Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Monday morning -

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. Equity investors may be parting with about N1.83 billion monthly, in commission and other fees owing to the reinstatement of Value Added Tax, VAT, charges on transactions in the stock market, as well as the proposed 2.5 per cent increase in the VAT rate.

2. Federal Government has reiterated its unwavering commitment to the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) signed by President Buhari in Niamey, Niger Republic on July7, 2019.

3. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has explained that under the cashless policy, agent locations are omitted from paying processing fees or tax on cash out done. The bank also said it would constantly take proactive measures to curb e-payment fraud.

4. A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publish the properties recovered from former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, AbdulRasheed Maina.

5. Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has demanded an explanation from the presidency on what it described as virtual stripping of the office of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo of most constitutional functions and a seeming clampdown on his person and office in recent times.

6. The Nigerian Army will on Monday (today) begin the trial of a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Sokoto, Major General Hakeem Otiki, before a General Court Martial (GCM) in Abuja. He is being tried over charges bordering on alleged diversion of funds to the tune of N400 million.

7. A chieftain of the Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has advised that constitutional procedures be followed in unraveling the circumstances leading to the alleged mishandling of public funds by Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. Adebanjo warned that the presidency must not rubbish the VP because of their political interest ahead of 2023 presidential election.

8. A former Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir, has said that come 2023, Igbo should be allowed to rule Nigeria. Kabir said the Igbo, no matter their problems, their perceived profiles, the conceptions about them, should be allowed to rule, because they have suffered.

9. The Presidency has said that it is too early for it to weigh in on the prosecution of detained publisher of Sahara Reporter, Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Services, DSS. It pointed out that Sowore’s prosecution was still unravelling within the realms of the security and judiciary.

10. Members of the Senate committee on Finance have set an agenda to block revenue leakages in public finance as a way of consolidating funds for needed social and infrastructure development, as well as reducing the deficit in yearly budget.