Headlines from Nigerian Newspapers: Key Highlights for Saturday Morning, December 16, 2023

Good morning! Presenting the current highlights from Nigerian Newspapers for today:

On Friday, the 19 Northern governors collectively committed to seeking justice for the victims and survivors of the Kaduna drone bombing. The governors called for an official investigation into the incident and expressed their hope that such a tragic event would not recur in the country.
On Friday, three additional Commissioners resigned from the Rivers State Executive Council amid the ongoing crisis in the state. The individuals stepping down are Dr. Jacobson Nbina (Commissioner for Transport), Dr. Gift Worlu (Commissioner for Housing), and Austen Ben-Chioma (Commissioner for Environment).
The Supreme Court has rejected the plea for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). On Friday, the court invalidated the prior Court of Appeal order in Abuja that had directed Kanu’s release on bail.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed on Friday that Nigeria’s headline inflation reached a 20-year high of 28.2 percent in November. According to the NBS report, this marks an increase from the October 2023 headline inflation rate of 27.33 percent.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has clarified that his collapse at his 61st birthday colloquium in Abuja on Thursday was due to exhaustion and a diagnosis of malaria. Contrary to reports, he collapsed after the event while bidding farewell to President Bola Tinubu at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja and was subsequently taken to the hospital.
Ahead of the Yuletide season, the leadership of the Kaduna State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers reports a more than 50 percent reduction in travelers within the state. Malam Bature Suleiman, the state NUTRW Secretary, attributed this decline to the escalated cost of transportation, primarily driven by the recent increase in fuel pump prices.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared the World Bank as Nigeria’s primary adversary after the institution suggested a fuel price increase to N750 per litre. NLC President Ajaero conveyed this stance in a statement released on Thursday, December 15.
The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a directive on Friday for the immediate release of Niger’s President, Mohamed Bazoum, along with his family. Bazoum had been held captive since the coup that ousted him on July 26. The court also mandated his reinstatement to the presidential position.
The Anti-Crude Oil Theft patrol team of the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, apprehended 28 individuals suspected of oil theft. Allegedly involved in stealing 527,810 liters of crude oil offshore, the suspects were arrested over the past five days at various locations in the Awoye riverine community of Ilaje Local Government Area in the state.
President Bola Tinubu has urged foreign ambassadors in Nigeria to prioritize the exploration of mutually beneficial trade relations as part of their duties in the country. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President also reassured foreign investors of a commitment to diligent and predictable fund repatriation, along with the streamlining of the tax system.