President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

Professor Usman is a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence -- the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan.

He is also well-grounded in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Board, and successfully superintended the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country.

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

The President expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, and utmost fidelity to the nation.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new management team for the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).

The new members of the management of the company are as follows:

(1) Engineer Jennifer Adighije -- Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

(2) Engineer Abdullahi Kassim -- Executive Director (Generation)

(3) Engineer Bello Babayo Bello -- Executive Director (Networks)

(4) Mr. Emmmanuel Umeoji -- Executive Director (Corporate Services)

(5) Mr. Omololu Agoro -- Executive Director (Finance & Accounts)

(6) Engineer Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama -- Executive Director (Strategy & Commercial) 

(7) Barrister Steven Andzenge -- Executive Director (Legal Services)

The new NDPHC Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Jennifer Adighije, is an experienced engineer with vast competencies across management functions in the private and public sectors. 

She holds a master's degree in Wireless Networks & Telecommunications from Queen Mary University of London, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

The President expects the new members of the management of the company to deploy their expertise and experience to drive NDPHC's mandate of effectively managing the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP). 

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Sometime in March 2018, Senator Shehu Sani, from Kaduna State and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, blew the whistle over the jumbo salaries and allowances of federal legislators in Nigeria. Senator Shehu Sani had, in an interview with the News Magazine, on the 8th of March 2018 revealed that “each senator receives N13.5 million monthly as running cost in addition to over N750,000.00 monthly consolidated salary and allowances”.

The disclosure led to the institution of Suit No FHC/L/CS/790/2018- Monday Ubani v The Senate & Ors at the Federal High Court where the plaintiff challenged the constitutional validity of the humongous salaries and allowances of the legislators. Two NGOS, the Socioeconomic and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Enough is Enough (EIE) filed similar suits in the same court where they prayed for the annulment of the total package of N14 million per month for a Nigerian Senator. Both Chambers of the National Assembly mounted a vigorous defence of the salaries and allowances fixed for the legislators by themselves.

In a landmark judgment delivered on June 4, 2021 in the consolidated suits, the trial judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor declared that the the Senate, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly service Commission “have no power, close or semblance of power and cannot determine, direct, command and/or instruct the 2nd defendant (RMAFC)) or any person howsoever, to make, determine and/or fix the salaries, wages, remuneration, running cost or allowances of the 3rd and 4th defendants.”

Having ruled that the RMAFC (2nd defendant) is the only body responsible for determining the salaries, remuneration and/or allowances of the National assembly or political office holders, the court held that “In line with Section 32 (b)(d) of part 1 of third schedule of the Constitutional of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the 2nd defendant should forthwith downward review and fix the salaries, remuneration or allowances of the 3rd and 4th defendants to reflect the economic realities in the country.

In utter contempt of the orders of the Federal High Court, the current leadership of the National Assembly increased the salaries and allowances of a Senator from N14 million to N21 million per month. This was confirmed last week by a member of the 10th Senate and Senator representing Kano South senatorial district of Kano State on the platform of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila who revealed that he earns approximately N21million monthly in salary and allowances. The lawmaker made this revelation while speaking to BBC Hausa Service.

Apparently embarrassed by Senator Sumaila's disclosure, the National Assembly leadership has said that the N21 million is the "running cost" of each Senator per month. The defence is a careless attempt to pull wool over the eyes of Nigerians. It is pertinent to point out that the running cost of parliament is the total money spent regularly to make the organization working.

In the 2024 Appropriation Act, the National Assembly appropriated N370 billion on running costs and contingency for the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2024 Appropriation Act. The breakdown of the running costs, contingency, etc are as follows:

i. N36.7 billion for the National Assembly Office;
ii. N49 billion for the Senate;
iii. N79 billion for the House of Representatives;
iv. N12.3billion for the National Assembly Service Commission and
v N20.3 billion for Legislative Aides.

In addition, the sum of N70 billion was approved for the "working conditions" while N57 billion was spent on buying SUVs for the members of the National Assembly at N160 million per member. The constituency projects of each senatorial district will gulp N500 million while those of the Senate President will attract N4 billion.

However, there is no provision whatsoever for monthly payment of N21 million running costs to every Senator in the 2024 Appropriation Act. To that extent, the payment is illegal. Furthermore, since the running cost was not fixed by the Revenue, Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, it is unconstitutional and contemptuous of the valid and subsisting order of the Federal High Court.

The lawmakers should comply with the law of the land. Otherwise, we shall soon embark on contempt proceedings
as the legislators are not above the law of the land.

Having just enacted the Minimum Wage Act that stipulates N70,000
for workers, the jumbo emolument of N21 million for federal legislators will compound the crisis of inequality in the country.

Femi Falana SAN,
The Chair,
Alliance on Surviving COVID-19
and Beyond (ASCAB),

The $8.2bn Paris Olympics were an exuberant celebration of the spirit of sports.

