More trouble looms for Nigerians as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has rejected the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

The marketers with over 70 percent of filling stations in Nigeria threatened that they will stop operation if NNPCL refuses to back down on its new petrol ex-depot price of N1,010 per liter.

The spokesperson of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike disclosed this to DAILY POST in an interview on Friday morning.

His comments come as NNPCL on Wednesday announced a fresh price hike across its retail outlets nationwide to between N998 and N1,030 in Abuja and Lagos State.

The state-owned company also announced between N1,040 to N1,010 as the per liter prices they will sell to marketers.

Reacting, Ukadike said the ex-depot petrol prices announced by NNPCL showed that the company is poised to inflict continued suffering on Nigerians.

He stressed that IPMAN members will not accept a petrol price higher than what NNPCL sells at its retail outlets.

According to him, the action of NNPCL cannot be termed as deregulation.

He noted that with the NNPCL petrol ex-depot price of N1010, oil marketers who own the majority of filling stations nationwide will sell the product at N1,200 per liter.

“NNPCL is selling ex-depot in Port Harcourt at N1045 per liter, Calabar (N1040), Lagos (1010).

“We refuse the price by NNPCL. We cannot comply with the price. We will not lift NNPCL petrol, we are not interested.

“NNPCL will continue to suffer the masses. They are selling N998, why are they selling to us above the price they are selling to IPMAN members at N1010, by the time logistics cost is added, the petrol price will get to N1200,” he fumed.

This portends a looming fuel scarcity nationwide.

DAILY POST observed that in Abuja, the majority of filling stations were not dispensing fuel on Thursday.

Earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress called for an immediate reversal of the latest fuel price hike by NNPCL.

However, the Nigerian government on Wednesday blamed market forces for the fuel price hike in the country.

[Dailypost]

Former Big Brother Naija contestant, Victoria Adeleye popularly known as Veeiye, has voiced frustration with Nigeria’s economic challenges, likening the situation to a “social experiment.”

In a post on her X page, Veeiye stated: “Nigeria: too expensive to live, too expensive to leave. Almost feels like a social experiment. It’s like they want to see how much people can take.”

[TheNation]

A new bill has been proposed in Nigeria that will require individuals engaged in banking, insurance, stock-broking, or other financial services to provide a Tax Identification Number as a precondition for opening a new account or operating an existing one.

According to the bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Assessment, Collection of, and Accounting for Revenue Accruing to the Federation, Federal, States, and Local Governments; Prescribe the Powers and Functions of Tax Authorities, and for Related Matters”, this legislation aims to enhance tax compliance and improve the country’s revenue collection process.

The bill, obtained from the National Assembly and dated October 4, 2024, stated, “A person engaged in banking, insurance, stock-broking, or other financial services in Nigeria shall make the provision of a tax ID, a precondition for opening a new account or operating an existing account.”

This requirement is part of broader efforts to ensure that all individuals and entities participating in financial activities are properly registered for tax purposes.

The bill also outlines that any non-resident person supplying taxable goods or services to any individual in Nigeria or deriving income from the country must register for tax purposes and obtain a Tax ID.

However, non-resident individuals who derive only passive income from investments in Nigeria will not be required to register, although they must provide relevant information as prescribed by the relevant tax authority.

The proposed legislation also empowers the relevant tax authority to automatically register and issue a Tax ID to individuals who should apply for one but fail to do so.

In such cases, the tax authority is required to promptly notify the individual of their registration and the issuance of the tax ID.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in administrative penalties. According to the bill, a taxable person who fails to register for tax will incur a penalty of N50,000 in the first month of non-compliance, followed by N25,000 for each subsequent month.

[Punch]

THE world commemorated the first year of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel with no clear vision to end the on-going carnage. In the First World War, there were about 22 million deaths. Humanity vowed: “Never again!” Never again will we allow such mass scale slaughter. To ensure this, the League of Nations was created in 1920 to preserve world peace and promote international cooperation. Nineteen years later, the Second World War began on September 1, 1939. This time, the slaughter was so horrendous that Russia alone lost over 22 million people, that is a higher figure than the combined slaughter in the First World War.

This time, we created the United Nations, UN, for the maintenance of international peace and security, well-being of the people of the world and international cooperation. These, 79 years later, are precisely the things that are missing in the world.

However, while in the past wars, we shouted “Never again!” These times, we have lost our collective voices and resolve. We accept genocide, even when the footages are brought right into our bedrooms. Admittedly, there are differences. In the past wars, there were some restraints, especially when it came to children, women and the elderly. For instance, young men were so disproportionately killed in the Second World War that there was a severe shortage of men to begin families.

