Today's Headlines:Niger Junta Threatened to Kill Bazoum-US Officials, Two die in Lagos road accident
Niger Junta Threatened to Kill Bazoum If There Is Military Intervention to —US Officials
Niger’s junta has told a top United States diplomat that they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule, two Western officials told The Associated Press.
Source: Sahara Reporters
Daily Mail reports that a Western military official said, while speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the representatives of the junta told the U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week.
A U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the account. Bazoum, who was deposed on July 26, says he is being held hostage at his residence. The ousted leader earlier disclosed that he was eating dry rice and pasta.
Two die in Lagos road accident
Photo credit: Nigerian Tribune
Two persons, a male, and a female, died in an accident that occurred on the Eko Bridge inward the Alaka area of Lagos on Wednesday.
tives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), with other emergency responders, also rescued five other victims at the accident scene. The Director, of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Mr. Taofiq Adebayo, disclosed in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.
He said that LASTMA Zebra (Zone 3), Ipori Lagos, Mr Akinde Olusola, who led the rescue team, confirmed that the fatal accident involved six private vehicles including a fully loaded ‘MAC’ truck with registration no (T-1501 LA). According to him, the preliminary investigation shows that the collision, which included a commercial mini bus (Korope) was a result of speeding and brake failure.
IPMAN Confirms Another Fuel Pump Price Hike
Photos Credits: Daily Post
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria said the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as fuel would continue to increase as long as the US Dollar rose in the foreign exchange market.
Chinedu Okoronkwo, the National President of IPMAN, disclosed this to DAILY POST exclusively while reacting to speculation of further fuel pump hikes.
The IPMAN’s boss noted that fuel price will keep soaring if the dollar keeps rising in the forex market.
He said: “Nigerians should understand that with fuel subsidy removal, the government is no longer determining pump prices but the market forces. The product is bought in dollars. The dollar is around 890/$1 now. As the dollar climbs, fuel pump prices will continue to go up.
As a solution, he urged the government to double up efforts to make Compressed Natural Gas available for Nigerians.
Protests against insecurity in Mali turn violent
Protests over insecurity in the Bandiagara region of central Mali, which has seen recent jihadist attacks, escalated Wednesday, leaving several people injured, according to government sources.
The demonstrations had gone off peacefully and people were returning home when a group attacked police, a government source told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
Officers responded with tear gas, and some protesters turned violent.
“There were at least seven injured,” including one seriously, the source said, adding that the situation was now under control.
“The population cannot ask for the return of the state and the administration and then come and attack those who are applying the law,” he said.
According to a resident who spoke to AFP by telephone, the situation remained very tense.
“The reception of the protesters by the police has been violent,” he said, adding that the protests denounced the “inaction of the armed forces and insecurity in the region”.
Seventeen people, including five traditional hunters, were killed last weekend in the region in two attacks attributed to jihadists.
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