The stiff position on border closure by the Nigerian government and the crisis between Nigeria’s First Lady and the husband’s associates are the most trending stories in the Nigerian press on Tuesday.
The outburst of the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col, Hammed Ali (rtd) over the closure of Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries reveals the position of the government on the closure since August 20, 2019.
The Nation and other newspapers reported Ali’s emphatic position that Nigeria would not reopen its borders with neigbouring countries yet.
This is an affirmation of the rejection of the calls for the reopening of the borders by neigbouring countries – especially Benin Republic on the Western border – whose economy is largely dependent on the trade with Nigeria.
The Tribune said that the Nigerian government on Monday announced the total closure of the nation’s borders, excluding the North-East, stating that no item can be imported or exported through the nation’s land borders anymore.
Nigeria, a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is a signatory to the sub-regional protocol on the free movement of persons and goods within West Africa.
The Daily Trust’s survey reveals that locally processed rice is now common in markets and departmental shops.
The newspaper also said that Miva rice, Mama Gold dominate markets in Benue with a 50kg bag of each costing between N16,000 and N18,500.
The Punch and many other tabloids reported that a fresh crisis erupted on Monday at President Muhammadu Buhari’s home as his wife, Aisha, battled the family of Mamman Daura, the President’s nephew.
Daura’s daughter, Fatima, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Monday owned up to a video shot at the Presidential Villa.
The Sun said Fatima, daughter of Mamman Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, has accused the wife of the president of attacking her inside Aso Rock.
The Guardian reported that over $9.29 billion worth of investments came into the Nigerian economy in the third quarter of the year, attributing the source to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
ChannelsTV reported that the Police in Katsina State have uncovered and shut down another Islamic home, housing some children, who were said to have been treated inhumanely in the Sabon Garin Daura area of Katsina State in northern Nigeria.
ThisDay said that global right body, Amnesty International (AI), has decried the poor state of human rights in the country, particularly as it affects the right to freedom of information and has called on the federal government to investigate and bring to book all those found culpable in attacks on journalists in the country.
MM/GIK/APA