The Nigerian press on Friday is agog with reports of the intrigue of the South African authorities in the xenophobic attacks as the country has been accused of being responsible for the hic-cups in the evacuation of Nigerians fleeing the country.
The action of the authorities has forced Nigeria to suspend the evacuation after the initial return of 187 out of the 650, who indicated interest to leave South Africa.
The Guardian newspaper on Friday confirmed that Air Peace Airline has suspended further evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa until the remaining voluntary returnees have been cleared and released by the host government.
The Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, said the airline would deploy staff and equipment to South Africa once approval was given by the Nigerian High Commission in that country.
The newspaper also reported that about 9.2 million telephone lines discovered to have been improperly registered are going to be deactivated by service providers in the country.
The Nation reported that National Agency for the Control of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome has unfolded plans to launch a $150-million Human Immune Virus (HIV) Trust Fund before the end of the year.
Channels Television reported that at least 20 soldiers of the Operation Lafiya Dole are reportedly missing, while the bodies of nine others have been recovered in Gudumbali town in Borno State.
The Punch said the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Federal Government on Thursday derided the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
The tribunal had on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC at the February 23, 2019 presidential election.
The Sun reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said that 10 million Nigerians would be lifted out of poverty in the next 10 years.
Quoting the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), ThisDay newspaper reported that nearly 22,000 Nigerians have been reported missing in the North-east region due to a decade of conflict in the area.
The Daily Trust reported President Muhammadu Buhari’s assurance that the federal government would not inflict additional hardship on citizens.
President Buhari gave the assurance in Abuja at a meeting with the new executive of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by its President, Quadri Olaleye, at the State House.
The Tribune said the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected any increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) as it pointed out that the planned increase in VAT would erode any benefit the increase in the national minimum wage would bring to workers and Nigerians.
MM/GIK/APA