Angry youth in Northern Nigeria has pulled down the campaign billboard for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu by 2027.
The youth were seen a viral video on social media destroying the billboard, there actions however is largely related to the current hardship facing Nigerians.
Watch video below:
Persistent network issues caused by electronic banking portal upgrades at some commercial banks are currently disrupting cargo clearance at Apapa and Tin-Can Ports.
The disruptions have trapped many import containers because essential customs duties cannot be paid, delaying the entire cargo clearance process.
The National President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Mr. Frank Ogunojemite, noted that the process of clearing cargoes involves financial transactions through banks to pay customs duties.
He stated that when banks experience service outages due to network migrations, importers cannot proceed with payments, causing containers to remain in the port.
According to him, the delay leads to costly storage and demurrage fees, which importers often pass on to consumers, contributing to high prices of goods in the market.
The clearance of cargoes at the ports usually goes through Form M and the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).
“For you to begin the clearance process, the transaction has to go through a commercial bank because you have to pay your Customs duty.
“If the banking system or network is down, then there is no way you can pay for Customs duty, and if that is the case, then the container will remain in the port accumulating rent which comes with storage and demurrage payments.
If this kind of situation persists, then there is no way prices of goods can come down because cargoes are spending longer time in the ports due to disruptions to banking services.
Government should introduce what is called a ‘compensatory law’ where importers are given waivers when delays to their cargoes inside the ports is not from them.
“Most times, the banks will tell us that they apologise for the network disruptions, but the question is: does this apology make any meaning to the cargo clearance chain?
“There should be a compensatory law where cargo owners are given waivers due to issues beyond them that delay cargoes inside the ports.
There was a time when Unity Bank was down for weeks and then it became the turn of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and Zenith Bank. Most of the banks are migrating their system to higher versions, and this is affecting cargo clearance.
“Amid all these delays, the cargoes are accumulating storage and demurrage charges which the cargo owners are being forced to pay. How does the government expect the cost of goods to come down when the same goods have already accumulated charges right inside the ports?
The Nigerian Army has announced that it seized 700,000 litres of stolen petrol products in its anti-theft operation conducted between October of r 28 and November 3.
The announcement was made by the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 3, the division’s spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah said the operations also resulted in the deactivation of 29 illegal refineries.
He added that the division also arrested 24 suspected oil thieves and destroyed 14 boats used in crude oil theft.
According to Jonah, 150,000 litres of stolen crude were recovered in the Kula area of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State while in sites in Kay and Abesa in Akuku-Toru LGA, 50,000 litres were seized.
In the same site, three illegal refining sites were dismantled, and cooking pots containing 20,000 litres of stolen diesel were confiscated.
Also, another 400,000 litres of illegally refined diesel were recovered.
In Bayelsa, storage tanks holding 2,500 litres of stolen crude were recovered in Boma Creek, 4,500 litres of stolen crude, while another 3,000 litres of illicit product were seized at West Boma Creek.
Recoveries were also made in Alwa Ibom Local Government Areas among others, the Army added.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu are to lead a national prayer session in response to the myriad challenges facing Nigeria.
The event, organised in collaboration with both Christian and Muslim leaders, aims to seek divine intervention in the nation’s ongoing crises.
Chief Segun Balogun Afolorunikan, Director General of the National Prayer Forum (NPF), announced the initiative during a briefing in Abuja, themed “Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.”
He emphasised the importance of collective action in overcoming the country’s multifaceted challenges, highlighting that unity is crucial for finding lasting solutions.
By the end of this prayer session, we believe that with God’s wisdom, our leaders and citizens will find the strength to confront our common enemies,” Afolorunikan stated, expressing hope that Nigeria would enter 2025 with renewed purpose and stability.
The prayer sessions will take place at significant venues: Muslims will gather at the National Mosque in Abuja for seven days, during which 313 individuals will recite the Qur’an, culminating in the recitation of the Holy text 2,191 times for national stability.
Meanwhile, Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities.
Afolorunikan noted that extensive outreach had been conducted, including meetings with leaders from the National Mosque, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and traditional leaders such as the Sultan of Sokoto.
