Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 8th December, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 8th December 2023.

1. ‘Anyone Responsible For Kaduna Village Bombing Will Be Punished’ – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has declared that those responsible for the Tudun Biri village bombing, which resulted in over 90 deaths, will face appropriate punishment.

The president also announced that the victims will receive support through the new Folako Initiative, set to begin this month. Tudun Biri village will be the first to be rebuilt under this initiative.

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, representing the president, visited the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital to express condolences.

He emphasized the federal government’s dedication to combating banditry in the region.

2. Details Of Tinubu’s Meeting With Shell Upstream Director Emerges

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, said his administration will continue to ensure the security and viability of existing and new investments in the country.

Naija News reports that Tinubu made this known during a meeting with a Shell Petroleum Development Company delegation, led by its Global Integrated Gas and Upstream Director, Zoe Yujnovich, at the Aso Rock in Abuja.

In a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu expressed optimism about the prospects of increased investments from Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), emphasizing Nigeria’s long-term relationship with the company, which discovered the first commercial oil field at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta in 1956

Also speaking on behalf of the Shell Group, Yujnovich announced an imminent $5 billion investment opportunity in the Bonga North project off the shores of Nigeria, located in the deep water.

3. ‘Dogs Are Better Fed Than Inmates In Nigerian Prisons’ – Oshiomhole

The Senate has expressed concern that dogs in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) receive better care than the over 81,000 inmates in correctional facilities nationwide.

During the 2024 budget defense session before the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Interior, Chairman of the Committee, Adams Oshiomhole pointed out the disparity in daily feeding costs: N800 for each of the NCS’s 900 dogs compared to N750 for an inmate.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, expressed concern that such conditions could lead to inmates becoming hardened criminals.

He acknowledged the issue as related to appropriations rather than service management.

The Comptroller General of the Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, confirmed the feeding cost figures to the Committee and noted the inadequacy of the amount allocated for inmates’ meals.

He mentioned a proposal for increasing the daily feeding cost for an inmate to ₦3,000, already submitted to the Minister of Interior.

4. President Shouldn’t Be Petroleum Minister – Sanusi Tells Tinubu

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has declared that the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu should not double as the Minister of Petroleum.

Sanusi made the submission on Thursday while speaking at The Bank Directors Summit held at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

The former Emir of Kano also called for the audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), noting that this call was what cost him his job as the CBN Governor.

Naija News reports President Tinubu upon assumption of office, split the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with the appointment of Ekperipe Ekpo as Minister of State, Gas Resources; and Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State, Petroleum Resources but retained the position of substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources for himself.

This follows the style of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari who also doubled as the Minister of Petroleum during his tenure.

But Sanusi stated during his talk that the President shouldn’t be the Minister of Petroleum as well.

Speaking further during the event, the former CBN Governor also stressed the need to amend the CBN Act to keep the apex bank free of political influences.

5. Shettima Meets Community, Religious Leaders Over Kaduna Bombing

Visit President Kashim Shettima has met with community and religious leaders over the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Naija News understands that the meeting took place on Thursday inside the Council Chamber of Kaduna State Government House.

The meeting was attended by Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna, his deputy, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, and state government officials.

Recall that not less than 120 people lost their lives, and about 60 persons were injured in the incident, which occurred on Sunday night during the celebration of Maulud in the village.

6. ‘Don’t Bother Yourself, They Have Collected Money’ – Wike Reacts To Protests Calling For His Resignation

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has reacted to the recent protest at the National Assembly by some people calling for his resignation.

The Minister in his reaction on Thursday said he is not distracted because not everybody will agree with the policies of the government but actions must be taken in the interest of the people.

Naija News recalls some Abuja natives and members of civil society groups on Wednesday, gathered in a large protest at the National Assembly complex, demanding the resignation of Wike.

The protesters criticized Wike’s leadership, labelling it as incompetent and lacking vision for the development of the Federal Capital Territory.

Adamu Kabir Matazu, speaking on behalf of the protesters and representing the Network of Civil Societies for Economic Sustainability, urged for an investigation into Wike’s land allocation policies in the FCT.

However, in response, the former Rivers State Governor stated that he remains unbothered by the actions of those who protested against him because he knows they were simply paid to do so.

The Minister said he won’t be distracted by such things as he remains focused on delivering the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to the people of the FCT.

7. PDP Speaks On Forming Coalition With NNPP, Others

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated its non-involvement in any coalition or merger negotiations with other opposition parties.

In a telephone interview with Vanguard, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, confirmed the party’s stance.

According to Ologunagba, most parties originated from PDP, hence no reason for it to negotiate with any party.

He further stated that if the party will have such a discussion, it will take due process.

8. Rivers Crisis: ‘I Won’t Surrender My Mandate Despite Intimidation’ – Gov Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed never to succumb to intimidation amidst the level of sabotage deliberately staged in some quarters to make him abandon the mandate given to him to serve, protect, and advance the state.

Naija News reports that Fubara made this known on Thursday while declaring open the 115 and 116 combined Quarterly General Meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt.

The Governor reaffirmed his commitment to serve with humility, sincerity of purpose, and accountability despite the crisis rocking the state.

9. Yahaya Bello Ordered To Publicly Apologise, Pay SDP’s Ajaka N500 Million

The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has been ordered to pay the sum of N500 million to the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka, for violating his fundamental rights.

Naija News reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday gave the order.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, while delivering his ruling, also ordered the Kogi State Governor to publicly apologize to Ajaka “for the gross and unwarranted violation” of his rights.

The High Court judge directed the security agencies and their heads to ensure Ajaka’s safety.

10. ‘We Won’t Submit The State To Anarchy’ – Ondo Govt Rejects Court Order On Akeredolu’s Health

The Ondo State government has revealed that it won’t comply with a purported court order mandating the state House of Assembly and its Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, to constitute a medical panel to assess Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s health.

According to a statement by the Ondo Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye, the court did not order the constitution of any panel regarding the Governor’s health.

He submitted that the court only granted leave for the said lawyers/applicants to apply for Mandamus and serve parties in the case but they were trying to sell a wrong narrative to members of the public.

Titiloye stressed that the matter is still before the court and the Ondo State government won’t submit to any form of blackmail or media trial, adding that any attempt to throw the state into anarchy would be resisted.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.