Oluwatuyi Olasoji, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Akure South local government of Ondo State is dead.
He reportedly died few days after collapsing while waiting to buy the Premium Motor Spirit.
According to a local tabloid in the state, Sunshine Truth, the deceased slumped last week while trying to buy fuel at a filling station in the state capital and was rushed to the Federal Medical Center in Owo.
He was said to have undergone a surgery and given up to the ghost on Monday.
Petrol scarcity has recently hit the country as motorists continued to lament.
Long queues at filling stations have worsened traffic conditions, with many people stranded at bus stops due to doubled transport fares.
SaharaReporters had reported days ago that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) claimed that the current fuel scarcity was expected to “subside in a few days as more stations recalibrate and begin selling PMS.”
According to the NNPCL, “The market has been deregulated, meaning that petrol prices are now determined by market forces rather than by the government or NNPC Ltd. Additionally, the exchange rate plays a significant role in influencing these prices.”
On the commencement of lifting PMS from the Dangote Refinery, it said that it was awaiting the September 15th timeline provided by the Refinery.
Nigerian musician and activist, Seun Kuti, has emphasized that mere protests are insufficient for achieving meaningful change, urging Nigerians to take more concrete steps towards transformation.
Kuti’s comments follow the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, which highlighted the growing discontent over national hardships.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Rubbin Minds, Kuti described protests as merely the initial phase of a larger movement.
“What I will say to Nigerians is that protest is not enough. I see protests as a child going to a loving parent complaining, ‘Oh, daddy, mummy, I don’t want to eat this,’ because the daddy and mummy care. But these people don’t care; that’s why I don’t preach protest only; I preach mass organisation because we the people must also organise ourselves for power,” he stated.
He stressed the importance of not only protesting but also showing readiness to replace current leaders with genuine representatives from the people’s side.
“It is not enough that we are protesting because we don’t like what they do, we must also send signals that we are ready to replace them. Not with another version of themselves like we did before, PDP to APC but with new people, representatives from our side of the divide to rule this country for our own benefit,” Kuti added.
Kuti called for a broader mobilization towards a more equitable system. “It is not enough that people want to protest. Protest is the begining of this dance. The real party starts when we begin to mass mobilise into a socialist to release this country from capitalism that we are experiencing,” he said.
Politicians Are Problems Of Nigeria, Not Youths, Stand Strong In Exposing Ills – Peter Obi Tells Media
AFOLABI
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said the problems of Nigeria are politicians who have decided to run the country aground and not the youths.
The Labour Party chieftain called on the media to remain strong in exposing the ills of politicians and leaders of the country. He reminded the media that they are the only voice of the voiceless in the country.
Obi said this on Monday as he paid a visit to News Central. He praised Nigeria youths as one of the most entrepreneurial people in the world.
The former governor of Anambra State stated that the rising cases of tribal and religious bigotry engulfing the country was a tool of underperforming politicians who lack the competence to deliver good governance.
Obi said, “We can’t build this country unless all of us make sacrifices and contribute in our own little way. The fourth estate is very critical because your voice, you are the voice of the voiceless. You are contributing, exposing the ills of all of us, because we are the problem.
“The problem of Nigeria is not the air we breathe, it’s not the food; it’s not our young people who are one of the most entrepreneurial, energetic people you can imagine all over the world.
“The problem of Nigeria is the politicians, and you have to help us to overcome that. You have to help us to overcome issues we have in this country. Whenever you hear us politicians talk about tribe and religion, it’s because we don’t have anything to show for our competence and capability. So we try to replace it by talk about tribe.
“So I urge you to continue to do the right thing for your country. We have no other thing except when we will have a country where nobody is left behind. A child of nobody can become the greatest.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has revealed that bank executives are complicit in aiding money laundering in the country.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede while speaking at the 17th annual conference of the Chartered Institute Bankers of Nigeria, said the Commission will soon start prosecution of bank executives involved in corruption.
According to him, findings revealed complicity in money laundering, illegal forex sales and trading among bank officials.
The EFCC boss said major financial fraud were conducted through the nation’s banking system.
He urged the CIBN to step up its regulatory functions to guard against fraud.
