Nigerian press zooms in on U.S. travel advisory to citizens in Nigeria, others

APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The U.S. travel advisory warning its citizens to reconsider travelling to Nigeria due to increased risk of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs in the country is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Friday.
The Guardian reports that two days after the United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo visited Nigeria as part of U.S. efforts to strengthen economic ties between both countries and a day after President Bola Tinubu, presently in the U.S. for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), advised Nigerians in abroad to return home, the U.S. government has warned its citizens to reconsider travelling to Nigeria due to increased risk of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs in the country.
An updated travel advisory issued on September 20 by the U.S. Department of State included a flat “do not travel” warning for Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and Adamawa states due to terrorism and kidnapping; Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states due to kidnapping.
A similar travel advisory was issued for Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and armed gangs.
While placing these states on Level 4 – the highest risk category, the U.S. warned that the security situation in the states is fluid and unpredictable due to widespread terrorist activity, inter-communal violence, and kidnapping; and security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning.
The travel advisory, which carpets 18 states in all, excludes Lagos, 17 other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Violent crime – such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage taking, roadside banditry, and rape – is common throughout the country. Kidnappings for ransom occur frequently, often targeting dual national citizens who have returned to Nigeria for a visit, as well as U.S. citizens with perceived wealth. Kidnapping gangs have also stopped victims on interstate roads,” the advisory read.
The newspaper says that displeased with the United States Magistrate Court’s order directing Chicago State University to release his academic records to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, President Bola Tinubu has filed an application with the District Court to halt the order’s implementation.
The magistrate court had on Tuesday given Chicago University 48 hours to release Tinubu’s records to Atiku. However, Tinubu alleged in a fresh application on Thursday that the magistrate breached the constitution by acting as a final court in such matters of discovery.
He contended that a magistrate should only report and recommend to the district judge in such matters.
Tinubu further argued that the magistrate court had issued what seemed to be a final order on September 19, demanding immediate compliance starting on September 21.
“Intervenor asks this court to enter an immediate order delaying the effect of the magistrate’s order, at least until Monday, September 25, 2023, so the court may fully consider both the scope of the magistrate’s authority to issue the order without review and the issue of whether the magistrate’s order was a correct application of the law to the facts presented.”
He requested the court to delay the effect of the magistrate’s order until September 25, to fully consider the order’s scope and its application of the law to the facts presented.
In the motion filed by his lawyer, Mr Carmichael, Tinubu emphasised that other courts, considering the authority of magistrates to rule on Section 1782 applications opted for issuing reports and recommendations.
“Intervenor raises a substantial question about the Magistrate’s authority to resolve the Section 1782 petition and order immediate compliance by Chicago State University.”
The Punch reports that the Nigerian Government may spend about N1.68tn as subsidy on petrol from September to December this year, an analysis of data provided by oil marketers and the sector has shown.
Petrol dealers stated on Thursday that the pump price of petrol should be between N890 to N900/litre based on the fall of the naira against the United States dollar and the surge in the price of crude in the international market.
Petrol currently sells at between N598 and N617/litre depending on the location of purchase, fuelling suspicion that the commodity is being subsidised by the Federal Government.
The government and the NNPCL have not officially admitted that subsidy on petrol has been reintroduced. President Bola Tinubu had on May 29 announced ended the subsidy regime during his inaugural address.
The government subsidises PMS through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. NNPCL is the sole importer of PMS. Other marketers stopped PMS imports due to their inability to access foreign exchange.
The removal of subsidy led to an increase in the pump price of petrol from about N198/litre in May to the current rate of N617/litre. But the fall of the naira coupled with the rise in crude oil price have continued to mount pressure on the cost of PMS.
Dealers in the downstream oil sector explained that the cost of crude oil and the exchange rate of the naira-dollar accounted for over 80 per cent of the cost of PMS.
Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, rose to about $95/barrel on Thursday. It had peaked to $97/barrel the preceding day, which was the highest figure in 2023.
The newspaper says that the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum has condemned the spate of disturbances on the national electricity grid and the recent fire incidents around power transmission infrastructure.
NPCF’s Convener, Michael Okoh, raised the concern in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
This was coming a few days after the Transmission Company of Nigeria stated that for over 400 days, the grid had been relatively stable.
“From independent assessment which started last year and up to this year, the forum was able to confirm the various initiatives TCN deployed to stabilise the grid including the use of Internet of Things and the deployment of the stop gap system as a placeholder for a smart grid system,” Okoh stated.
He added, “But unfortunately, just after the pronouncement on the efforts of TCN on grid stability, the power sector has recorded at least two system collapses in succession, all caused by a fire incident in the Birnin Kebbi transmission substation and line snap along the 330kV Jebba – Kainji transmission line.
“These have caused nationwide outages which the NPCF believes is to bring the management of TCN into disrepute.”
He said the forum confirmed that TCN had been maintaining its grid efficiently for 421 days and the grid was looped in some places.
GIK/APA