Newspaper Headlines: 10 things you need to know this Saturday morning

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

1. The Court of Appeal in Abuja has stopped the governments of Rivers and Lagos States from collecting Value Added Taxes (VAT). In a ruling on Friday, Justice Haruna Simon Tsanami, also directed that the law passed by Rivers State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike should be put on hold.

2. President Muhammadu Buhari has told the striking medical doctors that embarking on industrial action was not the best action at a time they are mostly needed by Nigerians. President Buhari spoke on Friday at the State House, Abuja, while receiving members of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

3. The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed into law, the State VAT Bill that was passed by the House of Assembly, on Thursday. Sanwo-Olu signed the bill for a law to impose and charge VAT on certain goods and services.

4. The Lagos State Judicial Panel probing the October 2020 Lekki Toll Gate shootings has heard that the cartridge casings retrieved from the area of the incident are of the same calibre as the live ammunition of the Nigerian Army. A forensic expert from Sentinel Forensics Ltd, Joseph Kayode, stated this as part of his ballistic report of the forensic investigation of the incident.

5. Seven members of the Cross River State House of Assembly, who are still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have sued the Speaker, Eteng William and 17 others, demanding payment of their entitlements. They alleged that the entitlements have been denied them for months since they refused to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with others, who followed Governor Ben Ayade.

6. The Senate President, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, and six other prominent Nigerians are to be conferred with chieftaincy titles of Iyin-Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area. The traditional ruler of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeola Ajakaiye; the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, disclosed this on Friday at a news conference in Iyin-Ekiti on a week long anniversary commemorating his ascending the throne.

7. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would ensure that all offices are zoned to the right places to avert further crisis in the party. The Governor who is the Deputy Chairman of Zoning Committee of the coming National Convention of the party spoke at the Makurdi Airport shortly on arrival from Abuja where he attended various meetings of the PDP.

8. Gunmen on Friday killed the former traditional ruler of Aguleri, in Anambra State, Alex Edozieuno, and his driver, identified as Chukwuemeka. Both men were said to have been allegedly ambushed and killed at Otuocha in the Anambra East Local Government Area of the State in the early hours of Friday. The State police command’s Public Relations Office, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident.

9. Five suspected ritualists have been arrested by the Kwara State police command over the murder of a commercial sex worker identified as Abigail. The Command’s spokesman, Ajayi Okasanmi who confirmed the arrest yesterday, said the victim was lured by one of the suspects, Samuel Peter Tsado under the guise of patronage.

10. The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has retired after spending 36 years in service. A Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Finance and Account, Idris Isah Jere, will take over in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Comptroller General by President Muhammadu Buhari.