The Commission had recently asked the National Assembly to enact a law which supports the whistle-blower policy of the government.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it regretted not joining the #EndBadGovernance protest held in August.
The Head of Information of the NLC, Benson Upah, said it was regretful that President Bola Tinubu-led federal government does not want opposition’s voice.
Upah noted that the practice of using the Department of State Services (DSS) and Police to arrest voices challenging the government policies shows dictatorship is creeping into Nigeria under President Tinubu’s regime.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV, on Tuesday, the NLC spokesman stated that the federal government wants to use the continued arrest of its leaders to distract the organized labour.
“It is a diversionary tactic to sway us away from the path of focus and concentration. You know, the government has just introduced another band of PMS pricing, and does not want us to focus on that. So, it has to look for something else to divert our attention, so, it is part of this process that this has happened, and we consider it illegal, unlawful.
“This is how dictatorship starts, it creeps in. People look the other way believing that it will not come to them.
“Quite amazingly, this is being practiced by those who held themselves out yesterday as promoters of democracy. They should be ashamed of themselves. These are the very guys who went into exile doing this to innocent citizens believing that we will be cowed, but we will never be cowed. The Nigerian spirit is in us, it is a robust spirit, nobody is going to defeat this spirit in us. We are Nigerians, and we will continue to do the right thing,” he said.
The NLC leader maintained that Ajaero was not given any invitation, nor was he avoiding the security agencies. He explained that even as of Tuesday, the DSS has not given any explanation for arresting and detaining Ajaero.
“For us, as far as we are concerned, no invitation was extended to us before this arrest, and up till now, no reasonable explanation has been given. We can only speculate. As I have said earlier on, the government has some policies that it wants to unravel and does not want any opposition voice to be heard.
“Government has been battering us and wants to be cheered, wants us to cheer it into our own graves. But we keep insisting, we’re not going to be cheerleaders, we will keep on protesting, even to the last drop of blood in us
“We can only speculate the motives of the government. Even if there was an interrogation that this was linked to the end hunger protests, I mean, we keep on seeing it as a façade, because I tell you, on July 22nd, we issued a statement stating clearly that we are not part of the protest. In the 23rd, we issued another unambiguous statement. On the 1st of August, we issued a clearer one, and everything points to the fact that we were not part of this protest,” Upah added.
He explained that the allegations of terrorism, treasonable felony and cybercrime were all framed up. He claimed the government knew who the criminals were but would not go after them.
“Looking back now, perhaps we should have joined this protest, because had we joined this protest, they would not even have had audacity to raid our headquarters in the first place had we joined this protest, because they know our capability, they know our capacity, and they know they will never underrate our will.
“We’ve got nothing to do with all of this, we’ve got nothing to do with subversion, we’ve got nothing to do with treasonable felony, we’ve got nothing to do with cybercrime, terrorism financing and all that, and these guys know it, they know those who are involved. They know them, but they are scared of going after them,” Upah stated.
The Cherubim and Seraphim, C&S, Church Worldwide has urged its prophets to cease conducting rituals for youths involved in internet fraud, commonly referred to as “Yahoo Yahoo.”
This call was made during a pre-centenary revival in Osogbo on Monday.
Making the call, Senior Apostle Samuel Onigbinde, Chairman of C&S Unification in Osun State, emphasised that the church’s mission is to eliminate unorthodox practices within its fold.
Onigbinde noted that fraudulent rituals conducted by so-called prophets are against the true teachings of the church’s founder, Moses Orimolade, which focused on healing through prayer, fasting, and divine intervention, not spirit conjuring.
He said, “One of the key goals of the Unification is to combat strange practices among our members. C&S is not a refuge for ‘Yahoo boys,’ and prophets using our white garment to perform such rituals must stop.”
He added that a committee has been formed to ensure all members adhered to the doctrines of Prophet Orimolade.
Pastor Olusegun Elijah, the convener of the pre-centenary revival, spoke on the proliferation of churches, attributing it to widespread unemployment in Nigeria.
He warned that many individuals, driven by joblessness, were opening churches for personal gain rather than spiritual leadership, contributing to rising crime rates.