The stunning opening ceremony along the river Seine saw Aya Nakamura, the sumptuous Malian-French singer influenced by Afrobeats and Caribbean zouk — who had been widely vilified by racist Gallic politicians and talking heads before the Games as not really being “French” — steal the show with a glittering performance, spoilt only by a French military band prancing around her.

The real significance of these Games was the way they exposed the role the Black Atlantic — the citizens of the European-led transatlantic slave trade between the 15th and 19th centuries — has played in shaping global culture through migration. Africa and its global diaspora in the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe dominated these Olympics, as they have previous Games.

These global Africans are true symbols of the globalisation of cultural identities. Athletics is the jewel in the Olympic crown, and citizens of the Black Atlantic triumphed in much of the track and field competition. Global Africans helped the US, Britain, Jamaica and Canada finish in the top seven nations in athletics, while Kenya took second place. The US finally ended Jamaica’s 16-year dominance of the sprints.

African-American sprinter Noah Lyles won the closest Olympic 100m final, before seeking in his bronze-winning 200m race to steal the thunder of Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo — who became the first African to win a sprint gold, in a continental record — by dramatically announcing that he had Covid-19.

It was an emotional victory for the humble Tebogo, who dedicated the victory to his recently deceased mother: the pillar behind much of his success. Lyles learnt the hard way that it takes more than trash-talking to enter into the pantheon of global African Olympians such as Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who each won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin and 1984 Los Angeles games.

Three Afro-Cubans — Jordan DÍaz Fortun (Spain), Pedro Pichardo (Portugal), and Andy DÍaz Hernández (Italy) — swept the triple jump medals. Jamaican discus-thrower Roke Stona won gold in an Olympic record. Ugandan 10,000m runner Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopian marathoner Tamirat Tola broke the Olympic record, as did the African-American 4 x 400m quartet, with Rai Benjamin (400m hurdles) and Quincy Hall (400m) also bagging individual golds. Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi stormed to victory in the 800m. African-American three-time 110m hurdles world champion Grant Holloway finally won Olympic gold.

Outstanding performances among the women included Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon’s historic third consecutive Olympic gold in the 1,500m (a new games record), adding a silver in the 5,000m behind Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, with Ethiopian-Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan — who later broke the Olympic marathon record in clinching gold — winning bronze. Senegalese-Belgian heptathlete Nafissatou Thiam similarly won three consecutive Olympic golds.

African American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own 400m hurdles world record, and 100m sprinter Julien Alfred (St Lucia), 400m runner Marieldy Paulino (Dominican Republic) and triple-jumper Thea LaFond (Dominica) all won their small Caribbean islands’ first gold medals. Harvard-educated Jamaican-American biologist Gabby Thomas won gold in the 200m, as well as in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. Kenyan-born Bahraini 3,000m steeplechaser Winfred Yavi won gold in an Olympic record. Nigerian-German shot-putter Yemisi Ogunleye won gold on her last throw.

Elsewhere, this was the Games in which African-American Simone Biles — among the greatest Olympic gymnasts with seven gold medals — achieved redemption. After having had to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics with a very public mental breakdown, she won three golds and one silver in Paris. Algerian Kaylia Nemour won Africa’s first Olympic gymnastics gold. SA’s Tatjana Smith won a swimming gold. The US’s men and women “Dream Teams” predictably swept the basketball, with LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant memorably rolling back the years.

• Adebajo is professor and senior research fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship.

Story highlights 

• The deregulation of meter pricing has led to a significant increase in meter costs, with some three-phase meters now selling almost at N250,000.
• This has raised concerns not only about availability but also affordability, especially for consumers still subjected to estimated billing.
• While energy experts agree that this move may help address the metering gap in the country, they caution that it does little to tackle the broader challenges posed by high inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) move to deregulate Meter Asset Providers (MAP) was hailed as the much-needed solution to the country’s persistent metering gap crisis.

However, this silver bullet has come with a price, and not just figuratively. The soaring cost of prepaid meters has added a new layer of burden for the average Nigerian household, making the dream of escaping the trap of estimated billing feel like an increasingly distant hope.

For millions of Nigerians, the sharp rise in metering costs from about N80,000 to over N200,000 in just one year has become as burdensome as the problem it was meant to solve: eliminating estimated billing.

Four months ago, NERC introduced a promising policy to deregulate both meter prices and providers, embracing a willing-buyer, willing-seller system aimed at opening up the market. This move was intended to empower customers, allowing them to obtain meters from any approved vendor without relying on the DisCos.

While this policy appeared commendable on paper, it has brought new challenges.

The most pressing of these is the increase in meter prices, exacerbated by the prevailing economic conditions and rising inflation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of customers on estimated billing has surged from 5.83 million in Q4 2023 to 6.43 million in Q1 2024, marking a significant 10% rise.

These figures represent millions of households striving to escape the cycle of overbilling and other abuses by their distribution companies, only to find that the path to obtaining a prepaid meter has become even more difficult.

