Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 26th August, 2024
1. “Tinubu Visited New York, Qatar, France And Told Lies About Removing Petrol Subsidies” – Atiku
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of lying to foreign countries about the removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, Atiku said Tinubu visited the FMDQ in New York, Qatar, and France, where he told lies about removing petrol subsidies.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who expressed his views in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, added that Tinubu’s actions would have a negative effect on the flow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into Nigeria.
Speaking further, Atiku said despite the claims of removing fuel subsidy, petrol scarcity continues to remain a major challenge in Nigeria.
He slammed the Bola Tinubu administration for implementing a sham subsidy regime, as revealed in the financial statement recently released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
2. This Has To Stop – Okonjo-Iweala Knocks Nigerian Politicians, Accuses Them Of Weaponising Insecurity
The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged political actors to stop weaponising insecurity in Nigeria.
She argued that it is impossible to have socioeconomic development without security.
Okonjo-Iweala spoke before a room filled with lawyers at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Sunday.
The former Nigerian finance minister delivered a keynote address entitled, ‘A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future’.
The WTO boss said there are enough technological innovations to track crude oil theft and bring those behind the act to justice in Nigeria.
She argued that those responsible for stopping the “intolerable” action of crude oil theft no longer have excuses.
3. Police Officers, Trader Killed As Shiites Protest In Abuja
A clash between police officers and members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, has turned deadly at Wuse Market in Abuja, resulting in the deaths of a trader and two police officers.
The incident occurred when the IMN members embarked on an Arbaeen procession, commemorating the 40th day after the Ashura anniversary.
The peaceful demonstration quickly escalated into violence as police officers attempted to disperse the protesters using tear gas and live ammunition.
According to Daily Trust, witnesses report that Amiru, a trader and bystander, was shot in the chest while trying to flee from the chaos.
He was rushed to Zone 3 hospital but succumbed to his injuries while being transferred to Maitama District Hospital.
According to eyewitnesses, the situation intensified when the protesters retaliated by pelting the police with stones and seizing their weapons.
The clash further escalated as the demonstrators overpowered the police and set fire to three police vehicles.
The police continued to fire tear gas and live rounds to disperse the protesters and control the situation.
4. PIDOM: This Is A National Embarrassment – Atiku Knocks Tinubu’s Administration
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has berated President Bola Tinubu over the violation of human rights in the country.
He lamented that the President has turned against the people by allowing the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police and even the military to infringe on the rights of the people.
Atiku stated this in a release signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
He fumed that citizens were being arrested in a Gestapo manner without the knowledge of their relatives.
The PDP chieftain said the most affected since Tinubu took office have been journalists whose only crime is reporting the news and exposing government indiscretion.
5. DSS: Nigerian Journalist, Soyinka Confirms Release, Disclose Condition For Release
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Adejuwon Soyinka, a Nigerian journalist and the West African Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, after detaining him for over six hours on Sunday.
Soyinka was arrested by DSS operatives at approximately 5:40 a.m. on Sunday, upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
He had just returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight.
Following his arrest, Soyinka was transported to the DSS headquarters annex in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he remained in detention until around 12:30 p.m., when he was granted bail.
According to sources who spoke with Premium Times, the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria played a key role in securing Soyinka’s release.
The DSS imposed several bail conditions, including the confiscation of his passport. Soyinka was also required to provide his Nigerian address and a reliable phone number for future contact.
Soyinka confirmed his release in a message sent to Premium Times, stating that he was freed from detention around 1:26 p.m. on Sunday.
6. South-East NASS Caucus Protests Exclusion From Federal Student Loan Programme
Lawmakers from the South-East geopolitical zone of the National Assembly have voiced their dissatisfaction over the exclusion of tertiary institutions from their region in the Federal Government’s student loan programme.
Naturenex reports that on Friday, Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) stated it had distributed ₦2,946,927,155 (Two billion, Nine hundred and Forty-six million, Nine hundred and Twenty-seven thousand, One hundred and fifty-five naira) to 27,667 students from 19 federal universities, with no institutions from the South-East on the list.
