Nigerian Newspaper Headlines & Naija News Today, Wednesday October 12 2022

1. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will, on Thursday, decide on the suspension of its 8-month-old strike. Rumours were rife on Monday that the lecturers had called off the strike but a member of the National Executive Council of the union, said the strike had not been called off yet.

2. The management of Dangote Industries Limited yesterday said its acquisition of the land for Obajana Cement in 2002 followed due process, contrary to claims by the Kogi State Government. It also stated that the company as a responsible corporate organisation had been paying relevant taxes, levies and charges to the state government since 2007 when production commenced in the acquired cement plant.

3. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said new Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) would be made available by November. At a National Endowment for Democracy event in Washington DC in the United States, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, said 2.7 million double registrations were weeded out of the last Continuous Voters Registration exercise conducted by the commission and about 50% of the new PVCs are ready but yet to be distributed to collection centres.

4. The Labour Party (LP) is set to unveil its presidential campaign Council list for the 2023 general election today. This was made known in a press invite issued by the Director General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe.

5. President Muhammadu Buhari has again reiterated his resolve to end insecurity, especially attacks associated with terrorism before May 29, 2023 when he hands over the reigns of leadership to the next president. This is as he said despite the economic challenges bedevilling the country, it still boasts of men and women of integrity.

6. The Federal Government has given its approval to the Lagos State Government to commence construction works on the proposed Lekki-Epe cargoes and passengers airport. The airport expected to cost an estimated $900 million will on completion have 5million annual capacity traveling passengers around Lekki, Ajah and Epe axis of Lagos State.

7. The Federal Government has applauded the United States for the repatriation of 23 Benin Bronzes. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the commendation yesterday at the Benin Bronzes’ repatriation ceremony held in Washington DC. The returned artifacts comprised of 21 from the Smithsonian and one each from the National Gallery of Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design.

8. A 15-year-old boy, Jerome Emeka Akwuene, was reportedly hacked to death, Monday, by yet-to-be-identified persons at his father’s residence in Ago Palace Way, Lagos State. Late Emeka, who was a Senior Secondary School student, was found tied on his bed and a deep machete cut on his neck inside his room at 54, Niyi Onilari Street, Grand Mate bus stop, Ago Palace Way.

9. Ndegwu community in Owerri West LGA of Imo State was Monday thrown into mourning as two of their sons were struck by lightning that also injured four others during heavy rainfall. The victims, Mr Emeka Gerald Mbah, a 39-year-old from Umuejekaubi Umuahum Ndegwu, and his friend, Mr Chigbomkpa Ernest Odionyenma, 36-year-old from Umuadi Umuogwuta in Ndegwu community, died instantly after being struck by the lightning.

10. President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan has disclosed that the National Assembly will pass the 2023 Appropriation Bill of N20.5 trillion before the end of December.