Latest Meter Prices  

Following the announcement by NERC, DisCos and their meter providers partners have declared new meter prices, pointing to the deregulation policy and ailing economic conditions.

None of the new prices is below N100,000, a very sharp increase from the former price announced by NERC in September 2023.

According to the new prices by DisCos, the cost of a single phase meter rose from N81,975 to about N125,000, depending on the DisCo and the vendor the customer is purchasing from.

Different DisCos announced different prices from N120,00 for a single-phase meter to about N240,00 for a three-phase meter, a sharp increase that has made struggling Nigerians question their choices in obtaining meter and estimated billing.

The average prices announced by distribution companies across the country are as follows.

Abuja DisCo:  

Single Phase Meter — Between N105,000 to  N131,000

Three Phase Meter — N198,000 to N220,000

Kaduna DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N132,000

Three Phase Meter — Between N206,000 to N215,000

Ikeja DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N125,000

Three Phase Meter — N213,000 to N225,000

Eko DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N117,000 to N135,000

Three Phase Meter — Between 145,000 to N247,000

This increase in price is true for all the eleven DisCos across the country.

How Nigerians are responding to the new meter prices 

For Nigerians already grappling with soaring inflation, skyrocketing living costs, and the recent hike in electricity tariffs for Band A customers, the sharp increase in meter prices feels like an added weight to their already overwhelming burdens.

Beyond the persistent challenge of availability, there’s a pressing concern about the purchasing power of consumers—many of whom are struggling to make ends meet in today’s harsh economic climate.

A lingering question is the stability of these meter prices, especially with the deregulation of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

Ifeoma Ugbe, a Lagos-based energy expert, said NERC typically announces price hikes at regular intervals, sometimes within a year. But with deregulation, the situation becomes even more uncertain.

“Deregulation means prices will fluctuate based on market realities, so we can’t expect them to stay the same for long,” she said. 

For customers who spoke to Nairametrics, the recent price increase has been met with frustration and concern.

Mr. Adetunji, a resident of Isolo, Lagos, expressed his disappointment, explaining that his household had been attempting to secure a prepaid meter for over a year before the price hike. “Now, we have to pay the new price. We don’t have a choice. And it’s not even as if the meter is readily available,” he lamented.

Usman Johnson, a landlord in Wuse, Abuja, shared a similar sentiment, noting that the increased cost of meters would only discourage customers like himself from obtaining one.

“Where do they expect us to find the money? First, you have to wait endlessly to get the meter, and now we’re expected to pay more. It feels like this government just enjoys raising prices on everything—tariffs have gone up, everything has gone up. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the common man,” Johnson said. 

In Maryland, along Ikorodu Road, Mrs. Elizabeth Okiro, a store owner, shared her experience. She and other shop owners had been pooling funds to purchase five meters from their distribution company, only to discover that prices had increased significantly.

“Imagine spending over N1 million just to buy meters in this tough economy. We decided we’ll have to wait because after paying, you still have to cover installation costs. The economy is simply harsh. Our landlord eventually advised us to stop contributing—the cost is just too high,” Okiro explained.  

Her store is one of about 20 in the plaza, meaning most tenants are forced to remain on estimated billing.

Deregulation of MAP won’t ease the burden of the Masses  

Energy expert Ifeoma Ugbe argues that deregulating the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme alone may fall short of solving the challenges in the power sector.

“While the government aims to bring in more liquidity and investment, it is crucial that this is done with the interest of the masses in mind,” she says.  

Ugbe emphasized that for any reform to truly benefit the public, it must strike a balance between attracting investors and ensuring affordability for everyday consumers.

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has set an ambitious target: to eliminate estimated billing by the end of the year.

But this goal appears increasingly out of reach. Recent data from Q1 2024 indicates that estimated billing rose by 10%, affecting over six million households.

The federal government plans to address this with the move to purchase 3.5 million meters this year to bridge the metering gap.

However, with around seven million customers still unmetered, significant challenges remain.

This has raised concerns that the government may resort to tariff hikes and a stronger emphasis on cost-reflective pricing.

Lawyer and energy expert Nonso Ikechukwu warns that such a strategy could place a further strain on consumers. “For most Nigerians, higher tariffs are simply unaffordable,” Ikechukwu states. 

He also highlights that rising inflation and currency instability will likely push meter prices even higher, potentially undermining the government’s plans.

“If meter prices continue to climb, it’s hard to see how this policy will succeed,” Ikechukwu adds, questioning whether the measures will actually ease the burden on ordinary citizens.

 [Nairametrics]

There was no approval by the National Assembly before the procurement of the new presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Daily Trust’s findings have revealed.

Late in June, an online news platform reported that the Nigerian government had acquired an Airbus A330 aircraft from a German bank.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the German bank had seized the aircraft from an unnamed Arabian prince and businessman, who reportedly failed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars he owed the bank.