NELFUND however explained that South-East students are yet to benefit from the federal government’s student loan programme because no South-East federal high institution complied with the directive required for students to access the loan.
The list, which has triggered backlash from Ndi Igbo, led to a statement from the South East caucus on Sunday, where leaders Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo called on NELFUND to swiftly address this alleged injustice.
The caucus expressed disbelief that no institution from the entire South East was included in the scheme, dismissing NELFUND’s explanation as inadequate.
The South-East NASS caucus emphasized that it would not tolerate any attempt to deprive students from the zone of their rights or benefits.
7. Why We Are Not Taking Enugu APC Crisis Seriously – Ganduje
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said that the resurgence of crisis in the Enugu State chapter of the party does not come as a shock.
Naturenex understands that some members of the Enugu State executive council of the party had last month suspended the state chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah and three other executive members namely: Augustine Alumonah, Deputy State Chairman; Emeka Eze, State Organizing Sec. and Jude Aniogbo, State Treasurer over allegations of embezzlement and abuse of office.
Speaking to stakeholders of the party over the weekend, Ganduje said the crisis was not new to him and the national leadership of the party because there is a particular group of people that had been benefiting from instigating crisis in the state chapter of the party since inception.
Ganduje, who was represented by the deputy national chairman (South) of the party, Emma Eneukwu, said the party was not taking the crisis seriously because this is not the first time such a development was occuring.
He said if the crisis was serious, the party would have taken quick measures to address it.
8. Explain Why Your Nephew Got Accelerated Approval To Buy Oil Assets – Atiku Challenges President Tinubu
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of giving undue advantage to his nephew in the purchase of some oil assets in the country.
Atiku, in a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, asked the federal government to explain why Oando Plc, owned by the
President’s nephew, got accelerated approval to buy the onshore assets of AGIP and ENI while other transactions such as the Shell/Renaissance deal and the Mobil/Seplat continue to suffer delays.
The former Vice President alleged that Oando was being given undue and preferential treatment in the oil and gas sector to the detriment of more competent investors.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also knocked the House of Representatives for failing to take proper action on the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which he accused of going ahead to “mortgage the country’s national oil assets to vested interests”.
According to him, democracy in Nigeria under Tinubu has become a government for the President and his family members.
9. Tinubu: It Is Foolish For You To Be Talking About 2027 Elections – Eze Knocks Okocha
A former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has said that former Minister, Chibuike Amaechi will not be instrumental in removing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from office in 2027.
He stated this while replying to allegations from Chairman of the ousted Committee of the Rivers APC, Tony Okocha that Amaechi was planning to sack Tinubu in the next election.
Okocha had said, “There is an intention to throw up Amaechi’s man and then he (Amaechi) becomes the APC leader and then uses the party to fight Mr President in 2027.”
However, speaking via a statement on Sunday, Eze warned Okocha to desist from smearing Amaechi’s name.
He insisted that the former chairman’s paymasters have been working hard to make Amaechi a subject of lampoon through smear campaigns and defamatory insinuations.
The APC chieftain argued that insecurity, unemployment and hike in food prices are the forces that would push Tinubu out of office in 2027.
10. SERAP Urges Governors, FCT Minister To Disclose Details Of Chinese Loans
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to provide detailed information regarding any Chinese loans and other external borrowings obtained and guaranteed by the Federal Government.
In a statement released over the weekend, SERAP urged the governors and the FCT minister to disclose the full terms and conditions of these loans, including provisions on collateral, interest rates, repayment obligations, and any incidents of defaults or debt restructuring.
The organization emphasized the need for transparency, particularly in light of Nigeria’s growing debt exposure to China and other creditors.
SERAP also requested clarification on any investment agreements with Chinese companies and the repayment history of loans guaranteed by the Federal Government.
The organization believes that disclosing this information is crucial for ensuring accountability and preventing potential financial risks that could impact the lives of millions of Nigerians.
In the letters dated 24 August 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “We are concerned that your state and the FCT may have failed to efficiently manage your debt obligations, especially your external debt and investment obligations, as guaranteed by the Federal Government.”
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naturenex. See you again tomorrow.
