Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Monday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. Report has emerged that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is set to start producing Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel, and JetA1 or aviation fuel in January 2024, while the production of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, is being delayed by the supply of crude oil.

2. The Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed that 18 persons were killed in an Abuja-Kaduna road traffic crash that occurred on Sunday morning. This was as the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Biu, ordered sector commanders to immediately set up a joint task force to conduct special patrol operations that would apprehend trailers and trucks carrying humans and animals.

3. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has explained the reasons behind scarcity of naira notes in the country. This comes following a series of complaints by some bank customers on the scarcity of naira notes at the counters, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Points of Sale (PoS), and Bureaux de Change (BDCs).

4. The Federal Ministry of Works says a committee has been constituted to look into the N1.5tr debt the federal government is owing contractors. In a statement on Sunday, the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, said the six committees, one per each geopolitical zone, would look into certified certificates generated before May 29, 2023, and from May 29, 2023 to date.

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5. Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, called on West African leaders to prioritise good governance and collective prosperity as an essential tool to prevent authoritarian takeovers of power and unconstitutional changes of government in the region. He said this while addressing the high-powered regional gathering at the 64th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, in Abuja, on Sunday.

6. All the 109 Nigerian senators have donated their December salaries, amounting to N109 million to the victims of the ‘accidental’ bombing in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, announced this at the Kaduna Government House when he led a delegation of the Senate members to the state.

7. Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Katsina State disrupted a pre-wedding drug competition in a community popularly known as Shola Quarters, Katsina and arrested 25 youths participating in the drug party. Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said this on Sunday in a statement.

8. Popular Yoruba poet, writer, artiste and religious leader, Alhaji Olanrewaju Adepoju, is dead. His son, Adejare broke the news on Sunday. “Baba has gone to rest”, Adejare said, disclosing that the poet passed on in his Ibadan, Oyo State home.

9. The Julious Abure-led national executive of the Labour Party has dismissed speculations that the party is or was involved in talks to either form a coalition or merge with any other opposition party. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh said this in Abuja at the weekend.

10. Lawyers, under the auspices of the Concerned Northern Forum, have vowed to institute legal action against the Federal Government, demanding the payment of adequate compensation for the victims of Tudun Biri military airstrikes in Kaduna State.