Good Morning, Welcome to Daily News 24 Roundup of Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines for Wednesday, Dec. 8th 2021.
- Insecurity: My People May Soon Resort To Self-Help – Benue Senator
The Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue), has said his constituents may soon resort to self help over worsening insecurity.
Moro said this while reacting to the assassination of a lecturer, Echobu Adah, who worked with the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo.
The lecturer was travelling in his car when he was shot dead by gunmen along the Otukpo-Enugu highway, on Sunday.
The lawmaker, who condemned gruesome murder, alleged that the federal government has been paying lips service to insecurity.
2. Zulum Gifts N5m To Soldiers Injured In Battle With ISWAP
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has visited soldiers injured during a fierce battle between troops and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists at Rann, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon, in Kala Balge, Local Government Area in the central part Borno State.
Zulum interacted with and consoled all the affected soldiers when he visited them at Army Hospital at Maimalari Barracks, located in Maiduguri.
He was received by the General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Army, Brig Gen. Abdulwahab Eyitayo.
The Governor directed the release of N5m which was immediately shared to all soldiers on admission, including those unconnected with the Kala-Balge battle.
3. FG MDAs bar unvaccinated visitors, Lagos to demand jab cards at parties
Federal and Lagos State governments on Tuesday got tougher with the enforcement of their directives on compulsory COVID-19 vaccination.
The central government, which on December 1 disallowed unvaccinated civil servants from accessing their offices, on Tuesday barred visitors that were not vaccinated from government buildings in Abuja.
On its part, the Lagos State Government stated that all attendees of social events in the state must present their vaccination cards.
The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had in October said civil servants without proof of vaccination and negative coronavirus tests would not be allowed to enter their offices as from December 1, 2021. On Wednesday last week, security agents started barring unvaccinated civil servants from government buildings.
4. Mob vandalises vehicles as truck crushes 10 Lagos students, police declare two dead
There was pandemonium on Tuesday when a truck driver reportedly crushed no fewer than 10 students on Ogunnusi Road, Grammar School Bus-Stop, Lagos State.
It was learnt that the students were going home after closing from school around 2pm when the truck ran over them.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the driver of the white DAF truck was being chased by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps when he lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the pupils, who were by the roadside.
The driver, who took to his heels after the incident, was reportedly caught at Aguda — about two kilometres from the scene of the incident — by some students and youths who accosted him and later handed him over to the police. The truck, which was loaded with soap, was set ablaze.
4. Omicron: Govt weighs options on ban as pressure mounts on UK
The Federal Government is weighing options, including the invocation of the “principle of reciprocity,” in response to the travel ban placed on travellers from Nigeria by the United Kingdom.
The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 was expected last night to convene a meeting on appropriate advice to the government.
Before a top PSC official made this known to The Nation yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said in Dakar, Senegal, that the UK authorities have assured the Federal Government that the ban would be lifted “as quickly as possible.” The UK has been under pressure to review its decision.
5. Adhere to protocols or be deported, Sanwo-Olu tells foreigners
Foreigners coming into the country through Lagos State must adhere to the COVID-19 travel protocols or face possible deportation, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu warned yesterday.
The governor also reiterated that all-inbound passengers for international flights must perform a Day 2 test within 48 hours of arrival into the country, as well as an additional Day 7 PCR test for all partially or unvaccinated inbound passengers.
“These tests are mandatory to assist the state monitor the inflow of positive passengers, which we have identified as a veritable source of our waves and community spread,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement giving updates about the Coronavirus pandemic, said the “state would begin prosecuting those who refuse to submit themselves for these mandatory tests by blacklisting their passports for one year”.
6. FG’s deficit rises 39% to N5.5trn in August — CBN
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, disclosed this in its August Economic report, which showed that the FG recorded declines in both revenue and expenditure during the month.
The report shows that revenue rose 15 per cent, YoY to N2.83 trillion from N2.46 trillion in the corresponding period of 2021 (8mths-2020). But expenditure rose slightly faster by 16 per cent, YoY, to N7.11 trillion from N6.23 trillion in the corresponding period of 2020 (8mths-2020).
This resulted in a N5.5 trillion deficit  during the period representing a 39 per cent, YoY, increase when compared with N3.97 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2020.
However, the CBN August Economic report showed that FG’s monthly deficit spending fell by 25.2 per cent,  month-on-month, MoM, to  N405.28 billion from N541.85 billion in July.
7. Abductors of Ondo Catholic Priest demand for N20m ransom
Abductors of the Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Ajayi, along Akure-Ikere Expressed in Ondo State have demanded N20m ransom for his release.
Recall, that the clergyman was abducted while travelling in his Toyota Corolla car, on Monday.
The cleric was travelling to Akure, the Ondo State capital from Ikere, in Ekiti State when the hoodlums attacked and abducted him.
Vanguard gathered that he’s a priest of St. Peter Clavar, Ilara Mokin in Ifedore council area of the state.
8. NCC To Conduct Mock Auction Of 5G Technology December 10
Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC,) has set December 10 2021 to conduct Mock Auction of the 5G Technology, explaining that the technology would turn Nigeria into a big global economics and Technological Competitor.
Speaking during a Capacity Building for Media Practitioners, in Kano, the executive vice chairman of the commission, Prof Garba Umar Dambatta, said, Nigeria’s promising 5G Plan has the objectives of ensuring efficient assignment of spectrum for 5G deployment, creating an enabling environment for investment in the telecom industry, ensuring effective deployment of 5G to cover major urban cities by 2025, among others.
He said in line with the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2025 for a Digital Nigeria, and the positioning of Nigeria as an early adopter of digital technology in the growing global digital economy, the successful and timely deployment of 5G is crucial.
9. Kano APC crisis: We await Tinubu’s next line of action – Shekarau
A former Governor of Kano state, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has urged National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help resolve the crisis facing the state chapter of the party.
He said all aggrieved parties in the dispute are currently waiting on the former Lagos state governor to wade in.
Shekarau stated this Tuesday 48 hours after meeting the party’s national leader in Lagos.
Speaking in a BBC Hausa interview on his visit to Kano, the lawmaker said:  “I told Mr Tinubu that the crisis in Kano APC was not between myself and Ganduje, it is a disagreement of the party leadership in the state; we were sidelined in the affairs of the party in the state.
10. Pastor’s house set ablaze over death of missing child in EkitiÂ
There was tense atmosphere yesterday at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, as some aggrieved youths set ablaze the residence of a Redeemed Christian Church (RCC) pastor, over the death of a missing seven-year-old girl.
The incident occurred at Adehun Area in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital in the early hours of Tuesday after the lifeless body of the girl identified as Demilade was found in the pastor’s house.Â
A resident of the area, who spoke with The Guardian in confidence, said that the seven-year-old girl, who was sent on an errand was waylaid and butchered by the daughter of the pastor who was said to be mentally ill.
