Nigeria Roundup: Agribusiness boost, gunshot wounds, MPs summon singer

Agribusiness boost

African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have pledged to inject $1 billion to deliver special agro-industrial processing zones in 24 States of Nigeria. President of AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the decision was part of the resolve to develop Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in 13 countries, reports Vanguard. 

Gunshot wounds

The acting Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has directed medical doctors to treat gunshot victims without asking for a police report as was the case over the years. The Nigerian Medical Association said it would adhere to the directive, however, it had “always attended to emergency cases without demanding a police report”. The President of the NMA, Dr Uche Ojinmah, spoke to Punch Nigeria.

Parliament summons singer

Nigeria’s House of Representatives, on Thursday, summoned controversial singer Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, to appear before it in a bid to secure the musical rights to the works of late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad. Mohbad was a former signee in Naira Marley’s record label, and he died suspiciously on September 12, 2023. According to The Guardian Nigeria, the resolution was moved by Babajimi Benson, representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, who emphasised the need to review the laws governing the entertainment industry in a bid to safeguard artists’ copyrights and royalties.

Election petition

Following the Nigerian Supreme Court’s upholding of the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu, the opposition parties have expressed a lack of confidence in the judiciary. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said in a statement that they are alarmed, disappointed, and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the apex court, Premium Times reports.

Ritual killing

The police in Rivers State arrested an undergraduate student of the University of Port Harcourt, Demain Okoligwe, for allegedly killing his girlfriend and harvesting her organs at his residence along NTA Road, Ozuoba, near Port Harcourt. The victim, Justina Otuene, also an undergraduate of the same university was butchered, some parts of her body harvested for ritual purposes, the State Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, disclosed to the media while parading the suspect. According to Punch Nigeria reports, the suspect concealed her decomposing body in his apartment for days until a neighbour called the police after perceiving a strong stench.