Good Morning, Welcome to Daily News 24 Roundup of Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines for today Thursday, 18th November 2021.
- Nigeria risks US arms embargo over alleged protesters’ killings by soldiers
Nigeria now risks an arms embargo following the indictment of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS.
The report states that at least nine persons were confirmed dead at the Lekki toll plaza when soldiers stormed the tollgate to disperse #EndSARS protesters on October 20, 2020.
Already, the United States, the United Nations, the United Kingdom and Amnesty International have called on the Nigerian government to ensure that the panel’s report is handled transparently even as the military and the Federal Government await the release of the White Paper.
Earlier in the year, Reuters had reported that the United States Congress had initiated plans to impose an arms embargo on Nigeria.
2. Villagers Desert Taraba Community Where Cameroonian Separatists Killed Monarch
Hundreds of residents of Taraba border communities have fled their homes following killing of 11 people, including a traditional ruler, by Ambazonian soldiers.
The soldiers attacked some border communities in Takum local government on Wednesday and killed 11 people.
The Ambazonian soldiers also burnt many houses and schools and carted away properties.
The chairman Takum local government area Mr. Shiban Tikari, said five bodies of those killed were recovered and several other persons are still missing
3. US removes Nigeria from list of ‘Religious Freedom’ violators
Nigeria was on Wednesday not mentioned by the United States on the list of countries engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in a statement titled, ‘Religious Freedom Designations’ said; “The United States will not waiver in its commitment to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country.
Last year (2020) when the US designated Nigeria along with “Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, the DPRK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as countries of concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for engaging systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations”.
According to the statement, “In far too many places around the world, we continue to see governments harass, arrest, threaten, jail, and kill individuals simply for seeking to live their lives in accordance with their beliefs.
4. Inflation may push 91 million Nigerians below poverty line – W’Bank
The World Bank says the general increase in food prices which occurred between June 2020 and June 2021 may have increased the percentage of Nigerians living below the national poverty line from 40.1 per cent to 42.8 per cent.
The bank said this in a new report titled, ‘COVID-19 in Nigeria: Frontline Data and Pathways for Policy.’
According to Worldometer, the current population of Nigeria is 213,145,112 as of Wednesday. Forty two per cent of the current population means about 91 million Nigerians may have been pushed below the national poverty line in one year due to inflation.
The report read in part, “The rise in prices witnessed between June 2020 and June 2021 alone could push another six million Nigerians into poverty, with urban areas being disproportionately affected; this underscores the need for short-term policies to support welfare.
5. Northwest PDP Zonal congress postponed
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has postponed the North West Zonal Congress of the party, earlier scheduled to hold on November 20.
The party, in a statement issued by its National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.), on Wednesday in Abuja, said the NWC approved the postponement of the congress after extensive consultations.
“The decision was predicated on certain unforeseen circumstances that would very likely affect the conduct of the congress.
“The NWC urges all critical stakeholders, leaders and members of our party in the North West and indeed across the country to take note as new dates would be announced in due course,” Akobundu said.
6. Ganduje who begged me to join APC has sidelined me – Shekarau laments
Kano Central Senator, Ibrahim Shekarau has accused the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje of sidelining him.
Shekarau said Ganduje who begged him to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, has sidelined him in the running of the party’s affairs in the state.
He accused the governor of failing to listen to advice when he makes mistakes.
Speaking during a meeting with his followers at his residence in Kano, the Senator said Ganduje’s action was responsible for the creation of APC faction in the state.
7. Nigeria coach Rohr under fire after scraping into World Cup playoffs
Nigeria’s Super Eagles may have qualified for the final playoffs of the 2022 World Cup, but another unconvincing display sparked calls on Wednesday for coach Gernot Rohr to be fired.
