Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 9th December 2021
1. President Buhari Condemns Burning Of Travellers To Death In Sokoto
President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the burning of several travellers to death by bandits in Gidan Bawa village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Naija News reports that the victims were on their way to Gadan Gayan in Kaduna state when they were ambushed and attacked by the bandits.
The spokesman of the state Police Command, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday night.
Abubakar said an unidentified number of burnt dead bodies have been recovered, adding that seven of the victims have been admitted to an undisclosed hospital.
In a statement on Wednesday issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, Buhari expresses sadness over the gruesome murder of the innocent travellers.
The President said that the dastardly act by bandits showed that the evil his administration was confronting required the support and involvement of all Nigerians.
2. Saudi Arabia Bans Flights From Nigeria Over Omicron Variant
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has banned all flights from Nigeria following the six cases of the COVID-19 Omicron Variant detected in the country.
This is coming after the United Kingdom and the Canadian governments imposed a travel ban on Nigeria and included the West African country in its red lists.
According to Daily Trust, the Saudi government has ordered the restriction of flights from Nigeria in order to check the spread of Omicron in the Kingdom.
A source in the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Kano revealed that the Kingdom has directed its embassy in Nigeria to stop the issuance of visas.
The source added that the ban of flights from Nigeria will affect travellers planning to visit the Kingdom for lesser Hajj.
3. We Won’t Accept Fuel Subsidy Removal – CNG Blows Hot
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), on Wednesday, asked the Federal Government to discard the planned removal of fuel subsidy.
CNG coordinator in Taraba State, Ibrahim Mohammed, made this known while addressing journalists in Gombe at the end of their North East stakeholders meeting of the coalition.
Recall that the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed had unveiled plans to start paying N5,000 stipend as transport allowance to Nigerians for at least six to twelve months from 2022.
The minister stated that the palliative is to relieve citizens from the effect of total fuel subsidy removal which may kick in by the second half of 2022.
Ahmed lamented that fuel subsidy is costing the country resources that should have been channelled to other sections of importance like education and health.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Mele Kyari, had also stated that the price of petrol may see petrol price sell for between 300 to 400 naira.
Speaking with reporters, the CNG official stated that the coalition will mobilise Northerners to reject the planned removal of the oil subsidy, saying the move will be detrimental for the country.
Mohammed described the planned payment of transport allowance to 40 million Nigerians as unreasonable, ill-intended and impracticable.
4. We’re Not Giving Nigerians Expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines – FG
The Federal Government has stated that it does not administer expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to its citizens.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made this known in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to a report claiming that the country has in its possession one million doses of expired COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the minister, the vaccines which expired in November were gotten from some European countries through the COVAX initiative and had been destroyed since their expiration date.
Ehanire asserted that Nigeria now “politely declines all vaccine donations with short shelf life or those that cannot be delivered in time”.
5. Lagos Government Shuts Ojodu School After Killing Of Students By Truck
The Lagos State government has announced the shutting down of the Ojodu Grammar School, Ojodu-Berger area.
Naija News reports that this is following the killing and injuring of several students of the school by a heavy-duty truck on Tuesday.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo revealed that academic activities at the school has been suspended.
Adefisayo disclosed that students would return in January to write the end-of-term exams interrupted by the incident.
6. Court Orders DSS To Pay Sowore ₦2 Million, Apologize For Phones Seizures
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS) has been ordered to pay ₦2 Million to former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore and apologise for seizing his phones.
Naija News reports that Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja gave the order in a judgement delivered on Wednesday.
According to the judge, the fine and the apology are punishments for the DSS for breach of Sowore’s fundamental rights.
The presiding judge also ordered the secret police to apologise to the human rights activist in two national dailies.
The judgement follows the suit filed by his lawyer, Funmi Falana, against the DSS compelling the service to return his phones seized since August 2019 when he was first arrested.
7. Zoning Presidency To The South Will End Agitation – Chris Ngige
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, called for the South-East geopolitical zone to take over power when President Muhammadu Buhari ends his tenure in 2023.
According to Ngige, if the region produces Nigeria’s next president, all agitation and sins of no appointments would be put to rest.
The former Governor of Anambra State called for rotation of presidency to the region while on Channels TV.
The minister, however, stated that zoning and rotation are not entrenched in the constitution of Nigeria, hence this might be a hindrance to the call for power to be shifted to the region.
8. Lagos: Buhari Reacts As Truck Kills Students
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday reacted to the killing of students of Ojodu Grammar School in Lagos State on Tuesday afternoon.
The President in a statement released through his spokesman, Femi Adesina described the incident as sad and painful loss of the promising lives.
Buhari commiserated with the parents, relatives, and friends of the students of Ojodu Grammar School students who lost their lives in an accident
The statement reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with parents, relations and friends of Ojodu Grammar School students who lost their lives in an accident on Tuesday, along Isheri Road, Ojodu, in Lagos State.
9. Sylvester Oromoni: Police Charge Five Dowen College Students, Three Staff To Court
Five students and three staff of Dowen College in Lekki, Lagos State, have been reportedly charged to court over the alleged assault of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni.
This was made known by the Officer in charge of the legal department of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Lagos Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Yetunde Cardoso.
She stated the suspects, who have been reportedly charged with murder, were taken to court on Tuesday and arraigned before Magistrate A.O. Olatunbosu, at Court 1, Yaba.
Cardoso said at the court hearing, the plaintiff’s lawyer prayed the court for 30 days before the hearing of the case, but the Magistrate rejected the prayer and granted 25 days to await the advice of the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) before the hearing the case.
According to the legal officer, the magistrate ordered that the students be remanded in a juvenile house pending the hearing of the case.
10. Gunmen Invade Imo Community, Kill Two, Destroy Properties
Two people have been killed by unknown gunmen during an attack on the Etekwuru autonomous community in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State around 4 am on Wednesday.
The gunmen also destroyed properties in the community and left some villagers injured before leaving the area.
The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Kenneth Okereke, while confirming the attack on the community, charged security operatives to come to the rescue of his people.
Unknown gunmen had in October attacked the palace of the monarch burning the building and official vehicle when they invaded his home in an attempt to kill him.
It was gathered that palace of the traditional ruler was attacked two days after hoodlums and military men clashed in the community, leading to the killing of two soldiers and youths.
Okereke who forwarded a letter to the Governor of the state, Hope Uzodinma, requesting help, disclosed that he is in exile due to the destruction of his palace.
Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
This article was originally published on Naija News