- FCCPC and Keyamo hold different views on the Air Peace investigation
- Obasanjo states that Nigeria’s debt profile for current and next generations
- Airfares to S’South and S’East sell above ₦200k as the festive period inches closer
- Dele Farotimi granted a ₦50 million bail
- Erasmus Mundus EMMIR Masters scholarship for Nigerians
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
FCCPC and Keyamo hold different views on the Air Peace investigation
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) are standing at opposite ends regarding the ongoing investigation on Air Peace.
The FCCPC announced that it would be investigating three big companies in Nigeria, MTN, GTB, and Air Peace, for exploitative practices of their customers. The Minister has stepped into the conversation between the airline and FCCPC, describing the latter as careless for making such allegations against Air Peace without contacting the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation regulatory authority.
“I think it was a very careless statement by that agency, and I say that with all apologies for making that statement without consulting the core agency involved in the regulation of the aviation industry, the NCAA. The powers to regulate and inform the airlines about their pricing are domiciled in the NCAA.
“I don’t think there should be an agency of government whose powers should be everywhere, such that if the price of yam goes up, they will call the agriculture minister. I don’t think their powers should be stretched that far. And I say that with an apology because I am also a minister of government.”
Obasanjo states that Nigeria’s debt profile for current and next generations
Former President and political icon, Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that Nigeria’s debt profile is a headache for the current and succeeding generations.
The former leader expressed concern over the country’s rising debt profile as it was last reported that Nigeria owed about ₦134.3 trillion ($91.3 billion).
Obasanjo recounted how he secured debt forgiveness for the country before he left the presidential office.
“Yes, I was able to secure debt forgiveness for the nation before I left office, but our present debt profile is a problem for both this and the next generation.”
Airfares to S’South and S’East sell above ₦200k as the festive period inches closer
With the festive season close by, Nigerians planning their trips back to their hometowns are met with exorbitant airfares as trips to the South-South and South East have risen above 100%.
According to records, some one-way tickets sell for as high as ₦287,000. However, airfares are usually raised during festive seasons, and this year’s airfares are beyond the expectations of passengers who wish to travel via air to their families.
A flight search on Air Peace for a one-way trip from Lagos to Asaba, Delta State, shows that the price surged from ₦97,400 to ₦287,800 by December 18, and the airline is poised to maintain that price till the end of the year.
Dele Farotimi granted a ₦50 million bail
Dele Farotimi, a Nigerian activist, lawyer, and author of the controversial book ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ has been granted a ₦50 million bail and ordered to submit his passport after Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun filed a lawsuit against him for alleged cybercrime.
The IGP had filed 12 counts, all on cybercrimes, against Dele Farotimi based on his book, which had allegedly painted the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, to which he (Dele Farotimi) pleaded not guilty.
The magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, ordered Farotimi’s remand in prison custodydele while adjourning until December 10 (today) to hear his bail application.
Erasmus Mundus EMMIR Masters scholarship for Nigerians
The Erasmus Mundus EMMIR Scholarship is a 2-year Master’s degree program based on the First Semester in Germany and the Second Semester in Norway.
The fully funded scholarship covers cover tuition, travel, visa, and a stipend of €1400/month.
The European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) is the first Erasmus Mundus Master Course in migration studies, jointly run by three African, four European, and two Asian institutions, supported by a broader network of associate partners. To research more on the scholarship, follow the link to the website as the scholarship deadline closes on December 18.
