Following the present economic hardship in the country, occasioned by the hike in fuel prices and food inflation, Nigerians have devised ingenious means to survive. The hardship has driven many to do the unimaginable just to survive such as feeding on animal feeds.

Some residents have resorted to selling personal belongings to weather the crisis while some have even taken to urban farming.

Many car owners have also abandoned their cars at home and make use of commercial motorcycles tricycles and other means of public transportation to their respective destinations while others have taken to trekking some distances because of the hike in transport fares.

PLATEAU: Resort to animal feeds to stay alive

In Plateau state, many women in Jos have now resorted to animal feeds to stay alive. A resident, Mrs Gladys Tonggang said, “I was heartbroken when I heard of a pregnant mother of four feeding her children with maize chaffs, which is called dusa in local language. Animals are fed with dusa and this is what this woman was feeding her children with after grinding it and making food with it”.

This development was confirmed by a seller of dusa who said the price of the commodity had increased by N500 as many women had been patronising her which they grind and make into two.

A mechanic, Monday Adetola said that in the last six to seven months, his client base had greatly reduced because of the hardship in the country. He said, “I have been calling my clients to know why they don’t come again but they complained about the economic hardship. If they don’t drive the cars, how will they come for regular maintenance? When the price of petrol keeps going higher, many people will park their vehicles and that means less work for us”.

Murtala Musa, a tailor, said he closed his shop and has started selling noodles and eggs because he no longer had customers.

To Mary Friday, “In the past, I was particular about what I eat and how I eat it due to ill-health. But right now, I am unable to afford the kind of food I should eat while I eat what I see now which is giving me concerns because I don’t want my condition to get worse. The suffering is too much, how do we survive? Nobody will go through these and remain sane.”

EKITI: Skipping meals, relying on less nutritious alternatives

In Ekiti State, a civil servant, Deji Ilori noted that it has become increasingly difficult for him to provide staple foods for his family, forcing them to skip meals and rely on less nutritious alternatives.

He said, “fuel is now N1,000 per liter, I can’t imagine when last I drove my car to the office. Before now, when fuel was being sold for N585 per liter at NNPC, I spent an average of N30,000 per week on fuel and we are yet to enjoy the new minimum wage. Even at that, whatever gain is coming with the minimum wage has already been eroded with the new pump price of petroleum. My family and I can no longer eat what we want. We have to prioritize what is most essential. Everything is just getting more difficult with the rise in fuel and commodity prices,” he said.

Uwamba Favour, a small business owner, described how she has been caught in a vicious cycle of increasing expenses and dwindling profits. This unfortunate development has forced her to stop taking orders and, at times, she would sell products at the purchase price to avoid losses.
“Imagine buying something for N5,000 and having to sell it at the same price just to make people buy it so that the product doesn’t go unsold. It got to a point where I was tempted to sell below the amount I bought it, but I pray it doesn’t come to that, which has led me to stop taking some orders,” she explained.

Ganiyat Olanrewaju, a staple food seller, reported experiencing a sharp drop in sales as customers, overwhelmed by the cost of fuel and food, have cut back on their purchases. She noted that many who once bought in bulk were now purchasing in smaller quantities or not at all, forcing her to adjust her operations to avoid losses.

OSUN: Going on the streets to beg for food

Following the hardship in the country, some women in Osogbo, Osun State capital have resorted to begging to feed their families. More well-dressed women now thronged the streets of the state capital and other towns to beg for money to buy food while others put pride aside and approached neighbours for help.

A mother of two who identified herself as Taiwo, while narrating her ordeal said, “Since the beginning of this year, my husband who is a driver has been finding it difficult to make ends meet. My husband sleeps at filling stations in the hope of getting fuel for regular transportation business. On those occasions I had to go to our neighbours to get food stuff to feed our two children. Sometimes I got garri while on other occasions I got tubers of yams or rice. The situation is actually hopeless for us”.

Also, Usman Faruk, a student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife described the present economic situation as excruciating, saying his parents could not afford to pay his school fees now, much less provide for his needs as an undergraduate. “Living has been very difficult as a student, I work as a labourer at various sites here in Ile-Ife to make ends meet and the money I made from the sites is not even enough to buy food to survive on campus. Since last year, I have not travelled to Kwara State where I am based because of the cost of transportation”, he added.

AKWA IBOM: Resort to public transportation

In Akwa Ibom State, many public servants have parked their vehicles and resorted to using public transport to work. Even commercial tricycle (Keke Napep), taxi and mini- buses operators appear to be the worst hit following low passenger patronage.