Officials of the Presidency, according to the online news platform, had “kept their lips shut” about the planned purchase of a new aircraft for the Presidential Air Fleet.

And since then, there has not been any official statement from the Presidency on the matter.

The actual cost of the aircraft is yet to be ascertained. A report earlier by Premium Times had said it was learnt that government was negotiating to acquire it for $100 million.l, but said it could not establish th actual price it was procured.

Speaking on the matter during a plenary session of the upper legislative chamber, however, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the request for purchase of the craft had not been tabled before the parliament, but that once done, members would consider and approve it.

“We care about the president and we care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people”, Akpabio had said then, in respect of the bid to acquire the presidential aircraft.

Akpabio, who alleged that the National Assembly was being “blackmailed” over the matter, said: “But I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the vice president of Malawi as a result of a defective plane, and then the death of the president of Iran as a result of defective aircraft; we shouldn’t ever sit and allow such to be at the ocean. It wouldn’t be.

“The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.

“Irrespective of anticipatory blackmail, because those people know very well that something like that might come in the future; and if it’s a necessity, the Senate will look into it.

“But there is nothing like that before us now”, he said pointedly.

Nothing was heard about the matter until the recent controversy broke about the seizure of three Nigerian aircraft by a Chinese firm, acting on an order of a French court.

The French court had ordered the seizure of the three jets amid a long-standing dispute between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and the Ogun State government, over a massive industrial park that was to be developed to attract investors.

The planes were said to be undergoing  “routine maintenance” at the time of the seizure.

Meanwhile, the Chinese firm said on Friday that it had released, “as a gesture of goodwill”, the Airbus A330 for President Tinubu to travel for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

It was not immediately clear whether it was the same aircraft President Tinubu would use for his trip to France today.

A presidential spokesperson yesterday confirmed to Daily Trust that the new aircraft was purchased for the president.

“That is settled. Something that is now released (referring to the seized aircraft Airbus A330). If it was not purchased, how could it be withheld by the Chinese company? There’s no controversy around it. Almost everything has been concluded and it was out in the media”, the aide who declined to be named said.

On whether an approval was obtained from the National Assembly before the procurement of the presidential jet, the spokesperson said, “There was a story that the National Assembly directed that the aircraft should be procured for the President. There are a number of windows to the National Assembly.”

The government official also hinted that the aircraft could have been purchased under the Service Wide Vote, which he said, may not require the parliament’s assent.

Our National Assembly correspondents found that though the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence led by Satomi Ahmed had, earlier in June, recommended a new aircraft be procured for the president, the lawmakers did not approve it before they proceeded on their annual recess on July 23.

No approval request from the president for the procurement of a new presidential was considered on the floors of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives had, on July 23, passed the supplementary bill which sought to raise the 2024 Appropriation Act from N28.7 trillion to N35.06 trillion.

The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, who presented the harmonised joint Senate and House report on the budget, had said, “As you can see, we have passed the N6.2 trillion budget of Mr President, the budget of Renewed Nope.

“N3.2 trillion is for capital expenditure; while about N3 trillion will go to the current. And as I said last time, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a critical road infrastructure that Mr President wants to actualise.”

We’re not aware of approval for new presidential jet – Lawmakers 

Some lawmakers, who spoke to our reporters on condition of anonymity yesterday, said the National Assembly neither considered nor approved any request for the procurement of a presidential jet before proceeding on recess.

A credible source in the Senate said: “At no time was deal discussed at the plenary meeting. It was not tabled. But then, there is the probability that the president had sent the letter.”

Another source also said he was not aware of any approval by the Senate for the purchase of a new presidential jet.

“The last time we heard something about the new aircraft was when the Senate president, Akpabio, said no communication about it yet from the Villa, but that the National Assembly would not hesitate to approve it.

“I read it in the media that the aircraft had been purchased, and as I speak with you, no one has denied that the deal was sealed,” he said.

A member of the House of Representatives also told Daily Trust yesterday that no correspondence from the president was presented to them about the purchase of a new aircraft for the president.

He said: “We’ve not seen anything in the main budget or the supplementary budget about the purchase of a new presidential aircraft. Another thing is that, there is no detail of the supplementary budget passed. So, we don’t know whether it is in the 2024 supplementary budget because we have not been availed with the detailed breakdown. It was presented as a lump sum.

“We don’t know about the purchase of the aircraft because it was not presented to us and we have not seen any details about it. So, we cannot say anything. So, I won’t have any comments until I see the details”.

It can’t be true – NSA’s spokesman

When contacted on telephone last night, the spokesman of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, told one of our reporters that it could not be true that the new presidential plane was purchased without an approval of the National Assembly.

“It cannot be true. This is the time I am hearing this whether in government or outside government,” he said.

Later in a telephone call to Daily Trust, Mijinyawa said he was informed by someone “within the system” that the purchase by captured in the Service Wide Vote.

