October 2020
1st October 2020
31 October 2020
Premium Times
Bullets, Blood & Death: Untold Story of what happened at Lekki Toll Gate
At about 6:45 p.m. on October 20, men in military uniform arrived at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos in three Toyota Hilux vans and almost immediately began shooting into a crowd of peaceful protesters gathered there waving the Nigerian green-and-white flag and reciting the national anthem…
30 October 2020
AFP
Nigeria protesters retreat but vow to fight on
Young Nigerians who took to the streets to demand better governance are in shock after a brutal crackdown on their movement but say their resolve for change remains undimmed…
29 October 2020
Humangle
#EndSARS: Release Lekki CCTV footage – Experts say
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Lekki Toll Plaza incident has begun inquiry into allegations of impunity and human rights violation by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)…
Premium Times
COVID-19: Controversial Kogi goes 120 days without infection, death
Kogi has gone 120 days without recording a single COVID-19 infection or a death attributable to the virus, according to the daily update of the outbreak in Nigeria by the country’s infectious disease centre, NCDC…
Impact of #ENDSARS protests on Nigeria’s COVID-19 status ‘uncertain’
There is no evidence yet that the #ENDSARS protests will spark COVID-19 outbreaks in Nigeria despite several safety protocols breached during the national demonstrations, according to health officials…
The Africa Report
Nigeria – Ghana trade tensions: Proof AfCFTA may not bring unity
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), initially meant to rollout in July of this year, was created to solidify economic regional cooperation within the continent…
28 October 2020
BusinessDay
Business disruption, economic losses are opportunity costs of stalling police reform
As Nigeria gradually re-opens its economy following the relaxed curfew that was enforced by some state government to contain the unrest caused by hoodlums, many business owners in Africa’s largest economy may be returning to empty shops, offices and damaged buildings…
Catholic Ethics
Nigeria: A nation that kills her children
Nigeria is in mourning. According to multiple news report, on Tuesday, 20th October, 2020, Nigerian soldiers opened fire on young Nigerians who were protesting against police brutality. No one has given an accurate number of causalities…
27 October 2020
BusinessDay
Nigerians now spend nearly twice more on Jollof
The cost of preparing a pot of Jollof rice, a popular delicacy among Nigerians, is now ₦7,167, which is almost twice what it used to be four years ago, no thanks to the country’s protectionist policies and higher energy cost following the removal of subsidies…
Financial Times
Why Nigeria struggles to win its security battle
This year, Nigerian airline Aero Contractors announced a new, twice-daily shuttle service between the capital Abuja and Kaduna, a northern city just 180km away…
ThisDay
The #ENDSARS protests and the demand for improved policing system in Nigeria
The world literally stood still for the Nigerian #ENDSARS movement in the first weeks of October 202, getting its own twitter emoji and gaining popular support from world leaders and influencers including Actress, Gabrielle Union and US movie producer, Tyler Perry…
26 October 2020
Guardian Nigeria
How proliferation of small arms is enhancing violence in Nigeria, says report
The proliferation of small arms and ammunitions is driving the increasing rate of violence in Nigeria, a report from SBM Intelligence has said…
Nairametrics
At least 1,588 people were killed in Nigeria as at Q3 2020 – SBM Intelligence
At least 1,588 have been reportedly killed in Nigeria between July to September 2020, according to findings by SBM Intelligence…
People’s Gazette
Cost of making jollof rice rose 75.4 per cent in four years
The cost of making Jollof rice has risen significantly in the last four years, a survey released Monday found…
23 October 2020
BusinessDay
Buhari’s deafening silence on purported killings by army stirs worry
After nearly 48 hours of failing to address Nigerians on the killings of peaceful unarmed protesters by men of the security forces, President Muhammadu Buhari made a speech which analysts say was notable for what it did not say than what it did…
22 October 2020
Bloomberg
Nigerian president urges end to protests, warns state will act
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari called for an end to mass protests against police brutality in which dozens of people have died, as he warned the authorities will act to protect lives and property…
Humangle
President Buhari’s speech showed no empathy
Experts have described the speech made by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, as “lacking empathy”…
Zikoko
All the times Nigeria has killed peaceful protesters
Let’s start here: Live footage of Nigerian soldiers shooting live bullets at unarmed, peaceful protesters this evening at Lekki Toll Gate, in an affluent part of Lagos, which has been symbolic for the #EndSARS protests…
