By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday said Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 34.60% in Nov. from 33.88% in Oct.

The November inflation rate showed an increase of 0.72% points compared to the October 2024 inflation rate, according to NBS’s latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services.

“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.

40% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (28.20%). This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in November 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., November 2023),” the Bureau said.

Significantly, the food inflation rate in November 2024 was 39.93% on a year-on-year basis, 7.08% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (32.84%).

On a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in November 2024 was 2.98% which shows 0.05% points increase compared to the rate recorded in October 2024 (2.94%).

The rise in food inflation is attributed to the rate of increase in the average prices of mudfish, catfish dried, dried fish sardine, rice, yam flour, millet whole grain, corn flour, agric egg, powdered milk, fresh milk, dried beef, goat meat, frozen chicken, among others.

Food and commodity inflation have skyrocketed as Nigerians battle what can pass for the worst cost of living crisis since the country’s independence over six decades ago.

Bretton Woods’ institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund had advocated the removal of energy subsidies and the floating of the naira, saying failure to effect the two economic policies has plunged Nigeria into severe inflationary pressures.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi & Laide Akinboade, Abuja

Four more bodies of passengers of the boat that capsized on Saturday on River Benue were recovered yesterday.

The Benue State police command confirmed in Makurdi, the state capital.

The ill-fated wooden boat was conveying several goods and passengers returning from Ocholonya market in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State to Udei in Nasarawa Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State after close of market but capsized shortly after taken off.

The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene in a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi yesterday said 11 persons were rescued unhurt.

According to her, 10 persons were earlier rescued unconscious and eight others were resuscitated and are responding to treatment, while two have been confirmed dead and deposited in the mortuary.

“We can confirm a total dead of six persons and three still missing as at 4:00pm, 16th December 2024.

“Four more corpses were recovered today [yesterday] while three persons are still missing,” Anene said.

However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said 49 persons have been rescued and three dead bodies recovered.

This was contained in a statement by NEMA yesterday in Abuja.

The statement reads, “A total of 49 persons have been rescued and three dead bodies recovered so far from the boat accident that occurred along River Benue in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

“The accident involved 76 passengers in the boat, as the driver, unaware of a submerged tree in the river, accidentally navigated into it, causing the boat to tip off and capsized.

“The unfortunate incident took place on Saturday 15th December around 7:00pm. The passengers were said to be returning home from the Ocholonya Market, a major economic hub that draws traders from several communities in Agatu and neighboring states, including Nasarawa State.

“Beside the rescued passengers, one of the victims managed to swim to safety while 23 persons are still missing. Most of the boat passengers were from Odenyi Magaji and other communities of Nasarawa State.

“The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is working with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency and other stakeholders including the local authorities and divers to expedite the ongoing search and rescue operations to trace the remaining missing passengers.

“NEMA has also established contacts with the Nigerian Navy to provide more support for the search and rescue.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has commiserated with the people and government of Benue State on the incident.

The forum commends the emergency responders for rescuing 11 of the travellers alive.

The NGF in a statement signed by its chairman, AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq yesterday said that it commiserated with the Benue State governor on the sad incident.

AbdulRazaq said, “We send our commiserations to His Excellency Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia and the people of the state on the sad incident. We beseech God Almighty to repose the souls of those who died in the incident.

“The NGF, however, called on the Nigeria Inland Waterways Agency to step up its activities by enforcing rules guiding water transport to prevent the recurrence of accidents on Nigerian rivers.

“It also appealed to boat operators from carrying an overload of passengers on their boats and urged citizens to avoid night journeys.

“Similarly, we again call on regulatory authorities to step up oversights and enforcements to prevent these recurring incidents, while urging citizens and boat operators to avoid night travels, overloads, and adhere to all safety protocols at all times in the larger interest of everyone.”

Our correspondent learnt that the passengers were not wearing life jackets.

An eyewitness who identified himself as  Fada Awatsu, told journalists in Makurdi, that the mishap was caused by overload, adding that shortly after it takeoff, there was uproar by passengers.

He said the affected victims were mostly market women and children from Agatu, Agbashi, Ajima, Okpata, Rukubi, Ondoli, Odadu in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State and were returning home the market.

Awatsu disclosed that, as at this morning, Sunday, 20 corpses have been recovered so far , while efforts are being  intensify to rescue other survivors.

When contacted, the Chairman of Agatu Local Government council, Melvin Ejeh confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate and very pathetic.

He said, “The victims were returning from Ocholonya market to their village in nearby Nasarawa state where the boat they were traveling with, got sinker.

“The view of the sailor was obstructed by shrubs in the river and when the canoe hit the trees, it crashed and capsized.

“So far, over 20 dead bodies have been recovered and rescue operations are still ongoing.”

By David Torough, Abuja

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a lawsuit seeking the removal of President Bola Tinubu from office.

The suit filed by the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections, Ambrose Awuru sought Tinubu’s removal based on links with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

allegations.

In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the Court  held that the suit was frivolous and fined Owuru N5 million.

The justices warned the Registry of the Supreme Court not to accept any frivolous originating summons from the plaintiff again.

The plaintiff filed his action directly at the Supreme Court, among other claims alleging that Tinubu is an active agent of the CIA of the United States of America, a position he argued makes him unfit to occupy the presidential seat.

Owuru prayed the court to disqualify Tinubu on the account that he had earlier forfeited the sum of $460,000 to the government of the USA in a drug-related case.

He specifically prayed the Supreme Court to invoke section 157 of the 1999 Constitution and oust Tinubu from office for being under the control of foreign authorities.

Owuru, whose political party, HDP, had since been de-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his suit marked SC/CV/667/2023, joined ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as a defendant.

However, when the matter was called up for hearing yesterday, the plaintiff, who wore his lawyer’s wig and gown rose to argue his case by himself.

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had on May 25, 2023, also imposed a N40 million fine against the plaintiff for filing a “frivolous” suit to stop Tinubu from being sworn in as president.

Owuru had also attempted to stop ex-President Buhari’s swearing-in.

He claimed that INEC assisted Buhari to manipulate the outcome of the 2019 presidential election.

He contended that though the election was originally fixed for February 16, 2019, the INEC, about five hours to the commencement of the poll, announced a postponement and later held the electoral exercise on February 23, 2019.

Owuru claimed that prior to the postponement, he had emerged as the winner of a referendum he said was conducted and monitored by both foreign and local organisations.

He told the court that he had, at the end of the said referendum, garnered over 50 million votes, which he said was far and above the number of votes that other candidates that contested the presidential election, including Buhari, secured.

According to the British-trained lawyer who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, ex-President Buhari’s tenure was illegal.

Owuru alleged that though he was the valid winner of the 2019 presidential poll, Buhari hijacked his mandate and piloted affairs of the country for eight years.

Consequently, he argued that upon the disqualification of Tinubu for being unfit to hold the top job, the court should pronounce him president and order his immediate inauguration.

Aside from Tinubu and Buhari, other defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).