Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Editor roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 28th February 2024.
1. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has suspended the nationwide planned protest slated for Wednesday. The NLC and other related unions commenced nationwide protests on Tuesday over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.
2. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has increased the benchmark interest rate by 400 basis points to a record 22.75%. The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed this while reading the communiqué of the first MPC meeting of the year on Tuesday in Abuja.
3. The Senate has asked the Federal Government to introduce a food stamps programme as a measure to cushion the effect of hunger and food crisis in the country. It also urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced Temporary Food Assistance Programme,a few years ago.
4. A pastor in charge of Celestial Church of Christ, Grace of Comfort Parish, Omitoto, in Osun State, Moris Fadehan, has been reported to have been murdered inside his church by one of his assistants, Lekan Ogundipe. According to sources, the suspect drew the attention of the people to the presence of the partly burnt remains of the pastor inside the church on Monday.
5. A 29-year-old man, Joseph Yakubu, has been arrested by the Plateau State Police Command for allegedly killing his father, Yakubu Dalyop, with a pestle. Yakubu was said to have picked a pestle and hit his father during a disagreement. This led to the victim’s unconsciousness and eventual death.
6. At least 20 students of some boarding public schools in Potiskum, Fika, and Fune local government areas of Yobe State have died from a suspected Meningitis outbreak. It was learnt that the deaths were recorded in Government Science Technical College, Government Girls Science Technical College, and Federal Government Girls College.
7. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, has distanced himself from the economic hardship Nigerians are currently experiencing. Speaking on Tuesday at the first Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting under his leadership, Cardoso said he and his team were not responsible for the prevailing economic challenges Nigerians were facing.
8. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has commenced sale of dollars to Bureau De Change operators. Announcing the development in a statement on Tuesday, the apex bank said $20,000 will be available to each eligible BDC operator across the country.
9. Barrister Chris Agidy, the Senior Legislative Aide, SLA, to the lawmaker representing Delta North, Senator Ned Nwoko, who was kidnapped by bandits in 2023, has been killed. The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, who confirmed this on Tuesday, said the body of the deceased has been recovered.
10. Kaduna State Government has confirmed five deaths following lassa fever outbreak in the state. This was confirmed by the state’s commissioner for health, Hajiya Umma Ahmed, on Tuesday.