21 October 2020
CBC News
Mood in Lagos turns from defiance to despondency as police-brutality protests met with violent crackdown
“Arise O Compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey …” The Nigerian national anthem rang out loudly early on Tuesday evening, sung by protesters as they waved the country’s green and white flag at the Lekki toll gate plaza in Lagos — where largely peaceful protests against police brutality have been held for two weeks in the country’s largest city…
NPR
‘Hope is lost’ as police open fire on pro-reform protesters in Lagos, Nigeria
This morning, human rights activist Rinu Oduala could still hear gunfire outside her house in Lagos, Nigeria…
19 October 2020
AIT
Police reform: Matters arising
Nancy Nnaji hosts Ikemesit Effiong, Head of Research at SBM Intelligence, on a discuss focusing on the #EndSARS protest vis-a-vis the call for police reform in Nigeria…
Daily Post
End SARS: Tension as Nigerian Army begins Operation Crocodile Smile this week
Last week, the Nigerian Army announced it will commence a military exercise, Operation Crocodile Smile, nationwide…
Reuters
With Instagram, hashtags and bitcoin, young Nigerians boost anti-police protests
Ozioma Egemasi says Nigerian police slapped, whipped and struck him with the butt of a pistol when he refused to pay them a bribe. Then he heard them discuss whether to kill him…
18 October 2020
The Africa Report
Nigerians hungrier now, thanks to Buhari’s policy on food imports
Since 21 August 2019, Nigeria shut its borders with Benin and effectively the main artery of trade between Accra and Abuja. What was thought to be a short-lived closure has dragged on for over a year later with unforeseen consequences coupled with the pandemic…
17 October 2020
BusinessDay
How police brutality poses threat to Nigeria’s tech industry, foreign exchange
While Nigeria is fast becoming a prime spot for technology startups and investment, police brutality on players of the young but growing industry makes ease of doing business difficult and thus poses threat to the growth of the sector…
16 October 2020
Relocation Africa
What’s stopping South African businesses from expanding overseas?
A string of high-profile failures in Western markets has highlighted the brighter prospects that lie in continental expansion for many South African corporates…
15 October 2020
Bloomberg
Hundreds of trucks parked at borders stall African trade pact
Hundreds of trucks have been parked at Benin’s border for more than a year since its eastern neighbor Nigeria abruptly curbed imports. To the west of Benin, officials in Ghana’s capital have shut Nigerian-owned stores to comply with a law that curbs foreign participation in its retail trade…
MoneyCentral
Nigeria faces tough choices over move to transmute SARS to SWAT
The Nigerian Government faces tough choices after disbanding the controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) whose activities triggered ongoing protests and replacing it with a newly announced Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT)…
The Africa Report
Leaderless movement #EndSARS may be missing ingredient to end police brutality
Five days after Nigeria celebrated its 60th independence anniversary, an event that is shaping up to be the biggest since Nigeria returned to democracy hit the scene: a leaderless protest against police brutality galvanised by mostly gen Z (youth in their 20s) and a feminist coalition…
Vice
Nigeria is fighting its own battle against police brutality
Abdullah Abdulsalam was on his way home from a writing workshop in Oyo State, Nigeria in May when an unmarked car pulled his bus over. The car, he quickly learned, was occupied by police officers in Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad, also known as SARS…
14 October 2020
AFP
Nigeria’s youth finds voice in police brutality protests
Protests against police brutality in Nigeria have brought Africa’s largest city to a standstill and dominated social media, channelling anger among the frustrated youth that has forced the government to listen…
Financial Times
Youth of Nigeria force Buhari’s hand as anger at police brutality boils over
Obianuju Iloanya’s brother Chijioke has not been seen since he was detained eight years ago by a Nigerian police unit notorious for its brutality…
13 October 2020
AFP
Nigerians stage fresh protests over police brutality
Thousands of Nigerians took to the streets in a string of cities once again Tuesday for fresh protests against police brutality, bringing traffic to a standstill in economic hub Lagos…
Al Jazeera
Thousands of Nigerians demand police overhaul for sixth day
Thousands of people across Nigeria have taken to the streets for a sixth straight day to protest against police brutality, keeping up the pressure in a campaign that forced the government to announce the dissolution of a notorious police unit…
Reuters
Nigeria’s nationwide police protests spread to southern oil hub
