The discovery and evacuation of 300 persons mainly children chained by a supposed
Islamic centre and the relief granted Nigeria on the controversial $9.6 billion UK court
award to an Irish firm dominate the headlines of Nigerian press on Friday.
ChannelsTV, the Nation and Tribune are among the media organisations that reported the
police discovery of 300 persons chained together in Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area
of Kaduna State.
The 300 persons, including children were rescued following a raid at a home allegedly used
as an Islamic Centre. According to the police, the victims are from Burkina Faso, Mali and
other African countries.
ThisDay said the battle between Nigeria and Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID)
over the bid to stop the company from using the country’s assets to recoup the
$9.6 billion arbitral claim it secured last month, is set to shift to the United Kingdom
Appeal Court.
The Punch reported that the Process and Industrial Development Limited has said that Nigeria
will not be able to file an appeal in respect of the $9.6 billion arbitral award until the Federal
Government pays it a $250,000 cost awarded by a United Kingdom court.
The firm said the $250,000 payment must be paid to it by Nigeria within 14 days.
The Guardian said that from the ruling, the All Progressives Congress (APC) came a denial
that there is a crack in the presidency as believed in some quarters.
Also, the governors on the platform of the party said there was no iota of truth in the
insinuation that “cabals” in the presidency had perfected plans to slam corruption charges
against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and subsequently impeach him, the Guardian reported.
The Nation said the Federal Government is to reconstitute its team on the Joint Public Sector
Negotiating Council (JPSNC) on the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The Daily Trust quoted the Controller, Federal Ministry of Works in Anambra State,
Mr. Adeyemo Ajani, as saying that the second Niger bridge may suffer serious setback
if government does not intervene urgently in the crisis between the contractors and
the communities as well as the workers.
The Tribune said that the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday clarified that it
was still keeping the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, in its custody as the
Service was yet to be served with a valid Court order for his bail
MM/GIK/APA