“The surge in crime despite the growing number of religious centres reflects the failure of religious leaders to focus on salvation.
“Additionally, many clergy members are now aligning with the political class, making it difficult to hold politicians accountable,” Elijah remarked.
He called on religious leaders to disengage from political fraternisation and maintain their role as moral watchdogs.
The Dangote Refinery is set to begin polypropylene production by the end of October 2024, effectively curbing Nigeria’s imports of the product which is a crucial raw material in various industries, including packaging, textiles, and automotive parts.
Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, announced that as the refinery edges closer to full operational status, it will meet the local demand for polypropylene, previously reliant on imports valued at approximately $267.7 million annually.
This shift is expected to significantly benefit various industries, including packaging, textiles, and automotive manufacturing, which have faced challenges due to foreign exchange issues and long shipping times.
Dangote emphasised that the refinery is prepared to supply the market fully, alleviating the struggles of local manufacturers who have had to stockpile due to import delays.
The production of polypropylene will not only reduce costs associated with importation but also enhance the stability of the Nigerian economy by decreasing reliance on foreign products. With this development, Nigeria aims to become self-sufficient in polypropylene production, marking a significant milestone in its industrialisation efforts.
“Let me assure you of one thing, Nigeria from October will not import any more polypropylene, which used to be about a quarter of a million tons,” he said. “No more imports of polypropylene.”
Polypropylene, a versatile plastic used in a wide range of applications from packaging and textiles to automotive parts and medical equipment, is currently imported in large quantities by Nigerian manufacturers.
Annual polypropylene import into Nigeria is estimated at $267.7 million, according to TradeMap, which peaked at $407 million in 2022.
The latest data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the country brought in the product valued at N99.6 billion in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, placing it at number 12 on the top 15 products imported by Nigeria from the rest of the world.
“We will satisfy the market 100 percent,” said Dangote. “This is so because these industries that are struggling and having to go and look for FX that they will not get and still have to keep stock for four or five months because it’s not easy shipping, clearing, and whatever, can buy as they need.”
He noted that the refinery is determined to do this because it will reduce the cost of importation and scramble for foreign exchange.
“We are also in the business. And our demand also as Dangote is huge. We have Dangote Packaging and are one of the biggest demand users of polypropylene,” he added.
Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, China, and Vietnam were the top importers of polypropylene into Nigeria in the first quarter of 2024, covering 90 percent of Nigeria’s demand.
Polypropylene is a versatile plastic used in a wide range of packaging applications. It’s often preferred over materials like cellophane, metal, and paper due to its flexibility, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
It is used in food and confectionery, tobacco, and clothing industries in flexible form while in rigid form, polypropylene can be found in caps, closures, pallets, crates, bottles, JIT storage solutions, and containers for products like condiments, detergents, toiletries, and yoghourt.
Polypropylene’s versatility and benefits make it a popular choice for packaging across many industries.
“The polypropylene market is growing rapidly owing to the rising demand from the packaging industry. This high demand is associated with the increasing consumption of packaged food and beverages,” said Fortune Business Insights, a research firm.
“It also helps in reducing the possibility of food deterioration and quality loss.”
Suspected kidnappers have murdered a businessman, identified as Sunny Taxman, after reportedly collecting N10m ransom from his family.
The deceased, said to hail from Alor Agu in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, was based in Onitsha, Anambra State, was said to have been kidnapped three weeks ago.
Although the details of the incident remained sketchy, sources told PUNCH Metro that he was kidnapped inside his vehicle by the yet-to-be-identified assailants.
A source who pleaded anonymity, because he was not permitted to speak with the media, said the suspected kidnappers dumped his corpse inside a dry gutter at the boundary of Nkwelle Uke, near RCC in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
This was corroborated in a trending video currently circulating on social media and showing where the bizman’s lifeless body was lying on the floor of the gutter, with passers-by taking a closer look at it.
One of the sources close to the family of the victim, who craved anonymity, confirmed to journalists that the deceased was murdered after the sum of N10m was sent to them, after spending three weeks with his captors.
The source said, “They might have killed him after he recognised one of them so as not to get exposed.