Presidency, Defence ministry, Senate, Reps mum

The Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Bashir Lado, did not respond to WhatsApp and text messages seeking his comment. His phone line was busy several times one of our reporters called yesterday.

The chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu and Honourable Akin Rotimi respectively were contacted yesterday by Daily Trust via phone calls and text messages to confirm whether or not the purchase of the new presidential jet was authorized by the legislature, but they did not oblige.

In the same vein, the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and Honourable Abubakar Bichi respectively, neither answered phone calls nor replied to messages sent to their mobile lines telephone mobile line for enquiries.

Several calls and a text message to Mati Ali, the media aide to the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, were also not answered.

[DailyTrust]

The family of one Mr Okechukwu Ani, Onungeneoma Ugbuawka in Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State has accused the Police in Enugu State of shielding some suspects allegedly involved in child trafficking.

In a petition dated August 5, 2024, addressed to the Inspector General of Police through their lawyer, Samuel Abazie, the family accused the Enugu State Police Command of releasing the suspects allegedly linked to the abduction and selling of their child.

According to the lawyer, “It is the case of our client that his son, Master Godwin Ani, was kidnapped by Mr. Peter Chiadikaobi Igiri, who is currently awaiting trial at the Enugu Custodial Centre of the Nigeria Correctional Services (the prisons).

”During investigations, Mr. Peter Chiadikaobi Igiri confessed that he soId Master Godwin Ani to Mrs. Caroline C. Ani who in turn sold the child to an unknown person.

“According to our client, Mrs. Caroline C. Ani was released on bail upon arraignment mainly because there was no evidence linking her to the crime since she denied not to have any dealings with Mr. Peter Chiadikaobi Igiri who is linking her to the crime and also because of how highly connected she is.

“However, during the course of interrogations, it was discovered that Mr. Peter Chiadikaobi Igiri has maintained a business relationship as a kidnapping and child trafficking syndicate with Mrs. Caroline C. Ani, who together have successively sold countless children.

“After the release of Mrs. Caroline C. Ani on bail, investigations revealed that Mr. Chiadikaobi Igiri,within the same time he kidnapped and sold Master Godwin Ani, also dispossessed his own wife of their three Children (Two female and one male) and sold them together with Master Godwin Ani to Mrs, Caroline Ani who in conjunction with Mrs. Chinelo Nwosu who resides and works at the University Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt and Mrs. Ebere Ani, as it is usual with their business,sold the children to yet-to-be-identified traffickers.”

“Further during investigations, it was discovered that one Mrs. Chibuzo Iheoma Okereke,who is a nurse at the Nursing Unit of the University Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt, paid the sum of N850,000 (Eight hundred and fifty thousand) naira only, to the account of Mrs. Caroline Ani as payment for selling the youngest baby (3 months) of the kidnapped children to her. The said money was discovered in the statement of account of Mrs. Caroline C. Ani which is with the Police.

“The said 3 months baby, whose name is Chimsidili Igiri the last born of Peter Igiri,was recovered from Mrs. Chibuzo Iheoma Okereke at University Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt, and the latter has confessed to buying the child from Mrs. Caraline Ani. She (Chibuzo Iheoma Okereke) was also arrested with Mrs. Chinelo Nwosu, the daughter of Mrs. Caroline Ani and who acts as liaison between Mrs.Caroline and her prospective buyers from Port Harcourt,” he further alleged.

The lawyer told the IGP that notwithstanding the alleged gamut of evidence linking Mrs Caroline C. Ani to the crime, the police in Enugu State “refused to re-arrest Mrs. Caroline C. Ani, and Mrs. Ebere Ani, her daughter in-law, who was identified by Mrs. Chibuzo Iheoma Okereke to have transported the kidnapped children, including the son of our client, Master Godwin Ani, from Enugu to Port Harcourt.

“Regrettably, it turns out that Mrs. Caroline C. Ani who sold master Godwin Ani is equally a person of means and notable amongst the nobles in Enugu State.”

He said it would be against public policy and may engender public displeasure should Mrs. Caroline C. Ani and Mrs. Ebere Ani be allowed to go scot-free.

The family urged the IGP to order the immediate re-arrrest of the said suspects “based on the new evidence against them in the docket and knowledge of the police.”

Meanwhile, DAILY POST reached out to the Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe for reaction.

He asked: “Who’s the petition written to”, with DAILY POST responding “IGP”.

Ndukwe made no further reaction as of the time of filing this report.

[DailyPost]

There were long queues of vehicles yesterday at the few filling stations selling petrol in the commercial city of Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

It is the same situation in many state capitals, cities and towns across the country.

Major roads in Lagos were empty because motorists did not have petrol to move around.

Black market boomed with the scarcity of the product.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) attributed the scarcity of the product to a distribution glitch.

It cautioned against panic buying.

“The NNPC Ltd regrets the tightness in fuel supply witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT, which is as a result of distribution challenges,” Olufemi Soneye, spokesman of the NNPCL said yesterday.

