The Brief: 1,000 COVID-19; repentance in doubt; sky-high prices

Are the hundreds of people surrendering to the military across the north east actually Boko Haram fighters or just residents trapped in enclaves? The story of repentant fighters surrendering and asking for forgiveness is taking a new turn.

Inflation fell by 0.37% in June. Yay! But food prices are refusing to drop alongside the figures coming out of the National Bureau of Statistics.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control  has recorded 1,149 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in Nigeria to 184,593. The latest figure released on the NCDC website is the highest number of infections since February 2020.

According to the NCDC, the 1,149 include the 393 reported from Lagos on Tuesday.Tuesday’s figure was without the number of infections from Lagos, the epiccentre of the infection.

Students of the Federal Government College (FGC), Kwali, the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), on Monday protested the death of a fellow student, Nuhu Aliyu, disrupting academic activities.

A source said the student collapsed after a teacher identified as Dorcas Gibson used the iron handle of a bucket to him in the head failing o do his assignment.

A non-governmental organisation in Kano state, Initiative for the Support of Victims of Sexual Abuse, Orphans and Less-privileged (ISSOL) on Wednesday gave scholarships to about 70 girl-child orphans in the state.

The intervention is targeting orphans in primary schools as part of the Initiative’s effort of supporting girl child education, especially those from less-privileged families.

There are doubts that most of the people that are surrendering to military authorities are not actual Boko Haram fighters but those trapped in enclaves, sources told the Daily Trust.

The few among them who carried out arms against the state and locals before they surrender lost out of the power game and were left with no option but to go for the “amnesty window” availed them by the federal government, it was learnt.

People in the constituencies of the 14 members-elect of the Edo State House of Assembly have decried the continued delay in the inauguration of the parliamentarians.

The political battle between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his former godfather, Adams Oshiomhole, has been blamed for the continued delay in the inauguration of 14 members-elect two years after the inauguration of the state parliament.

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Although the inflation rate has been dropping for the last four months, checks across major states show that prices of goods and foodstuff are still on the rise.

According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) July 2021 Report released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation dropped by 0.37 per cent to 17.38% in July, from 17.75% recorded in June.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state has relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on Jos-North Local Government Area since Sunday. The curfew will now be from 6 pm to 6 am till further notice from Thursday.

Earlier, Nigeria Daily has taken a look at how the curfew has bee affecting residents. Listen or download the podcast here.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria have been drawn against Morocco and Mali in Group A of the Six nations Aisha Buhari Women’s Invitational football tournament which is to be held from September 13 to 21 in Lagos.

Nigeria and Morocco will square up in the opening match of the tournament at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan on Monday, September 13.