“They kidnapped him on his way to a function three weeks ago and demanded a ransom. The sum of N10m was paid to the kidnappers. Still, they killed him. So sad.”
When contacted on the development, on Monday, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not confirm the incident as he said the command was not aware of the incident.
Ikenga, however, said he would make further enquiries on the development.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, has disclosed that there will soon be a formal registration into the movement for members and intending members.
He confirmed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, stating that they intend to build the movement into a proper structural format to be able to properly identify its members.
“Within the next few months there will be announcement for registration, formal registration. We want to identify you where you are and what you do,” Tanko said.
Tanko was recently named as the coordinator of the political movement by Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 election. He said the Obidient Movement is all about good governance which Obi preaches.
He explained that once an individual believes in good governance in Nigeria, automatically they identify as an Obidient and that the movement is looking to admit people “who have a capacity to respond in a very formal way.”
He also noted that most of the current members of the movement are from the Labour party but acknowledged that it is beyond only the Labour Party.
Speaking further, Tanko said that the Obidient movement is for good governance, citizen engagement, having a country that is united, where fairness and equity are supreme, and also to build a country would be respected in the comity of nations.
Asked whether the Obidient movement is similar to the Kwankwasiyya movement, Tanko added that the level of the acceptability of the Obidient movement is larger than that of Kwankwasiyya.
He acknowledged the fact that majority of the labour party members contributed to the development of the Obidient movement, but said that going further, there will be a discussion to know the fee that will be attached to the membership.
Suspected armed bandits invaded the Primary Healthcare Centre in Kuyallo, Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the early hours of today, September 9.
During the attack, the criminal elements kidnapped a number of patients and two nurses.
The bandits, who reportedly arrived around 9:00 am on Monday, first targeted the nearby Government Day Secondary School but found it empty.
According to Musa Alhassan, a leader of a local vigilante group, the gunmen then shifted their focus to the healthcare facility.
“They came looking for students, but when they discovered the school was vacant, they went straight to the health centre and began abducting people,” he said
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers were armed with guns and machetes and caused widespread panic as they took their victims, including two female nurses. The total number of patients abducted remains unclear.
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A middle-aged man, simply identified as Alfa Ahmed, has reportedly slaughtered his grandfather and uncle in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, for an alleged money ritual.
Investigations by The PUNCH revealed that the incident happened at the back of a popular market in Apete, in the Ido Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday evening.
It was further learnt that the late grandfather was visually impaired before the incident occurred.
An eyewitness told our correspondent, “The suspect, popularly called Alfa Ahmed in the area took advantage of his grandfather’s condition because the man was visually impaired, while his uncle too was not feeling fine when the incident occurred.”
Unconfirmed reports added that the mission of the suspect was to use parts of their bodies for money ritual.
Another source said, “The victims reside in the same place with the suspect at the back of popular market in Apete when the incident happened around 6.pm to 6.30pm yesterday (Sunday). And people alerted the police about the unfortunate incident because the whole place was tensed.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident.
He said investigations had commenced on the incident, and an update would be provided.
“Investigation has commenced into the matter. Updates will be provided accordingly, please,” he stated.
The federal government of Nigeria spent a total of $2.78 billion on debt servicing in the first seven months of 2024, data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed.
These figures were disclosed in the CBN’s recent ‘International Payments Data’ report, which also showed that Nigeria recorded $1.18 billion in total direct remittances from January to July 2024.
Analysis of the CBN data showed that in January, the government allocated $560.52 million to debt servicing, setting the tone for the year. This was followed by a reduction in February, where $283.22 million was spent, marking a 49.5 per cent decrease from January’s expenditure. March saw a slight decline, with $276.17 million allocated to debt servicing, representing a 2.5 per cent decrease from February. The trend of decreasing expenditures continued in April where $215.20 million was spent, reflecting a 22.1 per cent reduction compared to March.
In May, there was a sharp reversal of this downward trend, with debt servicing costs soaring to $854.37 million. This marked a significant 297 per cent increase from April’s expenditure, making May the month with the highest debt servicing outlay during this period. However, June experienced a dramatic drop in spending, with only $50.82 million allocated to debt servicing, a 94 per cent decrease from May. This was the lowest monthly expenditure recorded in the seven-month span. The spending picked up again in July, with $542.50 million spent on debt servicing, marking a substantial 967 per cent increase from June’s low point.