He urged motorists to shun panic buying as it works round the clock with relevant stakeholders to restore normalcy.

He added that the challenge was temporary.

The product sold yesterday for between N840 and N1,000 in many places nationwide.

Lagos:

Fuel queues resurfaced in Lagos as many filling stations ran out of stock, leading to closures and long queues at the stations.

Along Ikorodu Road, many filling stations were not selling.

However, there were long queues at the NNPCL and NIPCO stations at Fadeyi Bus Stop, which sold to commuters.

Along Bank Anthony/Airport Road in Maryland, Total, Northwest, and NNPCL stations were beset by long queues while the Mobil Station at Salami Shaibu in Somolu closed abruptly due to chaotic scenes caused by commercial vehicles.

Illegal fuel hawkers were spotted along Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Gbagada, and Ogba, taking advantage of the situation.

Also, fares paid by commuters along Iyana-Ipaja/ Ikotun rose from N300 to N400. Commuters along Ajao Estate/ Obalende paid N1,000 instead of  N800.

A bus driver, Jimoh Saka, who ply the Onipaanu/Ilaje/ Bariga route, spoke on the struggle to obtain fuel, justifying the fare hike from N200 to N300 for trips from Bariga to Onipaanu.

He said: “The increase in transport costs is not our fault. We sleep at petrol stations just to buy fuel and continue our business. Things are hard, and people should understand it is not our fault.”

Another driver, Gbenga Saliu, expressed frustration over the stress of waiting in long queues, saying: “It’s seriously stressful.”

At the three NNPCL outlets in the Ojodu-Berger axis, only one had a 45,000-litre truck waiting to discharge its content while anxious motorists formed queues at its entrance causing traffic snarls.

The RainOil petrol station sold to motorists, amid the chaotic queue.

From Berger through Alapere to Iyana Oworonshoki, to Anthony on Ikorodu Road, none of the filling stations opened for business. TotalEnergies, ConOil, AP, and Heyden on Ilupeju Bypass, were all closed.

Abuja

Petrol remained scarce in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) yesterday.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) President, Dr. Billy Harry attributed the shortage to a “supply challenge.”

Apart from some NNPCL retail outlets, only a few independent filling stations sold the product.

While NNPCL sold for N617 per litre, some independent marketers sold for between N625 per litre to N996 per litre.

Black marketers sold 10 litres at N1,000 per litre for N11,000 in plastic containers.

Some drivers sacrificed their Sunday worship for petrol sourcing, leaving their homes as early as 6:00am to queue in different stations.

Plateau

Many filling stations in Jos, Plateau State capital, did not open.

Commercial drivers expressed worry over the scarcity, and hiked the price at the few stations dispensing the product

Motorists said they bought the product for N950 per litre at independent oil marketers’ stations and N620 at NNPCL stations in the metropolis.

A commercial driver, Pam John, said he would rather join the queue at the NNPCL station instead of paying over N900 for a litre.

Another motorist, Kateng David, said he parked his car because he could not afford to buy a litre of petrol for over N900.

Along Bauchi Road, a station sold the product for N900; while at A.A. Rano Station, petrol was dispensed at N730.

An independent oil marketer in Jos, who pleaded anonymity, attributed the supply shortage to marketers’  reluctance to bring the product from Lagos because of the possibility of the price crashing when Dangote Refinery begins supplying to the market.

According to him, marketers buy petrol for N900 per litre in Jos and sell for N950 after considering transportation costs.

Black marketers are in brisk business as a gallon of the product is sold for N5,000, while a litre is sold for N1,250.

Akure

Fuel scarcity hit, Akure, the Ondo State capital, with the price rising to between N800 and N900 per litre.

Some major marketers sold for between N600 and 680 per litre. 

Sources said the non-availability of fuel was due to low sales of fuel to independent marketers.

Osun

Due to scarcity in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, a few independent marketers sold for N900 per litre.

Many stations were shut while others sold for between N850 to N900.

There were queues at the NNPC stations in Lameko and Abere areas.

Similarly, there were long queues at NIPCO stations in Ogo-Oluwa, Technical and Lameco areas.

Also, Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ikirun experienced fuel scarcity.

Owerri

As the pump price rose to N950 per litre in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, transport fares rose by 100 per cent.

“This is a nightmare for us drivers,” said Emeka Uzoma, a commercial driver. “Our income hasn’t increased, but fuel prices have doubled. We’re struggling to survive.”

Commuters are also feeling the pinch. “I’m a student, and my transport fare has doubled,” lamented Nneoma Okorie, who added: “This sudden increase will affect my ability to attend classes. The government needs to act fast to address this crisis.”

Transporters appealed to the Federal Government to intervene, while residents fear potential protests and disruptions.

A resident who simply gave his name as Jonathan urged the authorities to address the crisis and regulate prices to ensure affordable transportation.

Rivers

Filling stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State sold a litre for between N890 to N900.

