Thursday August 1, 2024: News Headlines

Gun shots induce tension and panic in Owerri on eve of  #EndBadGovernance Protests

Business and other activities were brought to and abrupt end in Owerri, the Imo State capital and it’s environs on Wednesday following sporadic gunshots that rocked some parts of the city.

The gunshots, heard in locations such as Okigwe road, Wetheral road, Ikenegbu road, Ama Hausa, IMSU back gate, MCC-Road, and Tetlow junction road, which is close to the State Police Command and the the government house, caused panic among residents, including traders, commuters as well as students of the Imo State University (IMSU), who scampered for safety.

The gunmen whose identity could not immediately be ascertained managed to evade the attention of the numerous security personel stationed all over the city and the state

Police operatives was said to have responded to the attacks by firing tear gas with the aim of scaring the hoodlums.

In a reaction, the spokesman of the Imo Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye, said the hoodlums had adopted a guerilla style, whereby they come out from their enclaves, unleash surprise attacks and run into hiding.

Okoye however assured that the Police Commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, has launched a head-on attack on the gunmen.

#EndBadGovernance Protest: Food and other prices soar

Ahead of today‘s nationwide protests against lingering food inflation and hunger, panic buying and petrol scarcity have pushed up the prices of goods and consumables, further increasing difficulty on an already exhausted citizenry across the State.

Survey in some major cities and markets, showed there was pressure on stores, markets and petrol stations, as households moved in large numbers to stock their homes ahead of the proposed protests.

The lingering petrol scarcity in the country compounded the problem, with many Nigerians resorting to black market to get petrol.

The scarcity, which worsened in the last five days, saw petrol prices skyrocket, with harder pressure on finances and consumption

Touts and black marketers making brisk business from selling petrol in kegs above the official prices to desperate buyers.

FG Declares Correctional Centres Red Zones

Ahead of today’s planned #EndBadGoernance protests, the federal government has declared all its 256 custodial centres across the country as ‘red zones’.    

Red zones are areas designated in terms of their security and safety status, with strict guidelines and permission given before accessing them.

Haliru Nababa, Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NcoS), said this in a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Abubakar Umar, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Nababa said that any person or group of persons who have no businesses should steer clear of the prisons

Meanwhile the #endbadgovernance protesters have disagreed with the inspector general of police over the nature of the protest gatherings.

Whereas the police chief during a meeting with the organisers of the protest, advocated for the protests to be carried out in a confined location, the protesters insisted on street demonstrations.

DAPPMAM writes FG, on alledged Dangote Refinery Monopolistics Tendencies

The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, have written to President Bola Tinubu over alleged monopolistic tendencies of Dangote Refinery.

DAPPMAN said before Dangote Refinery was established, Nigerian business entrepreneurs already had investments in the country’s downstream petroleum sector running into trillions of naira, with taxes remitted to the various state governments by their respective employees.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the President.

DAPPMAN noted several investments made by Dangote in the past and how he had allegedly monopolised certain sectors.

It urged the President to intervene and ensure the sustenance of deregulation and free market policies intended by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The group emphasized the need for market forces to be allowed free reign in the sector within appropriate rule of law.

Somali Journalist Arrested for Alledged Dronre

The arrest of a journalist for reporting on drug use in the Somali military is the latest incident in an apparent clampdown on critical reporting in the country. The development is having a “chilling” effect on Somalia’s media, rights campaigners said.

AliNur Salaad was detained last week and accused of “immorality, false reporting and insulting the armed forces”, after publishing a now-deleted video suggesting that soldiers were vulnerable to attacks by al-Shabaab militants because of widespread use of the traditional narcotic khat.

Angela Quintal, head of the African programme at the Committee to Protect Journalists, called on Somali authorities to drop the case “and allow journalists to report and comment freely on public affairs”

Senior Man, Kelechi Iheanacho joins La Liga from Premier League

Following the expiration of his contract with Leicester City, Nigeria’s Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has joined the Spanish La Liga side Sevilla on a 2-year deal.

Iheanacho departed the King Power stadium where he scored 61 goals in 232 matches, in a 7 years stint with Leicester City.

He arrived in Spain on Tuesday and had his medical on Wednesday.

He was unveiled by the club on Wednesday evening through its social media handle.

He arrives on a free transfer after several seasons at Leicester City and signs for two seasons with the option for one more”, the club said.

He will team up with his compatriot Bright Ejuke, who also joined the team this summer.

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