The Late Post: A Review of the day’s Top Stories (18/03/15)
Whether you’re stuck in traffic on Third Mainland Bridge (or any other bridge) or just got home after a long day, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be aware of what made the news today. Thankfully, that’s what The Late Post is for.
- The Abacha Loot That Keeps on Giving.
Never before has stolen public funds ever panned out the way the infamous Abacha loot has over the years since the late general passed. The Swiss government is set to send back $308m that had been confiscated by the Geneva authorities to Nigeria. In a season when the naira and our financial reserves are taking a massive hit, the Abacha loot is morphing into a piggy bank or a time capsule Nigeria can break into for some relief funds. What a mine.
2. The cost of Securing The President
The rhetoric hasn’t ceased since the Lekki Robbery Operation shook Lagos last thursday when the President was in town. The Lagos state government has released a statement saying that 2,123 security personnels were deployed to protect the president, thereby implying that there wasn’t enough personnel left to protect the citizens. (Coincidence?)
As expected, the rhetoric veered political immediately, with the governor urging citizens to go out to vote so as to ensure there’s no repeat of such scenario. (Yeah, like the new president won’t be visiting Lagos again. Personally, I’ll just stay at home and binge watch my favourite show the next time the president is in my city.)
3. Pope Hails Nigerian Clerics for Their Bravery
Pope Francis has heaped praises on the priests and other clerics who stayed back to watch over their flocks in the throes of attacks by insurgents of the Boko Haram sect in north eastern Nigeria. I’m pretty sure — given their recent onslaught against the sect — the Nigerian army will soon find mention on the Pontifex’s honorary sheet.
4. Chibok Girls Still AWOL
In just under 4 weeks from today, it will be exactly one year since 200 girls were kidnapped from their school hostel in the northern Nigerian town of Chibok. As the hashtags ebbed out of our screens, the Nigerian army — while setting new records for tardy response — recently launched an onslaught against the sect and have since recovered some territories from them. But not the girls.
5. Electricity Tarrif slashed by 50%
The chaiman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, has announced a reduction in electricity tarrifs in some places. He cited the complaints of subscribers as the reason behind the reduction. (Fair enough, they were already paying high tarrifs on petrol for their generators lately anyway.
If you have enough power to find out the math behind the reduction (and whether your area makes the cut, here’s a detailed Vangaurd news report on the story.
6. You Wanna go Home or You Wanna Go to Jail?
Nigeria’s First Lady (after seeing Denzel awesome away on Training Day, apparently) has charged the people of Rivers state not to vote GMB into power in the coming elections or else they might very well find themselves in Jail. She was quick to tell those who could listen that the presidential candidate of the APC was paranoid to the point of jailing all his perceived enemies.
7. Child Bride May Get The Death Penalty for Culpable Homicide
Remember Wasila Tasiu? I bet you don’t anymore since she made the news for serving her husband and three others a meal laced with rat poison — which resulted in their death. Well, the case is still in court, and the prosecuting counsel is demanding that she gets the death penalty.
- Body odour may be an indication of sickness. (Anyway, I think doctors should prescribe deodorants first though, just to be sure.)
Regards,