Lamenting the sad turn of event, an Estate Surveyor, Madam Chinyere Ndon said: “The high cost of fuel has made prices of every other thing to skyrocket. Feeding is difficult and these days you see people looking emaciated because of hunger. One of the strategies I have adopted to survive is restricting my movement. As a public servant I only go to work twice or thrice in a week. And I have resorted to using public transport instead of driving my car to places. I only drive my car when there is something urgent and necessary, and when going to church on Sundays. For me, it is not economical driving considering the high cost of fuel. The whole situation is saddening, we are suffering”

Also a tricycle operator, who identified himself as Mr Odudu Umoh noted that both the scarcity and high cost of fuel have made transportation business in Akwa Ibom unprofitable. “This increased price of petrol is really killing transportation business in Akwa Ibom. Sometimes you buy petrol worth N5000, it won’t last two hours and you won’t even be able to make any profit because the roads and streets are empty. So, it is that bad now,” Umoh said.

A civil servant, who identified himself as Anietie Emah said, “In order to cope, I have now adjusted my schedule. Before now I used my vehicle to go everywhere but now I use public transport. I don’t drive to work again, I use my vehicle only once or twice in a week, especially on Sundays. There’s a food shortage, so I have decided to cut my coat according to my size.”

CROSS RIVER: Taking to farming, selling personal items

In Cross River, it was the same story as many residents have taken to farming to survive the hardship.

While some took to selling off personal household items, to meet the high cost of living, others who in the past would not touch anything that has to do with the farm with a six-foot pole are now neck deep in it. Many including civil servants trooped out to the outskirts of the towns like Ugep, Ogoja and Ikom among others where there are empty plots of land to farm even on work days. They mainly grow cassava, vegetables, yams, cucumber and okra which they sell by the roadside, and also use some to feed their families. Those who cannot go outside the city owing to high cost of transportation have resorted to using every available space within their homes such as car parks and veranda to grow crops or even breed chickens.

Mr Genesis, a staff of the state broadcasting service who has turned his entire apartment and immediate surroundings to a farm said he was not doing it for fun but for self sustenance. “I grow these things to sustain myself. Much of my salary goes to settle debts, so I have to use the available space around my residence to plant crops. The essence of getting money is to buy food ,so if I get some of the crops from my vicinity to sustain me, so be it” He planted water leaf on the steps leading to his apartment, while he planted pumpkin, okra, and sweet potatoes on the other side of his sitting room, while at the backyard, he has sugarcane, pawpaw and guava trees. “In my car park, I grow yams in used cement bags, while in my kitchen I have a cage for rabbits, so, I can make meals for myself for several days without going to the market so long as I have palm oil and salt,” he said

Another resident, Margaret Ogen, a school teacher said she breeds chickens in her kitchen and living room. “I have about ten chickens presently. Every three months I sell them after killing one or two for my family, I make good money from the sale”.

Agnes Ogbu, a housewife said she travels twenty kilometres three times a week to Odupkani to farm cassava. She said, “Last year I usually paid N500 as transport fare to the farm and five hundred naira back but now I spend N2000 to and fro. It still makes sense to me since the cost of garri is high now. I sell some garri and some we consume from the cassava I planted. I harvest every three months.”

Others who are not farming have taken to selling petty items. Every available spot within the city is occupied by street traders selling all sorts of items while point of sales, POS machines are everywhere. In one premises, one could find up to three POS operators jostling for the few customers around.

Maryjane, a graduate of Economics from the University of Calabar who sells vegetables on a table placed in front of her apartment told Saturday Vanguard that she makes profits to meet her needs.

According to her, “I get the vegetables from Marian market every morning except Sundays. I wash, place them here on this table and I slice the quantity every one that comes needs and from about 8.00am to 7.pm, I have customers patronising me. From here, I can beat the hardship since there has been no job in the past three years”.

OGUN: Resort to trekking

In Ogun, a resident of Abeokuta, the state capital, who identified himself as Mr Bolade Adeniyi said “as a taxi driver, I work in the morning when people are going to offices and markets. This is always between 7am and 10am, after which I will park my taxi, till around 4pm, when those who went to offices and markets will be returning home. But while at home, I have started farming in my backyard. I planted vegetables and peppers to augment my income.

On his part, a civil servant, Mr. Olorode Akinlabi said he has turned his car to a commercial vehicle, shuttling inter and intra-city routes. He said, after the close of work, he normally used his car as a shuttle. I make at least N5,000. This has gone a long way at meeting my financial responsibilities at home.

Mrs Anike Kalejaye, on her part, said she has resorted to trekking. She said, “Now that transport fare has gone up astronomically, I always trek anywhere I go because where we used to pay N200 now costs N400”.