Dangote Refinery has disclosed the price of its petrol, saying that it sells at N990 per litre in trucks and N960 per litre into ships.
The disclosure follows the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) claim of importing the products at cheaper rates compared to that of Dangote.
The marketers had in an earlier interview claimed that they are buying at cheaper rates abroad while calling on Dangote Refinery to engage stakeholders.
But in its reaction, the refinery said that it is only substandard products that can be imported at cheaper rates than its own products.
In a statement released Sunday night and signed by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Refinery noted that it followed the pricing benchmark by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), adding that it went lower in pricing for selling into ships.
It reads, “Both organisations claim that they can import PMS at lower prices than what is being sold by the Dangote Refinery. We benchmark our prices against international prices and we believe our prices are competitive relative to the price of imports.
“If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country, without concern for the health of Nigerians or the longevity of their vehicles. Unfortunately, the regulator (NMDPRA) does not even have laboratory facilities which can be used to detect substandard products when imported into the country.
Post deregulation, NNPC set the pace by selling PMS to domestic marketers at N971 per litre for sale into ships and at N990 for sale into trucks. This set the benchmark for our pricing and we have even gone lower to sell at N960 per litre for sale into ships while maintaining N990 per litre for sale into trucks.
“In good faith, and in the interest of the country, we commenced sales at these prices without clarity on the exchange rate that we will use to pay for the crude purchased.
“At the same time, an international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, to use it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher quality production.
“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria. We should point out that it is not unusual for countries to protect their domestic industries to provide jobs and grow the economy. For example, the US and Europe have had to impose high tariffs on EVs and microchips to protect their domestic industries.
“While we continue with our determination to provide affordable, good quality, domestically refined petroleum products in Nigeria, we call on the public to disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated by agents of people who prefer for us to continue to export jobs and import poverty.”
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, disclosed that troops conducting counter-insurgency operations have arrested a notorious and wanted terrorist leader in the North-West known as Abubakar Bawa Ibrahim aka Habu Dogo who is responsible for killings and kidnappings in Sokoto State.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, said Habu Dogo was arrested in Rumji Village, Illela Local Government Area, LGA, of the state.
He said: “He (Habu Dogo) is a wanted terrorist on the watch list of security agencies both in Nigeria and in the Niger Republic because of the cross-border nature of his activities.”
Buba added that troops in the South-East arrested seven IPOB /ESN commanders and operatives during the week.
Those arrested were identified as Dr Nnamdi Chukwudoze and Chigozie Ezetoha (aka Chapet) arrested in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, Mrs Ngozi Chukwuka and Mr Oyekachi Ohia arrested in Umuahia South LGA of Abia State.
Others are Mr Ifeanyi Eze , Mr Augustine Udemba, Mr Onyedikachi Udemba and Elijah Mmaduipeya Obumneke.
Major-General Buba disclosed that during operations across the country, 187 terrorists were neutralised while 311 other criminal elements including perpetrators of oil theft were arrested.
Also, 147 kidnapped victims were said to have been rescued.
His words:” In the North West, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralized 51 terrorists, arrested 55 persons and rescued 81 kidnapped hostages. Troops also recovered 26 AK47 rifles, six fabricated rifles, three Dane guns, five pump action guns, three locally made pistols, 414 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 297 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 210 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 51 rounds of 9mm ammo, 30 live cartridges, six magazines, seven motorcycles and six mobile phones amongst others.
“Between 22 and 28 October 2024, troops in separate offensive operations made contact with terrorists in Rabah and Tsafe LGAs of Sokoto and Zamfara States as well as Wasagu and Batsari LGAs of Kebbi and Katsina States”
Afeez Adegbala, a driver attached to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has been arrested for allegedly diverting 10,000 litres of petrol belonging to the company.
Adegbala was arrested on Friday alongside his two motor boys by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun Command.
While parading the suspect, the NSCDC state commandant, Igbalawole Sotiyo, said the driver and his boys were arrested at about 8.21 pm with the NNPCL truck.
According to Sotiyo, the driver loaded 40,000 liters of petrol at Pinnacle Distribution Depot in Eleko, Lagos State for delivery at the company’s mega stage ion in Osogbo.
