Here’s a brief update of Latest Nigerian News from Nigerian Newspapers of Monday 16th October 2023.
- A pastor affiliated with the Christ Liberty Evangelism Church, Rosco, Iyana Iyesi, Ota, named Oyenekan Oluwaseyi, along with three other individuals, has been apprehended in the Saje Area of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, for possession of a human skull. The four other suspects arrested alongside Oluwaseyi are Ibrahim Agbowewe, Suleiman Ogunbunmi, and Gafari Akinsanya. The Ogun State Police Command carried out the arrests in the early hours of Saturday.
- President Bola Tinubu is expected to administer the oath of office to three additional ministers in his 48-member cabinet today (Monday). The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers will take place at the Council Chamber of the State House before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has acknowledged that the Nigerian naira is currently facing pressure, and it has affirmed that Nigeria has the option to seek financial assistance from the IMF to stabilize its currency if deemed necessary. The IMF, based in Washington, D.C., also acknowledged that recent exchange rate reforms and other measures implemented by Nigerian authorities were in line with expectations.
- Following an air interdiction operation conducted by the Nigerian Air Force personnel in Bukar Meram, Borno State, several terrorists were eliminated, and more than 40 motorcycles and six gun trucks were destroyed. The Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, announced in a statement on Sunday that these operations were executed after intelligence indicated that the terrorists had relocated from Suwa to Bukar Meram.
- Ahmed Ododo, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, has pledged to facilitate the establishment of an agricultural free trade zone in Okunland if elected in the November 11 election. This initiative is aimed at boosting agro-based processing for export and expediting the development of social infrastructure in the region.
- The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has responded to allegations of forgery made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He, through his media aide, Paul Ibe, has stated that there is documented evidence of his name change from Siddiq to Atiku Abubakar, as affirmed in a statement issued on Sunday.
- Despite the economic challenges caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, the House of Representatives has announced its plans to distribute official vehicles to members of the 10th National Assembly. In a statement on Sunday, Akin Rotimi, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, revealed that the House management is in the process of procuring and distributing these vehicles to members.
- Vice President Kashim Shettima has left Abuja for Beijing, China, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the third Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum. The forum, scheduled to take place from October 16 to 18, is a significant international event.
- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states as an opportunity to restore its reputation. The PDP has also called for the replacement of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Agu, to prevent a recurrence of the electoral challenges observed in Adamawa State during the last governorship election.
- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully arrested two fugitive leaders of transnational criminal organizations, Okafor Williams and Hakeem Salami. These arrests were made following weeks of intelligence-led operations within Nigeria and beyond, resulting in the seizure of illicit drugs and multi-billion-naira assets from the suspects.