OYO: Switching to biking to save fuel

In Oyo state, Amina, a mother of three, said she could no longer operate her food canteen due to the high cost of foodstuff. Another aggrieved Small Business Owner, Tunde, added that, “the fuel scarcity is killing my business. I can’t transport my goods because there’s no fuel. I’ve had to lay off workers, and I don’t know how much longer I can survive.” Sarah, a student of the University of Ibadan also shared her experience: “I depend on my parents for everything, but they are struggling too. I’ve started selling snacks at school just to help out. It’s embarrassing, but I want to contribute.”

Mr. Adeola, a retired teacher’s story is not different as he said: “This is the worst I have seen in my lifetime. We worked hard all our lives, and now we can’t even afford basic necessities. The government needs to step in.” In the same vein, Chinedu, a former taxi driver, said: “I switched to biking to save on fuel, but now I’m worried about accidents. The roads are bad, and I can’t afford repairs if something goes wrong.”

KADUNA: Surviving through others’ goodwill

In Kaduna, residents lamented that they are currently experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis that is negatively affecting their family life leading to a matrimonial crisis in hitherto peaceful homes.

Muazu Zaria, a civil servant, reminisced on the good old days when he could afford a good breakfast for his family of six. According to him,”my salary was not big but we could take tea and bread in the morning and the children were looking good and cheerful. But with this economic downturn, we only eat once and the children are used to it, they have no choice”.

Jummai Ali, a widow with three children said sometimes they found food to eat through the goodwill of neighbours while at other times they would go to bed hungry. “We were fetching Tafasa leaves from the nearby bush to cook and eat but the Tafasa is no longer available like before because people like us were coming to pluck it. Some of my neighbours who could not endure the hardship in the city have relocated to their ancestral villages”.

BENUE: No more frivolous visits

Margaret Audu, a civil servant and widow and mother of four in Benue said; “since this government came to power on May 29, 2023 and the President announced that subsidy was gone, that was the day our comfort and affordable cost of living disappeared.

Today our situation has been compounded with the recent hike in the pump price of fuel to over N1,000. We are now trekking all over the place even to work because we cannot afford the high transportation fare in town.

Now, you do not visit or expect any visitors because except it is very important and necessary no one moves around to distant places that require fares because it is unsustainable at the moment. We are also engaging in farming activities around our residences to produce food for the family because that is the only way we can beat the high cost of food we are currently experiencing in the state occasioned by the worsening insecurity in the farming communities that has forced the rural people out of their ancestral homes and farms”.

ABIA: Things getting worse everyday

36-year-old Okwudiri Gabriel, a tricycle operator based in Umuahia, Abia State and a father of two from Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, said since a litre of petrol started selling above N1,000, life has not been the same again for him and his family. He said: “We are just surviving by the grace of God alone.

What we are doing these days is just to sell fuel for the government. The economy is so hard, it’s only God that is helping us to survive. 

Things are getting worse every day. We are all dying but the government is showing no concern. We don’t need the so-called palliative which they claim they are sharing. Let them keep it and reverse the fuel price. All we need from the government is a reversal of fuel price

Similarly, Mrs Ezinne Ejiofo, a seller of cooked bambara nuts known locally as ‘Okpa’, at Isigate Umuahia, said life was no longer at ease for her. She lamented that a bag of 100kg of bambara nut flour which sold for N90,000 in December 2023 and early this year, now sells for N240,000.

The mother of three who said she used to prepare about seven custard buckets of Okpa flour a day, now prepares only three buckets a day following a sharp drop in patronage as prices have gone up. She said that feeding for the family had become very difficult, adding that her biggest concern for the moment was how to cope as school will reopen next week.

Life is hell for me in this harsh economy — Widow cries out

Since her husband jumped into the well and died about two years ago, life has been very hard for Mrs Ajoke Omilani who lives at Isokan Community, Off Ologuneru-Eruwa Road, Ologuneru area of Ibadan. She has been running helter-skelter trying to fend for the three children her late 40-year-old husband left behind.

Narrating her harrowing experience, she said, “Most times, I have to beg neighbours to feed my children. The hardship is boldly written on their faces. They have emaciated a lot. There were days I, as a mother, would go to bed hungry. One evening, my children and I had not eaten anything since that morning, so, I had to go to my neighbour’s house to help me with anything to feed the children. Unfortunately, the family too did not have enough foodstuffs, they only managed to give me two cups of rice and N300. I cooked the rice and added only palm oil. If we spent the N300, there would be nothing the following day. When my children are crying at times, I would trek several kilometers to seek help. It appears the end is near.”