Also, a month-by-month analysis on the total direct remittances showed varying levels of remittance inflows throughout the seven months showed that A breakdown showed that in January, Nigeria received $138.56 million in direct remittances. However, February saw a sharp decline, with inflows dropping to $39.15 million, a 71.7 per cent decrease from January’s figure. March witnessed a rebound, with remittances increasing to $104.91 million, marking a 168 per cent rise from February.
The upward trend continued in April, where $193.31 million was received, a significant 84.3 per cent increase from March. The month of May saw the highest remittance inflow during this period, with $365.44 million recorded. This represents an 89 per cent increase from April, highlighting a strong surge in remittances, potentially driven by improved global economic conditions or favorable exchange rates. In June, however, remittances declined to $270.52 million, a 26 per cent decrease from May’s peak. Despite this drop, June’s inflow remained robust compared to earlier months. The downward trend continued into July, where remittances further decreased to $72.29 million, marking a 73.3 per cent decline from June.
Former Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George says Victor Osimhen has yet to apologise for the viral social media tirade that disrespected him.
Finidi, who is now in charge of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side, Rivers United, revealed he reached out to the forward to resolve the issue.
“I sent him a message that it was not the best way, just someone telling you that coach said that and you’re talking about me like I said it in an interview,” Finidi told Nigeria Info FM.
“From that point I didn’t hear from him, I moved on and I wish everybody well, only God will judge”. Finidi also refused to comment on suggestions Osimhen should have been sanctioned with a ban from the Super Eagles.
“I don’t know, he is there already, let him be,” he added.
“We cannot crucify him, he has made a mistake, we have moved on and life goes on.”
Former Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has dismissed reports that Victor Osimhen’s wage demand was the reason the deal with the English side fell through.
Chelsea made a last-minute effort to sign the Super Eagles forward during the final hours of the summer transfer window, but the Premier League side could not finalise the deal.
According to reports, Napoli had accepted an €80 million ($88.5 million) offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli on deadline day, but Osimhen expressed doubts about leaving European football.
Mikel, who was involved in the deal with Osimhen, has revealed that the transfer was just ‘hours away’ from being finalized and noted that the forward was ‘disappointed’ when the move fell through.
“I know what Victor wanted, I know what the club offered him, I know where we got to; we finally got to a compromise; both sides had to compromise, I was just some little things here and there, paperwork, medical, and a few issues we just couldn’t get over the line, and we didn’t have much time,” Mikel revealed on The Obi One Podcast.
“Both sides really played their part in terms of getting the deal done, and I commend Chelsea for that because I can see their ambition of where they want to take this club now and also on Victor’s side, how much he really wanted to come to the club.
“He was disappointed it didn’t happen. I spoke to him when the transfer window shut. I gave him a call. We spent 20 minutes talking, I said, ‘Listen, I’m always here for you. You need to keep your head down. You need to keep working hard. Keep training. I know it’s not the best situation right now, but I know you’re strong.’
“You know, Victor’s a strong character; he’s a bit like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, and that’s something we’re missing at the club—strikers who have that edge, who have that bite who can intimidate defenders, and Victor definitely has that.”
Speaking further, Mikel dismissed reports of issues between Osimhen and Chelsea over the failed transfer.
“Definitely, there are no issues. I think if we have to pick this back up again like I said, whenever it is, January or next summer, we know where we are, we know where we’ve stopped, and it’s just little details that need to be finalised and the deal will be done.
“So for me, the club is in a very happy place with Victor, and Victor is in a very happy place with the club.
“I want to make sure; I’m not going to rest; I want to make sure I get him to the club because I know, not because he’s my friend, or he’s like my younger brother, or he’s Nigerian; no, he is one of the best strikers in the world right now; he’s Africa’s best player; I know what he can bring to the club, and I’m sure a lot of Chelsea fans know what Victor can bring to the club.”
The reigning African Footballer of the Year has since sealed a season-long loan deal to Galatasaray.