The killing of 250 bandits and the downing of police helicopter as well as the plan to restrict citizens to only three SIM cards for mobile phones are some of the leading stories in Nigerian press on Thursday.
The Nation newspaper reported that the police took the battle to the bandits who have been terrorizing the people by killing, maiming and kidnapping. The police killed 250 bandits, but their helicopter got hurt through gun fire.
The newspaper and many others also reported that the Federal Government has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review SIM card registration and usage to disallow any Nigerian from owning more than three mobile telephone lines.
The directive came in the wake of the rising wave of killings and kidnapping for ransom and general insecurity.
This Day said that concerns about worsening insecurity in the country, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency on insecurity and accused Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of playing politics with the security challenges.
The Daily Trust said that four months after their inauguration, President Muhammadu Buhari will today meet members of his economic team amid a myriad of economic challenges.
Among other issues, the recent economic decisions by the government, particularly the border closure policy and implementation of the Finance Act 2020 as it relates to the hike of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 7.5% continue to take a huge toll on the citizenry.
Channels Television said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has asked the armed forces to take the battle to the criminals in their hideouts, in a bid to tackle the security challenges in the country.
The Leadership said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) revealed that it has commenced national mobilisation for strike action against the federal government over failed implementation of agreement it reached with the union.
The Sun reported that as Nigerians grapple with the reality of the visa ban slammed on the country and five others, the United States has announced an additional $40 million (N14 billion) aid to address the humanitarian crisis arising from decades of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East of the country.
The Guardian said that in spite of President Buhari winning the 2018 African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion Award, the United States seems not to trust the Nigerian government to properly utilise the $308 million Gen. Sanni Abacha’s loot stashed away in Jersey for which return agreement was signed recently.
MM/GIK/APA