Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Monday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has warned politicians against linking stampedes that occurred during food distributions in Oyo, Anambra and Abuja to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms. He said the tragedies underscored the importance of ensuring proper crowd management during such charitable activities, especially in the festive season.

2. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the proposed 2025 budget, saying it is inadequate to address Nigeria’s structural challenges. In a statement on Sunday, Atiku noted that the N48 trillion budget, with a revenue forecast of N35 trillion and a deficit exceeding N13 trillion, represents a continuation of “business-as-usual fiscal practices” by the APC-led administration.

3. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, on Sunday urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, “To cut the proposed budget of N9.4bn on travels, refreshment/meals and foodstuff/catering materials for the presidency, and the proposed N344.85bn for the lawmakers, and to use the savings to address the budget deficit.”

4. The Federal Government will today, Monday, arraign five suspected terrorists linked to the notorious terrorist kingpin, Bello Turji, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In the charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/633/2024 filed before Justice Emeka Nwite, the Federal Government alleged, among others, that the suspects imported a military gun truck worth N28.5m from Libya.

5. The Nigeria Police Force on Sunday dismissed allegations made by Amnesty International in its report titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” describing the claims as false, misleading, and damaging to the image of the Force.

6. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has said that petrol is going to sell at N935 per litre beginning from Monday, today, based on the latest arrangement with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

7. Five years after it suspended mineral exploration in Zamfara State, the Federal Government yesterday announced the lifting of the ban on mining activities in the Northwest state. Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dele Alake, who dropped the hint in Abuja yesterday, said the move was made following significant improvement on the security situation in the state.

8. Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have thwarted an attempt by an ex-convict, Olanrewaju Akorede, to smuggle a consignment of Rohypnol to South Africa via the export shed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. A statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said the “consignment was hidden in a cargo containing garri, shoes, men’s singlets, and other items”.

9. The Inspector-General, IG of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday paid an unscheduled visit to Ilorin in view of the death of a man reportedly tortured to death by the police. The 35-year-old Jimoh Abdulquadri was said to have been tortured to death by some policemen at the Kwara Command late Friday.

10. Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Beecroft have intercepted 19 stowaways attempting to illegally migrate to Europe aboard two vessels, which were docked at the Port of Lagos Apapa Quay, identified as MT KRITI RUBY and MT MCC YANBU. The operation, the Navy said, was part of its efforts to combat maritime criminal activities and support the Presidential initiative to enhance the Blue Economy.

Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Monday morning