Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The police authorities have said they would not condone any form of violence during the planned two-day demonstration declared by organised Labour in protest against the hardships and high cost of living in the country.The police handed down the Riot Act on Sunday as the Nigeria Labour Congress gave fresh conditions ahead of the minimum wage negotiation commencing on Monday (today.)The police warning is coming against the backdrop of the alarm by the African Development Bank that rising prices of fuel and other commodities could lead to social unrest in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Angola, and Kenya.The AfDB sounded the warning in its macroeconomic performance and outlook for 2024 in which it projected Africa’s economy to grow higher than the 3.2 percent recorded in 2023. “I am a teacher in one of the private schools; I have gotten nothing in the form of palliative from the government. We have been trusting in the Lord and we thank God for his grace has been sufficient for us,” she said. Mr Samuel Tijani, a resident of Ilisan Remo, did not benefit from the palliatives just as he appealed to the government to lessen the pains of the fuel subsidy removal. Tijani said, “I have received nothing in the name of palliatives from anyone since the crisis of this fuel subsidy removal began. I heard that the state government is planning to distribute another set of food palliatives soon. I sincerely hope that the government will ensure that it goes around this time.”

Despite government warnings against crowd-funding for ransoms, the practice continues to gain ground, with abductees and their families raising funds from relatives, friends, and social media to secure the release of kidnapped victims. Families of abductees disregarded the government's warnings, fearing the victims might be killed or harmed if they failed to pay the ransom. The Nigerian Police Force and Minister of Defence have warned against engaging in crowd-funding for ransoms.