Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 16th November 2021
1. ‘We Have Come Here In Full Force’ – Buhari Tells Participants At Intra-African Trade Fair
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured participants at the 2nd Intra-African Trade Fair 2021, that his delegation is attending with ‘‘full force’’ to maximize the advantage of the gathering.
Naija News reports that Buhari said this while addressing the opening ceremony of the event in Durban, South Africa.
According to current records, Intra African trade accounts for only 15 percent of their transactions.
The President expressed optimism that the creation of the biggest free trade area in the world, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), will work, especially with the active collaboration of the public and private sectors.
He canvassed support for the implementation of the free trade initiative, listing several benefits to the continent, including doubling trade in 10 years and reducing over-reliance on imports.
2. Killings Of Protesters At Lekki Tollgate Equated To Massacre – Lagos #EndSARS Panel
The Lagos state Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters have stated that the killing of peaceful protesters at Lekki toll gate on the night of October 20, 2020, can be equated to a ‘massacre’.
Naija News reports that the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel disclosed this in its report submitted to the Lagos State Government on Monday.
The report was titled, ‘Report Of Lekki Incident Investigation Of 20th October 2020’.
According to the panel, at least 48 protesters were either shot dead, injured with bullets wounds or assaulted by soldiers who stormed the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.
3. “Nothing Could Be Farther From The Truth” – ASUU Rejects Pantami As A Professor
The National body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the appointment of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as a Professor.
This position was made known by the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke who observed that the professorial appointment has attracted an unprecedented level of controversy in the history of Nigerian Universities.
He also denied insinuations that the national body has endorsed the resolution by the ASUU branch in the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) which recently proclaimed that due process was followed in the appointment of Pantami as a Professor of Cyber Security.
Osodeke spoke during a briefing after the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the University of Abuja, held between November 13 and 14.
Speaking further, the ASUU President said the union will never support “any illegal appointment or promotion of academics in any Nigerian University, including those of its members.”
He added that the role played by FUTO officials, as well as members of ASUU in FUTO which culminated in the controversial appointment of Dr. Isa Pantami as a Professor of Cyber Security is now a subject of investigation by an independent committee set up by the national body.
4. Gumi Sets Up School For Bandits In Kaduna Forest
Controversial Islami cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has built a school for bandits located at Kagarko Grazing Reserve near Kohoto Village in Kaduna State.
Naija News reports that the school named Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodio Centre contains six classrooms that can be used for primary and secondary schools.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Gumi said he decided to establish the school for the bandits in order to educate them and help solve their violent ideologies.
The cleric added that the school was built in the bandits’ remote location to show the sincerity of the initiative and to persuade them to lay down their weapons.
Gumi stated that the federal government can solve the issue of banditry in the North West by providing education opportunities and other basic amenities for the bandits.
He also asked the government to direct the money spent on military hardware to fight the bandits, to the establishment of schools and training of teachers.
5. Army Kills 50 ISWAP Commanders, Foot Soldiers In Borno
At least fifty Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have been killed by troops of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
Naija News reports that the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday.
Nwachukwu submitted that part of the 50 ISWAP insurgents killed during a fierce counter-offensive in the area, includes some of their top commanders and foot soldiers.
He also stated that several of the terrorists’ Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and gun trucks were destroyed in the process.
6. Petrol Scarcity Looms As NUPENG Issues Nationwide Strike Notice
The 14-day nationwide strike notice issued on Monday by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to disrupt the flow and supply of petroleum products in the country.
The strike threat if eventually actualized may trigger scarcity of fuel across the country, Naija News reports.
NUPENG in the notice of strike issued on Monday in Lagos State said it is planning to go on strike once the ultimatum expires due to the unfair labour practices against its members by the National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and others.
The statement containing the 14-days ultimatum for all pending issues to be resolved was signed by the President of NUPENG, Prince Williams Akporeha, and the secretary, Olawale Afolabi.
The ultimatum starts counting from Monday, 15th November, 2021.
The statement said they have been expressing their minds since 2012 and despite interventions by the federal government at different times, the issues have largely remained unresolved.
Some of the identified issues include the indiscriminate sack of workers without payment of benefits and entitlements.
7. Nigerian Leaders Lack Intellectual Capacity – Attahiru Jega
The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, on Monday claimed that leaders in Nigeria lack the intellectual capacity to be called leaders.
Jega while speaking at the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series, noted that the challenges affecting the country are due to bad leadership.
He further stated that insecurity, early marriage, out-of-school children and several others emanated from the northern region of the country.
The former Chairman of INEC added that selfish leaders, who are greedy have no vision of how Nigeria can be developed.
8. ASUU Threatens To Strike Again, Issue Three Weeks Ultimatum To FG
President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has been given a three-week ultimatum by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over failure to fulfill lingering demands.
This is coming after members of the Senior Staff Association of Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities met to decide its next plan over the failure of the Federal Government to answer to its demands.
The Federal Government last year had signed a memorandum of understanding with the unions promising to fulfill demands ranging from payment of earned allowances, introduction of the UTAS platform for University workers, payment of revitalization fund for Universities among others.
The National President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, while speaking at the University of Abuja, condemned the Federal Government over its failure to attend to the needs of the union which has left them with no choice.
9. Nigerian Military Denies Planning To Overthrow Buhari’s Govt
The Defence Headquarters has said that the country’s military remains loyal and committed to the Muhammadu Buhari government.
Naija News reports that the DHQ is reacting to a rumour that the Nigerian military was planning to overthrow the Buhari administration.
In a statement on Sunday by Acting Director, Directorate of Defence, Media Operations, Brig-Gen Bernard Onyeuko, the armed forces denied the rumour, describing it as false and baseless.
Onyeuko also refuted claims that the DHQ had warned soldiers against overthrowing the current government, saying that the statement did not emanate from his office.
He pointed out that the military does not need to warn the soldiers because their loyalty to the constitution and the president was never in doubt.
10. Itunu Babalola: FG Queries Death Of Nigerian In Cote D’ivoire Prison
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM has reacted to the death of a Nigerian, Itunu Babalola, in Cote D’Ivoire.
The Oyo State indigene is said to have been handed twenty years jail term in Ivory Coast over a crime she reportedly did not commit.
Babalola was, however, reported dead on Sunday, November 15, 2021. She was said to have suffered an infection while in prison.
Naija News understands that the death of the 21-year-old stirred outrage on and off social media as Nigerians registered their individual displeasures, accusing the federal government of neglecting the young lady.
However, NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement on Monday lamented the death of the 21- year old, describing it as a tragic blow.
Demanding the full autopsy of the deceased, Dabiri-Erewa said it was unfortunate that the young lady died at a time when the Nigerian mission in Cote D’ivoire had paid and engaged the services of a lawyer to handle Itunnu’s appeal case.
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