Nigerian protests seeking an end to alleged police brutality were held nationwide on Tuesday, spreading to southern oil city Port Harcourt a day after police opened live fire on protesters in Lagos where an official said two people were killed…
12 October 2020
Arise News
The Sambisa Forest should have been a tourist site
Ikemesit Effiong, Head of Research at SBM Intelligence, spoke to the Global Business Report about the rising cost of Insecurity to Nigeria. SBM’s latest report on Insecurity looked at the Tourism and Maritime sectors and how Insecurity has led to a loss of billions that should be going to Nigeria’s economy…
NewsWireNGR
#EndSARS protesters block Lekki toll gate, ground economic activities in Lagos
Despite the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force, #EndSARS protesters on Monday morning hit the Lekki Toll Gate section of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State, to resume demonstrations…
11 October 2020
Bloomberg
Nigeria scraps police unit after protests against brutality
The Nigeria Police Force has dissolved an anti-robbery unit following days of protests against alleged human-rights abuses by some of its officers…
Financial Times
Nigeria dissolves violent crime police unit after anti-brutality protests
The Nigerian government has dissolved a federal police unit that had been the target of days of mass protests against police brutality across Africa’s most populous country…
10 October 2020
The Cable
Ammunition from US, Israel, Iran used in farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria
Ammunition from at least 21 different nations, including the US and Israel is used in the farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria, a report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence says…
Pulse
#endsars: From Special Anti-Robbery Squad to Special Anti-People’s Squad
Nigeria is not left out of the benefits of social media in the influence of government policies. This is evident in the ongoing protest against a unit of the Nigerian police force with the various hashtags such as #EndSars #EndSarsNow #EndPoliceBrutality that has taken over the social media space…
9 October 2020
Humangle
Insecurity: Nigeria’s economy suffers huge blow
Nigeria’s security crisis is accelerating and the rising insecurity has a real cost which in the end affects Nigeria’s economy, says Lagos-based SBM intelligence…
Petroleum Economist
Nigeria pushes gas into fast lane
“Gas is Nigeria’s new petrol,” petroleum minister Timipre Sylva said of the oil-dependent nation’s attempt to diversify and overcome the crude oil price volatility that perennially afflicts its economic growth…
8 October 2020
Premium Times
Ondo 2020:Voter turn out may be lower than previous elections
Three days to the gubernatorial election in Ondo state, a report has said voters turnout election is expected to be lower than those of the last two cycles given the pre-election trends in the state…
7 October 2020
Premium Times
Nigerian health workers lament non-payment of allowances after closure of isolation centres
About a month after authorities in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, shut two COVID-19 centres for lack of patients, health workers deployed to the facilities are lamenting that they have not been paid their accrued allowance of about three months.
6 October 2020
CNBC Africa
Digging deeper into Nigeria’s petroleum pricing realities
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has been largely criticized for stating that “it makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia” – while giving his 60th Independence Day address. Tunde Ajileye, Partner at SBM Intelligence and Winston Osuchukwu, Co-Founder of Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation joins CNBC Africa’s Kenneth Igbomor to discuss the realities surrounding Nigeria’s petrol pricing…
Nigeria Info Lagos
P&ID: Is Nigeria off the hook?
A UK Court has agreed to review the judgment that awarded P & ID $10billion from the Nigerian Government for a failed gas processing project. Can the Nigerian Government get the P & ID Judgment overturned..?
TRT World
In Nigeria, dissent is curbed with brute force
The new government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has given a free hand to the police to brutalise people, especially the youth, as well as members of various social movements…
1 October 2020
Guardian Nigeria
Buhari blames ‘desperate’ politicians for electoral violence in Nigeria
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has blamed power-hungry politicians for the problems with the country’s electoral process…
Nairametrics
Nigeria @ 60: Agriculture and the way forward
A few weeks before Nigeria’s 60th anniversary, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that food and fertilizer importers should not be given access to foreign exchange by the Central Bank of Nigeria…
The Africa Report
Nigeria at 60: Where is the country (really) headed?
Anyone imprudent enough to try to sum up the first 60 years of a nation and then project into the future had best start with a caveat: there are many Nigerias, both today and tomorrow…