLEA Arrests 29-Year-old Graduate For Importing ₦3.192bn Worth Of Heroin
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 29-year-old graduate, Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter for allegedly importing heroin worth over ₦3.192 billion into the country.
According to a statement on Sunday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Simonpeter, a Thailand returnee, is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra state.
He narrated that the suspect was arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on October 7, 2024 while attempting to smuggle the illicit drug concealed in six backpacks, and packed into two big suitcases.
The statement said Oguejiofor claimed he was hired for a fee of $7,000, and that he was to deliver two parcels in Lagos, and the other four in Accra, Ghana.