He, however, delivered onky 30,000 liters of fuel to the station.
He was further arrested while discharge the remaining 10,000 at TEMPOLA filling station in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government area of the state.
He said, “It is an act of sabotage and stealing against the state. They are saboteurs and anti-state.
“NSCDC is using this medium to warn all the stakeholders involved in the distribution of petroleum products nationwide that anyone caught sabotaging the government would be apprehended and prosecuted.
“NSCDC uses this medium to request NNPCL Managers/Supervisors nationwide to work with the NSCDC to ensure saboteurs are brought to justice,” he said.
The National Economic Council (NEC) has advised that the Tax Reform Bill, currently in the National Assembly, be withdrawn.
The NEC is led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima and includes state governors as members.
After their meeting on Thursday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed that the NEC decided to withdraw the bill due to disagreements and concerns raised by various groups.
More to follow…
Over 300 Pupils and teachers of the Local Education Agency (LEA), Kpakpatoshi under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has been in a sorry state due to insecurity, lack of infrastructure and worse of all, inability to answer the call of nature when the need arises.
A recent visit by LEADING REPORTERS to the school recently showed the dilapidated structures, lack of access to portable water and functional toilet an eyesore to portray a primary school of repute in the 21st century, particularly in the federal capital territory.
Meanwhile, leading reporters in an exclusive interview with the headmaster of the School, Mr. Matoh Bawa revealed that Ochacho Estate Idu built one uncompleted toilet for the school after taking over the land that houses an initial toilet built by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board in 2007 for the construction of houses.
Findings revealed that Ochacho construction has fenced the toilet built by the FCT to begin construction with the intention of demolishing it while yet to complete the one built to compensate the school.
Bawa explained that both teachers and pupils for the past years have resorted to going into the bush nearby to answer the call of nature which he described as unhealthy for them such that they can breath in fresh air again, he emphasized that this act has been exacerbated by residents of the community who has taken advantage of the situation to make the school a mess.
In his words, Mr Bawa said:
“My admin officer can’t come to work today because she has stomach trouble and there is no
toilet.
“She has to stay at home, if I’m pressed now, I have to
move somewhere else. If you go there, go and see. Open defecation everywhere.
You can’t breathe fresh air. We have little children. So it is terrible now.
“We are just managing the toilet
because we have female teachers here. We have to manage. But health-wise, the toilet
is not good for humanity.
“We are using detergent because the back there is open. So we are just managing it because
we don’t have any option.”
Mr. Bawa however appeal to Ochacho to complete the toilet built, ensure water is running and provide basic infrastructure for the school which will serve as their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the community.
“They have the capacity to at least do something for this school. Because the village came before the
estate. And it has benefited a lot from this village. And it’s still benefiting. We have students,
people that are coming from the estate to this school.
“They are living in the estate and they are attending this primary school. Our teachers don’t have tables they are using people’s seats they have been vandalized by criminals. So they can do that for us they can supply us with furniture.
“We don’t have potable water, whenever children are thirsty. They have to go home and it’s not good for our educational system, the law says that we should not allow them to go home. We don’t have school premises.
“We need perimeter fence. That is one of the major needs. The school needs renovation.
You can see. The school needs toilets. For both teachers and people.
“Then we need additional classrooms. These are the major problems we have in the
school. In this problem, I have listed it they can pick one and do it for us”. he added.
Meanwhile, a representative of Ochacho who spoke with Leading Reporters claim that the toilet is under construction but does not know when the construction will be done.
His words: “It is under construction sir, I don’t know, I don’t know when it will be constructed sir”.
The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the seven ministerial nominees recently submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision followed an expedited screening process by the upper chamber, which was concluded today, October 30.
The confirmed appointees include Nentawe Yilwatda for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Dingyadi for Labour and Employment, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Jumoke Oduwole for Industry, Trade, and Investment.
Other appointments are Idi Mukhtar Maiha for Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.
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The Senate’s rapid confirmation process was directed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who referred the request to the committee of the whole for consideration shortly after receiving the nominees’ profiles.