A civil servant, Ayo Bamidele said that “ living in Nigeria is hellish now. We thought things would be better, but the reverse is the case now. We can’t eat three square meals again. My husband has been sick since the hike in the price of petrol because he’s just thinking of how we’ll survive in this period. Our children are resuming next week, we are yet to get their school fees. In fact we’re completely confused. How do we take them to school daily with this new fuel price. Government should do something about this and order a reversal of the price otherwise anything can happen in this country.

Another resident, Alhaji Ali Onisahun, told Vanguard that he was contemplating sending his wife and children back to his village because he could not survive with them in the city.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to support Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in his political life again.

Wike stated this during an appearance on Channels Television on Friday.

He said, “I will never support Fubara in my political life again. Anybody knows me, it’s not about me. People laboured to put up a structure.

“People laboured; you wouldn’t have even taken the 50th position. I sacrificed to talk to the Ogonis; I sacrificed to talk to several other people who let us go this way.

“You turned it that I am asking for N50 billion, N100 billion. You turned up lies against me; I brought you up and put you here. Today, I turned out to be overdemanding.

“What is Wike demanding? In every politics or political family, you run elections under people, and people work together. We must have to keep our political structure.”

Wike also denied his rift with the governor is causing a setback for the development of Rivers State.

“What is causing the setback? Wike asked. I’m not interfering with governance. I don’t want to be there. I had no crisis with anybody in the country as a governor. I survived it. If you don’t want to take leadership position, you don’t want to. That’s the truth about it.”

The Federal Government has announced that Monday, September 16th, 2024, will be observed as a public holiday in honor of the Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Friday by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Mawlid marks the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

In the statement to journalists, the Minister congratulated Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said Dr Tunji-Ojo urged the Muslim Ummah and, by extension, Nigerians, to imbibe the spirit of patience, sacrifice, and resilience.

“While congratulating the Muslim Ummah on the occasion, the Minister implored them to use the opportunity of the period to pray for enduring peace and a more prosperous egalitarian nation”, the statement added.

The Federal Government on Friday disclosed that the supply of petrol from Dangote Refinery will commence on tomorrow after both parties reached an agreement on pricing and supply.

NNPC will remain as the sole off-taker of petrol from the refinery with other marketers getting the product from the national oil company. 

Speaking in Abuja, a member of the Presidential Committee on the Sale of crude Oil and Refined Products and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji said in return NNPC Limited would commence the supply of 385,000 barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery on October 1, 2024.

Adedeji announced that “all agreements have been completed and loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday 15th September”.

He disclosed that Dangote Refinery will in return supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid for in Naira.

He said other decisions reached by the committee include the sale of Diesel in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker while PMS will only be sold to NNPC.

“From 1 October, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira

“In return, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid in Naira.

“Diesel will be sold in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC, NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now. All associated regulatory costs will also be paid for in Naira”, he added.

The agreement is expected to ease the acute shortage of petrol across the country and also allow the government to continue the payment of subsidies on the product. 

The Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Product has announced that loading of the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday, September 15.

A member of the committee and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday. Briefing journalists, the FIRS boss said that from October 1, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira.

La Liga giants Villarreal have added a new defensive asset to their squad after confirming the signing of 21-year-old Nigerian centre-back Ekerette Udom for their reserve team.

The young defender, known for his towering height and strength in aerial duels, arrives from Rivers United, a club in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). 

Villarreal made the announcement on their official website, stating:

“Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Rivers United for the transfer of young defender Ekerette Udom, who joins Villarreal B’s ranks.”

Standing at 1.98 metres tall, Udom brings both physicality and versatility to Villarreal B, as he is capable of playing as a centre-back and a holding midfielder.

His solid performances in the NPFL, particularly for Rivers United, have caught the attention of European scouts, leading to this exciting move to Spain.

Udom will initially join Villarreal’s B team, which competes in the Primera Federación – Group 2.

The platform will allow him to hone his skills while aiming for promotion to the senior squad. Villarreal B, founded in 1999, plays its home matches at the Estadio de la Cerámica, a 23,008-seat stadium in Valencia.

This transfer marks a significant milestone in Udom’s career, as he embarks on his European journey with a three-year contract.

His experience in the CAF Confederation Cup, as well as stints with various Nigerian clubs like Nasarawa United and Sunshine Stars, have prepared him for this next chapter.

Now with the opportunity to develop further in one of Europe’s top football environments, Udom will be eager to make an impact at Villarreal B and work his way into the first team.

