The rising cases of insecurity in Nigeria and the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from the UAE a day ahead of his schedule are some of the leading stories in Nigerian newspapers on Wednesday.
The Punch newspaper reports that President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Abuja on Tuesday night, a day ahead of schedule.
The report added that President Buhari was initially scheduled to return to Abuja from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday at about 1.30p.m.
According to the report, the president’s decision to cut short his official engagements in Dubai might not be unconnected with security developments in Zamfara, Kaduna States as well as some other parts of the country.
The newspaper also reported that the acting Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaki Musibau, and six other people abducted by suspected kidnappers have been released.
The victims were abducted in the Ejirin area of Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area of the state on Saturday.
The Vanguard newspaper said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has effected an upwards review of Nigeria’s economic growth rate projection to 2.1 percent, a second review by the Bretton Woods institution on the forecast this year alone.
The report noted that earlier in January it had reviewed the statistics downwards to 2.0 percent from initial figure of 2.3 percent referencing challenges in the international oil prices.
The newspaper also reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has fixed November 2 for the conduct of governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
The Nation newspaper said that several insurgents were killed and weapons recovered in an attempted attack on Damaturu, Yobe State capital during an encounter between troops and terrorists.
The report said that the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Mr. Njoka Irabor, who confirmed the attack in a statement said, several insurgents were killed and many items recovered from them including two gun trucks, rifles, anti Aircraft guns among others.
The Guardian newspaper said that the Senate yesterday passed the 2019-2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) of the Federal Government prior to the passage of the N8.83 trillion 2019 budget.
Adopting the report of its Finance Committee during plenary, the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly approved all the critical assumptions and projections proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in the document.
It added that the three year-expenditure planning sets out the medium-term expenditure priorities and provides the basis for the preparation of the yearly national budget.
The Daily Independent reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the recent violence in Kaduna State, which led to the death of 20 members of the Adara community.
These unfortunate deaths are the latest incident between the Adara and Fulani peoples in the state, who have a long history of mistrust between themselves.
The president, who spoke through his media aide, Garba Shehu in Abuja on Tuesday, also condemned the resurgence of cultist killings in Rivers State and ordered for increased community and law enforcement action against its escalation.
GIK/APA