Naija News: Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 13th June, 2024

Naija News: Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 13th June, 2024

1. Protesters stormed the Ikeja Underbridge in Lagos on Wednesday morning as the country marks the 2024 Democracy Day.

   Despite the heavy security presence, with policemen and officials from the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps at the venue, protesters chanted solidarity songs while wielding placards and banners.

2. The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has reported that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has lost over 70% of his political followership in the state.

   Eric Nwibani, Secretary of the State APC Caretaker Committee, made this statement during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Nwibani highlighted that Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, has also lost three consecutive election cycles from 2015 to 2023. This is despite his influential roles as a “super minister” and a key member of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, serving as the Director General of Buhari’s Presidential Campaigns twice.

3. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has reassured the public that there are “no issues” with the president following a minor incident during the June 12 Democracy Day celebration in Abuja.

   President Tinubu slipped while boarding a parade vehicle, prompting concerns about his well-being. Addressing these concerns, Dada Olusegun wrote on X: “Mr. President missed his step while climbing into the truck at the June 12 Democracy Day celebration and tripped. It was a mild misstep. He immediately went on with the ceremonial rounds. No issues.”

4. There are strong indications that former Regional Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David, Region 20, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, and his wife, Dr. Siju Iluyomade, have resigned from their pastoral roles.

   The resignation reportedly followed Pastor Iluyomade’s refusal to serve a three-month suspension and accept a transfer to another parish in Ebute Meta.

5. A group of angry thugs invaded the Idi Mosque area on Wednesday, causing significant unrest.

   This disturbance followed a 48-hour ultimatum issued to traders by the Kano State government, specifically through the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KNUPDA), which warned of consequences for non-compliance.

6. The Federal Government, represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has affirmed its dedication to establishing a realistic and sustainable minimum wage for Nigerian workers, mindful of the potential repercussions on the nation’s employment rates.

   During his keynote address at the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria held in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister Idris highlighted the delicate balance needed in wage negotiations.

7. A tragic accident along the Enugu-Onitsha federal highway at Ugwu Onyeama in Enugu State has claimed the lives of at least 25 people. The incident involved 10 vehicles, including private and commercial buses, and has left many others seriously injured.

   Eyewitnesses attribute the crash to a Nigerian Army checkpoint, stating that a truck failed to brake and overran several vehicles stopped on the hilly road.One witness described the scene, saying, “I saw a trailer plying the newly constructed lane fail to brake and smash over 10 cars, including private and commercial buses. Bodies were scattered across the road, and vehicles plunged into a nearby ditch.”

8. The 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has penned a letter to the Kano State Commissioner of Police ahead of the 2024 Eid-el Kabir festival.

   In the letter identified by reference number Ref: HRH/ADM/06/1/217, dated June 10, 2024, and bearing the seal of the Emir’s Private Secretary, Ado Bayero requested special security measures for the forthcoming Sallah celebrations.

9. Organised Labour has vocally denied claims by President Bola Tinubu during his Democracy Day broadcast that an agreement has been reached on the new national minimum wage.

   The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Acting President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, insists that the negotiations, which concluded on Friday, June 7, did not yield a consensual decision.

10. President Bola Tinubu has given his assurance to Nigerians that the current national reforms are aimed at “fixing” the economy, not causing hardship.

    Tinubu, speaking to the nation following the 2024 Democracy Day on Wednesday, emphasized that the reforms being implemented are aimed at establishing a stronger and more resilient foundation for future growth.