Many of the filling stations were not open, a situation that created some queues in others.

At the popular Ada George Road, only one filling station was open.

Residents complained about the rising cost of fuel and appealed to the government to reduce the price.

A resident, who identified himself as Adulphus, said many filling stations in his area did not open for business.

Katsina

Fuel price jumped to N1,050 in Katsina, leading to increased transport fare

At Dan Manna filling station, a motorcyclist, Abdulkadir Mohammed, said the situation was worse as most passengers now preferred trekking.

He said: “The government must do something about the fuel situation; the people are suffering.’’

Akwa Ibom

Consumers groaned in Akwa Ibom State following the hike in the price to N970 per litre.

The NNPC filling station along Ikot Ekpene Road sold the product at N840 per litre.

Some filling stations have remained closed.

A fuel pump attendant in one of the stations in Uyo, the state capital,  said the proprietor of the station cannot afford to restock the product.

He complained about low patronage as one of the reasons why some filling stations were out of business.

Ekiti

Motorists and commuters in Ekiti State lamented the increase in the pump price, which has been fluctuating at stations across the state.

Most independent petrol stations visited in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, sold petrol for between N850 to N900/litre while major marketers sold for between N650 and 680 per litre.

The situation has forced motorists to jerk up the transportation fare.

A motorist simply identified as Yaro, who plies the Ado Ekiti/ Ilesha route, lamented the situation, saying he purchased fuel at the rate of N850 in a private petrol station in Ado-Ekiti.

Jigawa

Filing stations sold petrol for N950 per litre in Dutse, the state capital, and many towns in the state.

Enugu

In Enugu and its environs, petrol was sold for between N880 and N920 per litre and N1,300 on the black market.

But the product was available in most petrol stations in the Enugu metropolis.

Mobil, Total, among other mega stations sold for between N690 and N760 per litre.

The hike in the pump price of PMS has led to an increase in transport fare by commercial drivers, as those plying Agbani Road / Holy Ghost Roads, who charged N200, increased the fare to N400.

From Obiagu to Ogui Road, passengers who previously paid N100  paid N200 yesterday.

Ogun

Scarcity hit Abeokuta, the state capital, where petrol was sold for between N850 and N900.

Major marketers like MRS near the Grammar School in Oke Igbein area of Abeokuta did not open.

But AP in the Adatan area of Abeokuta sold for N635 while Fatgbems located near the NNPC Mega station area sold for N645.

However, a long queue was observed at the NNPC mega station beside Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta because it was dispensing the product to consumers at N580 per litre.

In Ijebu Ode, BOVAS filling station sold a litre for N665 while others sold for between N850 and N900 per litre.

Anambra

The price of fuel hit N950  in Anambra State at most filling stations.

Black marketers sold a litre for between N1000 and N1,200

The situation led to a hike in transport fares.

One of the commuters who spoke with The Nation Sunday, Stella Achikwu, said a journey from Awka to Achina in Aguata where she used to spend N1,500 now costs between N6,700 and N7,100.

Asaba

Scarcity of petroleum products resurfaced in Asaba and its environs, forcing a spike in pump prices and long queues at many filling stations.

With many filling stations under lock and key, pump price increased to between N815 snxN900 per litre.

Although the NNPC mega station along the Benin- Onitsha Expressway sold at N591 per litre to motorists, there were long queues.

Oyo

In many petrol stations in Ibadan, the Oyo State, capital city and its environs, there was no fuel.

The majority of the stations were under lock and key as the attendants claimed they did not have the product.

The few independent marketers sold at different prices which ranged from N680 to N920 per litre.

The NNPC stations that sold at N580 per litre had long queues.

Edo

Most filling stations in Benin and its environs sold at N880 per litre without any queue.

However, the independent marketers sold at N900 per litre in Benin and its environs.

The product was available at most filling stations, but motorists complained about the high price.

Cross River State

The NNPCL price was N591 naira per litre, while North West Petroleum, an independent private marketer, sold for N650 per litre.

Other marketers sold between N650, N700 and N750. Some sold for N800 and N900.

On the black market, it was sold for between N1,200 to N1,500.

A female Taxi driver and Chairman of the Female Taxi Drivers Association in Cross River, Ms Philomena Ifeoma Asibe, said the solution is to bring back subsidy to stabilise fuel prices.

She said: “Some days, we buy fuel, go out and we cannot make any profit or even get the capital back. The solution is that they should bring back our fuel subsidy. The only way to stabilise fuel price is to return fuel subsidy.”

A taxi driver, Mr Ettah Godson, said: “Fuel is now N900 in my area. I bought fuel for N8000 and the whole day I made N6,000. The government needs to do something.

“The fuel is there, but it is too expensive. We can’t buy much and the passengers won’t accept to pay according to the fuel price.”

Jalingo

Some petrol stations sold the product while others were closed. Fuel was sold for N930 per litre.