Many men who returned from the war, were traumatised. But in the on-going conflict in the Middle East it is children and women that are the main targets. In the first year of the so-called War in Gaza, over 42,000 have been killed with about 70 per cent of these victims being women and children. An indication that those carrying out the slaughter in today’s world do not care about the target; all they want is to exterminate the populace.

Some make the mistake of assuming that the ‘Gaza War’ which is actually an Israeli-Palestinian war, began on October 7, 2023. No. Even months before that attack, Israel had killed over 250 Palestinians.

This war, is also, not a matter of disagreements between two neighbours. The issue is one of a settler colony where a people migrate from one part of the world to seize or colonise another part, militarily dominate and settle in it at the expense of the indigenes. To be able to do so in a sustainable way, the indigenous population has to either be subjugated or exterminated.

The United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are such settler colonies where Europeans pacified the indigenes. There were bloody attempts in Kenya and Algeria by Britain and France to achieve the same aims. Uprisings by the Mau Mau in Kenya and heroic resistance by the Algerians who lost two million people, stopped these unholy plans.

The Germans wiped out two thirds of the Namibian people in a failed attempt to make it a settler colony. In the case of Zimbabwe, British businessman, Cecil Rhodes, seized it and made it a settler colony until the people won the war of independence in 1980. In South Africa, the Europeans established their first settlement in 1652 and the indigenous people did not regain control until 342 years later.

But the Israeli case is unique. First, the European settlers claim to have been indigenous to the territory thousands of years earlier before going into exile in the 6th Century. Secondly, their leading lights did not regard the indigenous peoples they were going to meet as nationalities with equal rights. Rather, they regarded them as dispensable barbarians. Thirdly, they regarded themselves as Europeans going to establish a new European country as was done in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada, and was being done in South Africa and Zimbabawe, then called Rhodesia.

In fact, Theodor Herzl, the Austro-Hungarian journalist who founded the Zionist Movement  and is regarded as “The Spiritual Father of the Jews”, wanted to create Israel in the image of colonial Rhodesia. In 1902, he wrote Rhodes: “You are being invited to help make history. It doesn’t involve Africa, but a piece of Asia Minor; not Englishmen but Jews… it is something colonial.”

One of the arguments of Herzl was that Europeans of Jewish ancestry or who had adopted Judaism, were being discriminated against and profiled as unscrupulous. This was depicted in the “Merchant of Venice”, a play written in 1596-97 by William Shakespeare. In it, an unscrupulous businessman of Jewish origin, Shylock, wanted a pound of flesh from a Christian, Antonio.

Herzl proposed a solution to rid Europe of the Jewish problem by securing lands for them in Palestine, and simultaneously, building a new European country in Asia. This way, the Jews will also have a homeland and simultaneously, help Europe to police the Middle East.

But what would happen to the indigenous Palestinian People? Herzl has a simple solution: “We must expropriate gently the private property (Palestinians) on the state assigned to us. We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border by procuring employment for it in the transit countries, while denying it employment in our country. The property owners will come over to our side. Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discretely and circumspectly.”

The Palestine was then under the Ottoman Empire and Herzl, in 1901, met Sultan Abdul Hamid II. He offered Jewish assistance and £150 million for Jewish settlement. He said: “If His Majesty the Sultan were to give us Palestine… we should there form a portion of a rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilisation as opposed to barbarism.” But the Sultan refused.

However, the Ottoman Empire was in decline and Britain, the new emergent power, offered the Zionist Federation, Palestinian lands. In a November 2, 1917 letter, then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour, wrote: “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

Armed conflicts ensued between the new settlers and indigenous peoples. In 1948, the former won the first war, seized 77.9 per cent of the lands and expelled the indigenes. Following another victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, the Israelis seized East Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank and Syria’s Golan Heights.

A two-state solution agreed under the 1993 Oslo Accords have now been rejected by Israel which wants the entire Palestine with an eye on Lebanon and Syria, and possibly Jordan.

A crew of DStv sports journalists traveling to cover the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, were attacked and kidnapped.

The Anambra State Police Command confirmed that six of the crew members have been rescued.

According to a statement from the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the media crew was abducted along the Isseke-Orlu Road in Ihiala Local Government Area while they were traveling from Lagos to Uyo.

Joint security forces launched a rescue operation following the incident, which led to the safe recovery of six kidnapped journalists.

“Joint security forces have successfully rescued six members of the media crew who were abducted while traveling from Lagos to Uyo along Isseke-Orlu Road in Ihiala,” Ikenga said as quoted by Sahara Reporters.

The police spokesperson added, “Meanwhile, operations are still ongoing for the possible rescue of the seventh crew member. Further development shall be communicated.”

Meanwhile, a prominent journalist and former staff of the broadcast station, Colin Udoh confirmed that one of the crew members is dead.

