The warning issued by the United States to Nigeria on diversion of the loot recovered from late military leader Sani Abacha and the fears created by the order for the merger of federal agencies dominate the Nigerian press on Friday.
This Day said the United States on Thursday warned the federal government to be prepared to “replace” the $308 million to be repatriated from the funds looted by a former military ruler, the late General Sani Abacha, if it failed to expend the cash on public projects agreed upon.
The United States and the British Dependency Island of Jersey had agreed with Nigeria in February to return $308 million that Abacha, who died in 1998, had stashed in their banks.
The Leadership reported that fear grips civil servants over a possible loss of jobs in the federal civil service, following a presidential directive to commence the process of merging and scrapping ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
But the federal government has calmed frayed nerves, saying there is no need to panic.
The Nation newspaper said that 17 stated and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) accounted for the 204 Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases confirmed on Thursday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). With Thursday’s confirmation, the national tally is 1932, out of which 319 patients have been discharged and 58 deaths recorded.
The Daily Trust said the Federal Government is considering financial models to help the nation’s media industry fulfil its functions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Channels Television quoted the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, as saying that 113 health workers have been infected with COVID-19.
The Punch reported that more Nigerians have been evicted from their apartments in Guangzhou as racial discrimination swelled against Africans in the capital of Guangdong Province, China.
The Sun said Nigeria’s indigenous oil and gas producers as well as several Deposit Money Bank (DMB) operations may be heading towards a near collapse following the inability of the companies to meet their debt service obligations to the DMBs since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Guardian said it was the end of the road for five court officials who were arrested by the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit deployed to Lagos and Ogun states, for parading themselves as officers of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency popularly called ‘Task Force’. They were allegedly extorting motorists and residents over the use of face masks in the state.
MM/GIK/APA