Good Morning, Welcome to Daily News24 Roundup of Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines for Thursday, Dec. 16th
- #NorthisBleeding protests: FG under attack as DSS, police disperse, arrest demonstrators
A petition seeking a state of emergency in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and other states in the North-West had garnered 28,000 signatures on Change.Org on Wednesday evening even as the insecurity in the region continued to escalate.
The petition, which was started by one Alhanislam Alhanislam on Monday, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to secure northern lives with the #SecureNorth and #NorthisBleeding.
As more people signed the petition, groups and individuals including Amnesty International, the Middle Belt Forum and a human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, berated the Federal Government as the Department of State Services and the police dispersed in Kano. In Abuja, the protesters were not only dispersed, some of them were arrested.
2. National Assembly members fear, fault DSS over Yuletide kidnap warning
Members of the National Assembly have criticised the Department of State Services for going public with its warning to lawmakers without a formal security notice to the parliament on potential threats.
Several lawmakers who were contacted by our correspondent on Wednesday denied getting any advisory from the DSS to the National Assembly.
Some of them, however, expressed fear over the notice.
The DSS had on Tuesday said federal and state lawmakers who will soon begin their recess and other vacating public and private workers were susceptible to kidnapping, assassinations and armed robbery among others during this period. The secret service, therefore, urged all Nigerians to remain vigilant at all times.
3. Senator kicks as NPC budgets N400bn for May 2022 census
There was a mild drama at the Senate Committee on Appropriation on Wednesday when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, warned the Federal Government against conducting the 2022 national census.
He said going ahead with the exercise which would gulp over N400bn when no part of the country was safe for such an exercise to be effectively conducted made no sense.
Adeyemi, who is representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the red chamber, also argued that spending a whopping N400bn on census when there were unemployment and hunger in the land, did not make any economic sense.
There is growing uncertainty in the political terrain as the 30 days’ timeline for President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the Electoral Act Bill elapses on Sunday.
This comes as the president is billed to travel out of the country any moment from now. It was gathered that advance party had already departed.
The National Assembly had on November 19, this year, transmitted the bill to President Buhari for assent. Section 58 (4) of the 1999 Constitution says, “Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within 30 days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.”
5. How 21-Year-Old Lagos Resident Ended His Life In The Lagoon After Sending A Message To His 1-Year-Old Child
A 21- year old man, Odunare Olalekan, took his life by diving into the lagoon in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Tuesday.
In a viral video, Olalekan, who was seen sitting on the handrail of a bridge, suddenly jumped into the water around Berger Bridge, Epe.
Sources told Daily Trust that Olalekan, who left a one-year-old baby behind, actually gave a clue of the mission he was embarking on when he left the house on the fateful day. He was said to have told his father to pray for him.
6. Presidency knocks Obasanjo, others over attacks on Buhari
The Federal Government yesterday faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s score card in the last six years.
It disagreed with the former leader’s remark that the President has nothing to offer in office, particularly on the worsening insecurity that has upset the country.
The government warned Nigerians against the use of incendiary and insulting words, especially by leaders, saying that they can overheat the polity and heighten tension.
7. #EndSARS protesters’ request: Police salary goes up by 20%
With an approval to raise police salary by 20 per cent, the Federal Government yesterday began the implementation of #EndSARS protesters’ request on better welfare package for policemen.
The government yesterday launched series of reformation plans, including increased take home pay and ‘peculiar allowance’ for the Nigeria Police at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The executive plans to raise a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to get National Assembly’s approval as the funds for the implementation of new financial obligations were not captured in the 2022 budget proposals.
8. Subsidy: Fuel importation policy forced on Nigeria —NLC
THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, described the continuous importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly called petrol as a forced policy to the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
This Congress also called on the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that the amount agreed on the consolidated health salary structure is captured in the 2022 budget to avoid another round of industrial action in the health sector next year.
MOVES by the Senate to consider and pass the N16.39 trillion 2022 Appropriation Bill yesterday suffered a major setback as the passage has been deferred to next Tuesday.