He tweeted, “A journalist, one of my former SuperSport colleagues, was killed yesterday when members of the production crew for Friday’s game against Libya were kidnapped on their way to Uyo. Some of the crew have been freed, while at least 2 others are still unaccounted for.”

Vanguard News

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the inspection of election materials used in the Edo governorship election indefinitely.

The postponement was sequel to a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the commission’s secretariat in the state.

The electoral commission initially fixed the inspection for Wednesday after the PDP alleged it was prevented from inspecting the materials on Monday.

Thereafter, INEC fixed Thursday for the inspection following an objection by the APC.

The party alleged that the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) were brought to INEC’s secretariat in vehicles owned by the Edo government, adding that it did not get enough notice before the inspection was to commence on Wednesday.

Goodluck Osaretin, one of the representatives of the PDP, described APC’s objection as “desperation to prevent us from inspecting the BVAS machines”.

“We are not surprised by what is happening,” Osaretin said.

Gunshots could be heard and that forced INEC to postpone the inspection of election materials indefinitely.

Inspecting the election materials is a prerequisite for the PDP to file its case at the Edo governorship election tribunal.

Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the PDP, is challenging the victory of Monday Okpebholo, Edo governor-elect.

[TheCable]

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No:CA/PH/307/2024 against the Party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.

Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.

In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary

The Federal Government is exploring gas reticulation systems for urban buildings in Nigeria and has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) to develop a policy for safe and efficient gas distribution.

Gas reticulation involves a network of pipes supplying gas directly to buildings, a practice common in developed countries for efficient energy delivery.

This initiative, led by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, aims to improve urban gas distribution with a focus on energy efficiency and safety.

The TWG, a collaboration between the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), was inaugurated by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amb. Nicholas Ella.

Amb. Ella highlighted that a key tool in achieving such cities is adherence to the National Building Code, which provides guidelines for building design, construction, and post-construction stages.

“Most modern cities in developed countries have evolved to energy smart cities where energy, specifically gas and other utilities are piped to districts and estates. 

“However, one of the key tools in creating energy smart city is the National Building 
Code which, in essence, sets the guidelines on Building Pre-design, designs, construction and post-construction stages,” he said.

He outlined the benefits of reticulated gas systems, noting that they allow for metered gas supply, similar to water and electricity services, eliminating the need for frequent manual refills.

Additionally, he explained that these systems enhance safety by using buried pipes and advanced safety equipment.

More insight 

The TWG is responsible for designing a comprehensive policy to establish best practices for gas distribution using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Piped Natural Gas (PNG), and Bio-Gas in Nigeria’s building sector.

• Its tasks include reviewing the National Building Code, assessing global standards, and recommending quality standards for materials used in gas installations.

• Amb. Ella stressed the importance of rigorous safety protocols and urged the group to consider environmental sustainability in their recommendations.

• The TWG is expected to submit its report by November 15.

• Mr. Samson Opaliwah, Chairman of CORBON, assured the council’s commitment to collaborating with the TWG.

• He highlighted CORBON’s expertise in ensuring the safe integration of gas infrastructure into buildings and estates across Nigeria. He emphasized that their efforts would result in standardized guidelines for safe and effective gas systems, supported by a skilled workforce.

• This initiative aims to address gaps in Nigeria’s gas supply chain, ensuring a reliable and safe gas supply to urban areas.

The Federal Government hopes that by resolving issues associated with manual refills and inefficient distribution, the quality of life for residents will improve, supporting broader economic growth.

[Nairametrics]

Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad, Enugu State Police Command, have arrested one Dr. Emmanuel Chimaobi Ugwumba of Ezimo-Agu, Udenu Local Government Area of the state for his alleged involvement in child trafficking.

A statement by the spokesman of the Command, Daniel Ndukwe disclosed that the arrested suspect has been arraigned in court and remanded in a Nigerian Correctional Centre, pending further hearing.

Ndukwe explained that the doctor’s arrest followed the interception of a public notice on an abandoned child he made and endorsed in the name of the Enugu State Ministry of Gender and Social Development as the Director of OTZ.

Ndukwe averred that upon the arrest of the suspect, he was found to be involved in child trafficking, with one pregnant woman, the four-year-old publicised child and another two-year-old child, both female, being rescued.

He added that investigation revealed that the suspect, who claimed to be a graduate of medicine and surgery from the University of Jos, owns and manages Chima Hospital and Maternity located at Ugbaike Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.

Ndukwe stated that further investigation revealed that between 2017 and 2024, the doctor conspired with an acclaimed staff of the Ministry and others at large to conduct anti-natal care and delivery of seven yet-to-be traced children from different mothers in the hospital.

“The suspect was also found to be in unauthorised possession of different documents from the Ministry of Gender Affairs and unverified pest/vector certificates from the Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources,” he stated.