The plan to set up farming settlements for herdsmen and the non-remittance of pension contributions by states are some of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Guardian reported that a policy by President Muhammadu Buhari to use public funds to set up Ruga farming settlements for herdsmen in 12 states has been rejected across the country.
Three major socio-cultural organisations in Benue State described the policy as a renewed plan to take over the people’s land and give it to Fulani of West Africa in the name of settlements for herdsmen.
The Sun said that the 37-member transition committee set up by the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has raised the alarm that over 50 percent of the state grazing reserves have been encroached upon.
The Punch reported that states operating the Contributory Pension Scheme refused to remit about $11.3 million pension contributions deducted from their workers monthly remunerations into their respective Retirement Savings Accounts with their Pension Fund Administrators.
The Nation said some states are holding pension funds deducted from their workers’ pay.
The Nation also said the World Bank is investing $4 billion in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
ThisDay reported that the pre-hearing session in the petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, was stalled on Wednesday.
The break was to enable the petitioners to respond to the bid by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to void his petition.
MM/GIK/APA