The Lagos State Police Command said the body of a 17-year-old boy, identified as Adeolu Olubade has been found buried in a shallow grave at an apartment on Jesus Assembly Omoguwa Street in the Ejigbo area of Lagos.

The deceased boy’s family had alleged that a suspect was responsible for the death of the teenage boy while the unnamed 30-year-old suspect has been arrested for questioning.

Spokesperson of the Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, a Superintendent of Police disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday.

“On September 3, 2024, at about 8:00 am, a family member of the deceased approached and reported at the station that his 17-year-old cousin was discovered dead and buried in one of the rooms at Jesus Assembly Omoguwa Street, Ejigbo.

“They suspected the crime was carried by a 30-year-old suspect of the same address between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

“Based on this report, a team of detectives was dispatched to the crime scene and took photographs of the shallow grave before the corpse was exhumed

Mohbad’s Widow Wunmi Pens Heartfelt Tribute On First Anniversary Of His Death
“The body has been taken to the Isolo General Hospital for post-mortem examination and the suspect mentioned has been apprehended, and the shovel suspected to have been used to bury the victim has been recovered, taken to the station, and registered as an exhibit,” Hundeyin said.

The police image-maker added that the case file, the suspect, and the exhibits are transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba for further investigation.

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), said its purchasing portal would be reopened as soon as the backlog of orders for petrol was cleared.

Marketers had complained about the  portal shutdown, adding that it encourages round-tripping of product supplies while driving prices.

However, in a press statement obtained by Vanguard, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd., Olufemi Soneye, said: “We have a significant backlog to address. The closure is intended to prevent us from holding marketers’ funds for an extended period. 

“It will be reopened once the backlog has been sufficiently reduced. We are working to address it as soon as possible.”

Dele Agbeyo, Nigerian gospel singer popularly known as Dele Gold, has passed away.

His death was confirmed by fellow gospel artist Alayo Melody, who took to social media on Wednesday to share the tragic news.

In an Instagram post, Melody expressed shock and sadness, writing: “Dele Gold died kee?? Ahhh This is getting too much ooo!!!! May God help us stop this untimely death. Dele Agbeyo, May your soul rest well.”

Wonder Doyin Kujore, another gospel singer, also expressed his grief on Instagram.

“Nothing in this world… let us live today and leave tomorrow for God. It saddens my heart to post about those who die prematurely, but I have to pay my last respects. Rest in peace Dele Agbotikuyo, Dele Gold,” he wrote.

In 2019, Dele Gold made headlines when he collaborated with Juju music legend Ebenezer Obey on one of his albums, solidifying his place in the Nigerian gospel music scene.

He recently celebrated his birthday in April, where he reflected on what he described as “rare blessings and favour.”

His death follows that of another gospel singer, Aduke Ajayi, better known as Aduke Gold, who died from cervical cancer in August. Ajayi was laid to rest in Lagos on August 23.

Dele Gold’s passing marks a somber moment for the Nigerian gospel community, which has now lost two of its voices in quick succession.

A 30-year-old motorcyclist, Michael Olorunfemi, has been arrested for allegedly raping his wife’s 17-year-old sister inside the bush, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The suspect, a father of four, was said to have raped the victim sometime in August 2024, at 10 p.m., in the Onigaari area of Irese Road, Akure.

Police source told Vanguard that the suspect had confessed to the crime.

A source said that the suspect confesses that “The victim approached me to take her to her boyfriend’s house, and on our way, I stopped near a bush and raped her.

“I promised to give her money, which I did not. She then reported me to her mother, which led to my arrest.”

Contacted, the police image maker, Funmi Odunlami said that the suspect had been charged to court.
Odunlami said the suspect has been remanded at Olokuta prison by the court, over the alleged rape.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Oniyere, said the defendant committed the offence sometime in August 2024, at 10p.m., in the Onigaari area of Irese Road, Akure.

Oniyere added that the defendant unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the 17-year-old girl (name withheld).

The offence, according to the charge, contravened Sections 357 and 358 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.

Police prosecutor, Oniyere, urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending advice from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

The trial Chief Magistrate, Kolawole Aro, has, therefore, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Olokuta prison and that the case file be transferred to the DPP for advice.
Magistrate Aro has adjourned the case till October 31, 2024, for review

Sweden’s government said, on Thursday, it would drastically increase grants for immigrants who choose to leave the country.

As of 2026, immigrants who voluntarily return to their home countries would be eligible to receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor ($34,000).

This is up from the current 10,000 kronor.

The amount, $34,000, is N55,930,000, using the recent exchange rate of N1,645/$.

The move is to encourage more migrants to make the choice.

The right-wing government, which is propped up by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, made these known in a statement.