Minna

Minna, the capital of Niger State, was not hit by fuel scarcity, although a litre sold for between N780 and N950 at various filling stations.

At Rano and Shafa filling stations,  fuel was sold for N820; at Rainoil, it was sold for N780. Other non-independent marketers sold for between N900 and N950.

Also, NNPC sold a litre for N617, amid long queues.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi, the product sold for between N830 and N850. However, it sold for N900 on the black market.

However, the NNPC filling station along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway sold fuel for N600. There were long queues.

Also, the Total filling station on the old Ogoja Road sold at a cheaper rate.

Sokoto

Most filling stations in the Sokoto metropolis did not sell.

At the independent marketers’ filling stations, commuters paid N1,000 for a litre,

The NNPCL mega station along Kano-Gusau Road sold at N620 per litre amid long queues.

Residents resorted to trekking to their destinations.

Delta

Major marketers sold for N900 per litre at filling stations in Warri, Effurun and its environs.

Some fuel stations reportedly sold petrol for N1,170 in the Uvwie council area.

Despite the high cost, the product was not readily available at fuel stations.

A commercial vehicle operator who claimed to have bought a litre at N1,170 said he had to do so after failing to get fuel at two other stations visited.

Also, a resident of Warri who bought the product at N920 per litre, said most fuel stations in the Warri/Effurun metropolis were selling above N900 per litre.

Abia

Some petrol stations in Abia State sold a litre for between N930 and N960.

Some of the petrol station owners attributed the hike to the cost of purchase and transportation to their dump.

In Aba, Total Energy and the only NNPCL outlet were without products.

Some tricycle operators said the NNPCL outlet on Asa Road, near Cemetery Market, sold for ₦596 per litre.

[TheNation]

The Nigeria Labour Congress has hired forensic experts to comb its national secretariat in Abuja for possible bugs planted by the police, The PUNCH was told.

The union said the forensic security audit would facilitate the return of its workers to their offices following the recent raid by the police.

The PUNCH reported that security agents, on July 7, conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.

According to the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives burst into the building at about 8.30 pm and arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.

Upah said, “The security operatives, some from the Nigeria Police Force, some wearing black tee-shirts, presumably from the Department of State Services, and others on outright mufti, swooped on the 10th Floor of the NLC and arrested the security operative on duty and then commandeered him to the second floor where he was asked to produce the keys to the offices.”

The police took responsibility for the operation, saying it was aimed at uncovering incriminating documents that could help build a case against an international “subversive” figure considered a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Last week, the NLC rejected the explanation offered by the police on the raid and demanded the release of its arrested members and seizes documents.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the National Assistant General Secretary of NLC, Chris Onyeka, said the union had hired foreign experts to comb the office for possible bugs planted by the police.

“The police stormed and raided NLC’s headquarters in the nation’s capital and carted away documents.

“The NLC,  in its National Executive Council meeting, deliberated and agreed that there is a need to conduct a forensic security audit to ensure that the people were safe, and nothing was planted in its headquarters, among other things before they resume back to their offices.

“As a result of this, the NLC has initiated a thorough forensic security audit of the national secretariat. The security checks are being conducted by international experts, who have already begun working to secure the premises against any potential surveillance devices,” Onyeka said.

He insisted that the explanation offered by the police was untenable.

“The NLC met in their National Executive Council meeting and demanded an apology from the Federal Government and the police which has not been offered till now,” he said.

[Punch]

Following the outbreak of violence over what worshippers of a church in Abuja called legalisation of practices alien to christian culture, police from the FCT Command reportedly fired tear gas to disperse Church members on Sunday.

Sources said trouble started at the United Methodist Church, Durumi, when members engaged in a fight over the decision of the parent church, said to be based in America, to impose certain practices which the Abuja Church goers were not confortable with.

“The parent church in the US legalised some practices that are not part of our culture.

“Some elders kicked against it and demanded that the church in Nigeria should pull out, and give the church another name.

“Another set of elders kicked against the move. This created a faction in the church and this fight is the outcome,” a source said.

Some elders of the church are vehemently against imposition, legalising of such practices and calling for a breakup from the parent church.

However, the presiding pastor was said to have kicked against the breskup with the backing of some other elders. Hence a fight ensued, leading to th3 police being invited to quell the violence.

During the service, the pastor had reportedly said he and some elders would head to the court to stop those calling for a break up of the church. He also vowed to ensure the church remains with the parent headquarters.

This led to heated arguments and the church service ending abruptly with fighting between members, and the police were called in.

Police step in

Eyewitnesses disclosed that on arrival at the scene, police operatives made efforts to stop the fight. But when things got out of hand, tear gas had to be fired to disperse the fueding members.

The police later whisked away some elders of the church with a view to conducting investigation

FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Josephin Adeh, confirmed the incident.

She noted that the Command CP, Benneth Igweh invited all the elders of the church to
the Command over the incident.

Vanguard News