• 81% of Nigerians lack meaningful internet connectivity
• How FG announces plans to check food inflation
• Traders get 24-hour notice to quit Apo-Dutse
• Lagos announces 16-month traffic diversion for construction of Opebi-Ojota bridge
• IED allegedly planted by IPOB, ESN injures members in Imo

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

81% of Nigerians lack meaningful internet connectivity

Only 12.1 per cent of Nigerians currently enjoy internet services (Meaningful Connectivity) quality in the country. This is according to in-depth research by the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).

That is, about 2.9 million people have access to Meaningful Connectivity.

Meaningful Connectivity, according to A4AI, is a policy framework and internet access metric to understand the quality of internet access someone has. This is a step beyond the current binary indicator of single-use, any time within the past three months to understand when the internet, as a technology has the potential to transform societies and economies.

How FG announces plans to check food inflation

The Federal Government is planning to “very quickly” convene a meeting of the National Food Security Council (NFSC). It also lined up concrete actions to ensure the growth of some sensitive sectors.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who spoke after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja, noted that the gathering sanctioned NFSC to meet “very quickly to address the issue of food inflation and also provide a plan and some methods in which we can reduce the cost of food to support improved food prices for the citizenry.”

She said the council was briefed on the rising inflation and the need to manage the cost of inflation in the country.

Traders get 24-hour notice to quit Apo-Dutse

Through its demolition squad, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a final quit notice to traders in the Apo-Dutse area in Abuja.

They have been asked to vacate the area within 24 hours before the bulldozer would be deployed to level illegal structures.

The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT minister, Ikharo Attah, said the traders’ presence in the area was illegal and a security threat to the territory.

He said the administration had served several demolition notices to the traders and would therefore not give them another grace after the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, traders at the Alaba Rago Market in Ojo council of Lagos have filed a suit challenging the 14-day eviction notice – ultimatum expires tomorrow – issued to them by the state government.

The applicants, Alhaji Hussaini Lajawa, Alhaji Hamisu Mansur, Alhaji Muhammed Aminu and Pastor Timothy Asan, asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to restrain the government from evicting them or demolishing the market.

The traders’ comprising Hausa, Fulani, Tiv and other ethnic groups, claimed that the quit notice was biased against them on the basis of their ethnicities.

They prayed the court to order the respondents to pay them ₦50 million as damages for the alleged discrimination, and to restrain the respondents from removing them from the market without any alternative, and to restrain the respondent from demolishing the market.

Lagos announces 16-month traffic diversion for construction of Opebi-Ojota bridge

The Lagos Government has announced a traffic diversion plan for the construction of the Opebi-Ojota Link Bridge inaugurated earlier in the year by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The traffic diversion will be in two phases, commencing on June 6 and lasting 16 months, Commissioner for Transportation Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said.

He advised residents of Opebi to use Opebi Link Road to access Tunde Osilaja Street to connect Salvation inbound Ajanaku Street and link Opebi Road through Thomas Ajufo, to reach their desired destinations.

Motorists can also use Toyin Street via Mobolaji Bank Anthony to link Opebi/Allen road.

Commuters from Mende Road are equally enjoined to use Ojota Interchange and connect Opebi via Ikorodu Road inwards Aderibigbe.

IED allegedly planted by IPOB, ESN blows up members in Imo

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) allegedly planted by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) has exploded and has injured two members of the group.

The explosion occurred along Eke Ututu – Orsu road in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo on Wednesday 1 June 2022.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu said, “The dissidents, inadvertently stepped on the IED which they had earlier planted along several routes in Orlu, Orsu Local Government Area, while they were attempting to evade troops’ onslaught against terrorists in the area.

“The outlawed group have severally planted IEDs along troops’ patrol routes in a failed effort to bring harm to the troops.

“We urge all peace-loving people of the South East to please inform troops of possible areas where these explosives have been buried for proper evacuation and disposal.”