- Hunger protest: 17 feared killed as firms, others count huge losses
- Two students arraigned for hacking MTN computers
- Cholera vaccines to be delivered in few weeks, says Pate
We have highlighted the five most important developments in the news today, Friday, August 2, and present them below.
5 issues in the news that should matter to you today
1. Hunger protest: 17 feared killed as firms, others count huge losses: No fewer than 17 persons were feared killed in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa during the #Endbadgovernance protest, which was held across the country on August 1.
One person was shot dead in Abuja and Kano, two were killed in Jigawa, and six others were reportedly gunned down by security forces in Niger, while four died in Borno and three in Kaduna.
2. IGP condemns mass uprising, looting, places officers on red alert: Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has condemned the mass uprising, looting, destruction of properties, and attempts to take over government buildings on August 1 by some individuals protesting against the hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Egbetokun, who disclosed this during a live broadcast in response to the protest, ordered all police units to be on red alert to ensure public safety.
3. Economy suffers multi-billion naira losses to the day of protest: Experts expressed fears that burgeoning economic recovery will suffer a relapse due to disruptions and stalling of businesses by the protests across many cities.
Protesters took to major cities and commercial centres nationwide over the high cost of living on August 1. Businesses, offices, banks, government secretariats, markets, and others were either closed or rendered skeletal services.
4. Two students arraigned for hacking MTN computers: The Police Special Fraud Unit has arraigned students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Resign Regal Academy, Timothy Oluwabukola and Anthony Odemerho, for allegedly hacking MTN Nigeria Communication Plc’s computers and stealing airtime and data valued at N1.9bn.
Oluwabukola and Odemerho who were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 30 are facing four counts bordering on conspiracy, unauthorised access into the company’s web-based platform known as Application Programming Interface and unlawful conversion, preferred against them by the police.
5. Cholera vaccines to be delivered in few weeks, says Pate: The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed the cholera vaccines the nation is expecting will be delivered in a few weeks.
Pate announced this while addressing reporters on August 1 in Abuja.
He said: “We have ordered for the vaccines through the Global Vaccine Alliance. They have approved them."
