Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. There was outrage on Friday after minors detained for three months over their involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protest collapsed during their arraignment in court. At the end of the sitting, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to the 76 defendants, of which 26 were between 14 and 17 years of age. Most of the suspects looked unkempt and malnourished.
2. Less than 11 days to the handing over to the Governor-elect, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, by the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the State Accountant General, Mr. Julius O. Anelu, and four other officials said to be signatories to the state government accounts.
3. President Bola Tinubu has kicked against the recommendation of the National Economic Council (NEC) to withdraw the tax reform bills generating controversy. In a statement on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, his media aide, Tinubu asked NEC to allow the process to run its full course.
4. Oil marketers, on Friday, revealed that the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was between N1,015 and N1,028/litre depending on the quantity being purchased. Based on this, the dealers vowed to import the commodity and sell it below the Dangote refinery price, as well as the price being sold by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
5. The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, on Friday, warned critics against distorting the narrative of the crisis rocking the state, insisting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the investment of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Okocha disclosed this during a media parley with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
6. Edo State Police Command has detained a 16-year-old girl, Aisha Suleiman, who is accused of fatally poisoning her ex-boyfriend, identified as Emmanuel, and four other young men in Afashio community in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu said on Friday that police officers from the Jattu Division were quickly mobilised to the scene, intervened, and transported Suleiman safely to the station.
7. The Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has granted the detained social media critic, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan N2m bail and other stringent conditions. VeryDarkMan was arraigned on Friday at Court 1, Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 6, in the Federal Capital Territory for unauthorised use of a police uniform.
8. Ebonyi State Police Command announced the arrest of 177 suspects for various crimes in October 2024, including four linked to alleged organ harvesting and ritual killings. At a news conference in Abakaliki on Friday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed the arrests, which included 162 males and 15 females. Ninety-two suspects have been charged to court, with others pending further investigation.
9. Suspected bandits have abducted 20 passengers along the link road between the Mariga and Kontagora local government areas of Niger State. The passengers were travelling along the road when bandits, who had mounted a blockade, forced them into a nearby forest.
10. Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of the sum of $2.045m, seven choice landed properties and share certificates linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. Justice Dipeolu also yesterday, ordered the permanent forfeiture of the monies and the two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust.
Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Saturday morning
