Nigerian Newspapers Summary
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Daily News 24. Stay informed with the top stories making headlines across Nigeria, including the First Lady defending President Tinubu’s administration, alarming reports of communities under bandit control in Sokoto, and a call for economic policy changes from the PDP.
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1. First Lady defends President Tinubu over economic hardship claims: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, has urged Nigerians not to blame the President for the current economic challenges in the country. Speaking at the Palace of Ooni of Ife, she emphasized that the administration is still young and that more time is needed to assess its impact on the economy.
2. Sokoto communities still under bandit control, council chairman tells minister: Alhaji Sharifu Kamarawa, the Chairman of Isa Local Government in Sokoto State, revealed that bandits, led by Bello Turji, still control some local communities. Addressing Defence Minister Bello Matawalle, Kamarawa stated that the bandits have taken over village leadership roles, appointing and deposing heads.
3. PDP Board urges Tinubu to review policies amid rising economic hardship: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees has called on President Bola Tinubu to re-evaluate his administration’s policies. Expressing concerns over widespread hardship, the board emphasized the need for immediate action to ease the economic strain on Nigerians.
4. Appeal court nullifies Rivers State budget, orders Fubara to re-present: The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a Federal High Court ruling that voided the N800 billion budget passed by a faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Governor Siminalayi Fubara was ordered to re-submit the budget to the full House for reconsideration.
5. Petroleum marketers demand fair pricing from NNPC, refund of debts: The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, led by Abubakar Shettima, has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to match the petrol pricing of Dangote Refinery. Shettima also demanded that the NNPC refund outstanding payments owed to marketers for the last three months.
6. Military avoids action against Asari-Dokubo over helicopter threat: The Defence Headquarters revealed that it opted not to pursue legal action against former Niger Delta warlord, Asari-Dokubo, to prevent accusations of undemocratic conduct. Asari-Dokubo had allegedly threatened to shoot down a military helicopter near his residence, but the military chose restraint.
7. Ondo police arrest female student for stabbing classmate to death: A female Senior Secondary 3 student in Ondo State has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her classmate, Habib Salau, to death after an argument. The incident occurred outside their school premises, prompting police to launch an investigation into the tragic event.
8. Lebanese man sentenced to 14 years for sexually exploiting teenagers in Kano: A Federal High Court in Kano sentenced a 67-year-old Lebanese national, Zuhier R Akar, to 14 years imprisonment for sexually exploiting two teenage girls. Akar was prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on charges of trafficking and sexual exploitation.
9. Sports journalists kidnapped en route to Akwa Ibom football event: Eleven sports journalists traveling to Uyo for a football event were kidnapped in Ihiala, Anambra State. The group was en route to Akwa Ibom when their bus was intercepted by unknown gunmen, sparking efforts to locate and rescue them.
10. Wole Soyinka reflects on death and future plans at 90: Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, now 90 years old, revealed in an interview with CNN that he has made preparations for his death while still planning a vacation. The celebrated playwright discussed his life’s work and future plans as he continues to inspire both in Nigeria and globally.
