Good morning Nigeria, Welcome to the Editor roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 15th, October 2023.
1. The Federal Government has approached the World Bank for a fresh loan of $400m for the conditional cash transfer to 15 million households as one of the measures to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians. The fresh amount will bring to $1.2bn the amount that the FG is borrowing from the World Bank for the cash transfer programme, as it had earlier secured a loan of $800m for the same purpose.
2. The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, has disclosed that Thursday’s defection of the senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, to the All Progressives Congress, poses no threat to the party. The spokesman remained upbeat that LP candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, would unseat Governor Hope Uzodimma ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.
3. Troops of Exercise Enduring Peace III have rescued seven kidnapped victims in Ogumula village in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. This is coming less than 24 hours after youths in Ohimini LGA, blocked the Otukpo-Adoka-Owerto federal highway to protest incidents of kidnapping along the road.
4. The Ogun State Police Command, on Saturday, said it has discovered three unidentified bodies of young men suspected to have been killed by a gang of rival cultists in an abandoned building at Abibatun Toronbi Community, Ijoko-Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state. The discovery comes barely after one month of bloodbath in Sagamu, during which at least eight lives were lost to rival cult killings.
5. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says the results for the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections will be uploaded on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Yakubu stated this while speaking with newsmen at Ward 009, LEA School, Ganaja Village, Ajaokuta LGA, Kogi, on Saturday.
6. President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said corruption is not an African problem but a crisis ravaging the globe including Europe. He noted that while corruption is high in the financial and economic sectors of Europe, places like Eritrea in East Africa have zero percent corruption.
7. Suspected thieves have reportedly raided the palace of the Olu of Ogunmakin town in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba James Sodiya, carting away his crown and staff of office. It was learned that the hoodlums broke into the palace of the late monarch, who passed away about two months ago, on Thursday.
8. Iran, yesterday warned Israel to immediately halt its “war crimes” against Gaza or face “a huge earthquake” of resistance. More than 320 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours, including many women and children, according to health officials.
9. The Ondo State Assembly has vowed to follow all due processes to see the impeachment processes it commenced against Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to a logical end. It said it never suspended the impeachment process. The Ondo Assembly said its decision to carry on the impeachment process to a logical conclusion was to determine the veracity or otherwise of the allegations of gross misconduct against Aiyedatiwa.
10. The 1 Division Nigerian Army says its troops have rescued 6 kidnapped victims and neutralised one bandit in Kaduna State. The acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col. Musa Yahaya, who confirmed the development in a statement issued in Kaduna on Saturday, said the victims were rescued on Friday.
