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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reduced the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, from N890 per litre to N825 per litre as competition intensifies in the country’s downstream sector.

NNPCL’s spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed the development in an interview with reporters on Monday. He stated that since the deregulation of the petroleum sector, the company has continued to adjust prices in response to market dynamics.

“As an energy company, it is not our practice to issue press releases or make public announcements for routine price adjustments at the pump, as such changes are a fundamental aspect of a market-driven system,” Soneye said.

He explained that the adjustments reflect prevailing market forces and ensure energy security while fostering an open and competitive environment in compliance with regulatory frameworks.

The price reduction follows a similar move by Dangote Refinery, which on March 1, 2025, lowered its ex-depot price by N65 per litre. This led its partner retail outlets to adjust pump prices to N860 per litre in Lagos, N870 in the South-West, N880 in the North, and N890 in the South-South and South-East.

Dangote Refinery stated that the adjustment was aimed at providing financial relief to Nigerians, particularly in celebration of the Ramadan season. The company said the move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy and is part of its commitment to reducing the cost of refined petroleum products.

The refinery noted that this marks its second price reduction in February 2025, following an earlier N60 decrease. It also recalled a previous reduction of N70.50 per litre in December 2024 during the Yuletide period, as part of efforts to ease the cost of living for Nigerians.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has called for urgent intervention in the dispute between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.

Chairman of the association, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, described the feud as “shameful and unfortunate,” urging well-meaning Nigerians to step in to restore peace and maintain decorum in the National Assembly.

“There is a need for elders to intervene in the Akpabio-Natasha feud because all members of the National Assembly are honourable and should be accorded respect. Nigerians hold them in high regard,” he said.

Hayab emphasized that lawmakers must take necessary steps to resolve the issue and allow peace to prevail, stressing the importance of responsible conflict resolution.

He also cautioned against downplaying allegations of sexual harassment, stating that Nigeria had moved past the era where individuals claimed to be underdogs or minorities to evade serious accusations.

The CAN chairman urged the media to avoid sensationalizing the conflict, warning that such coverage could further divide the nation.

He called on National Assembly members to focus on improving the lives of Nigerians through their legislative duties, particularly after passing the 2025 national budget.

Hayab appealed to all parties involved in the dispute to exercise restraint and refrain from comments that could deepen divisions along gender or regional lines.

President Bola Tinubu has approved provisional licenses for 11 new private universities in Nigeria.

The announcement was made on Monday during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement by Tinubu’s aide, Sunday Dare, the president remains committed to expanding educational opportunities and infrastructure across the country.

The newly approved universities include:

• New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State
• University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State
• Eranova University, Mabushi
• Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun Annex
• Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State
• Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
• Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State
• Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun State
• Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City
• Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos
• Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State

The approvals mark another step in the federal government’s efforts to enhance access to higher education in Nigeria.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the rescue of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Modestus Ojiebe, who was abducted along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on Sunday.

Ojiebe, attached to the Kwara State Police Command, was reportedly attacked while attempting to fix his broken-down vehicle near the Dei-Dei Police Barracks in Abuja.

According to sources, the assailants searched and robbed Ojiebe and his wife of their mobile phones and ATM cards. However, upon discovering his police identity card, they forced him into their vehicle and fled, leaving his wife and their car at the scene.

FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed in a statement that the officer had been rescued and reunited with his family.

“Upon receiving the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Dawaki swiftly led his patrol team and alerted all police checkpoints and key entry and exit points into the FCT. This decisive response enabled the successful rescue of the officer and his reunion with his family on the same night,” the statement read.

She added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects, who abandoned the victim and fled into the bush in Garaku, Nasarawa State.

Truck owners and drivers under the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Plateau State Council, have protested against the persistent killings of drivers and destruction of trucks in the South-East region of the country.

The drivers, who gathered at the NURTW branch office in the Laranto, Katako area of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, on Sunday, decried the continued attacks on their members. They alleged that drivers transporting goods through the region have been repeatedly targeted, killed, and had their trucks vandalized or set ablaze by gunmen.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters expressed concerns over frequent assaults allegedly carried out by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Some of the routes identified as dangerous include Enugu to Lobanta, Lobanta to Okigwe, and Okigwe to Umuahia in Abia State. The protesters called for urgent intervention and the prosecution of perpetrators to prevent a possible boycott of goods transportation to the region.

NURTW Treasurer, Bulus Andrawus, described the hardships faced by truck drivers traveling from northern Nigeria to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

A truck owner, Lawan Shuaibu, recounted attacks on his vehicles, including an incident on Monday when a truck traveling from Jos to Port Harcourt came under fire at Labanta on Umuahia Road around 9 a.m. The assailants shattered the windshield, injuring the driver.

Shuaibu further narrated another incident where conductors of a truck traveling from Port Harcourt were abducted and tied to a coconut tree by unidentified individuals. He said the driver managed to escape and alerted military personnel, who later secured their release after payment.

He lamented the recurring violence, stating, “One of my drivers was beaten, and his truck was destroyed for no reason. We are just trying to earn a living, not looking for trouble. We are Nigerians too, not foreigners. People from the South settle peacefully in the North, yet we face constant attacks in the East. We are not safe.”

The drivers appealed to the government to take immediate action to ensure their safety and prevent further attacks.

A Chief Superintendent of Police, Modestus Ojiebe, has been abducted along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

According to sources, the senior officer attached to the Kwara State Police Command, was attacked while attempting to fix his vehicle which broke down near Dei-Dei Police Barracks in Abuja.

In a report, Counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, said, “While he was attempting to fix the vehicle, an ash-colored Mercedes-Benz with four armed occupants stopped behind him.

“The assailants searched and robbed Ojiebe and his wife of their mobile phones and ATM cards. However, upon discovering his police identity card, they forced him into their vehicle and sped off, leaving his wife and their car at the scene.

“Following the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Dawaki Division received a distress call and immediately dispatched a patrol team to the area.

“Stop-and-search operations have been intensified at various entry and exit points of the FCT in an effort to rescue the officer and apprehend the culprits.”

At least three independent security sources, among whom are police officers, confirmed the development to Daily Trust but did not go into details.

“The information is correct but you know I am not permitted to speak on it so don’t expect anything more from me on this, please,” one of the sources said.

Attempt to reach Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer in FCT, did not yield results as she did not answer multiple calls.

Similarly, calls made to the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, seeking reaction were not answered.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget for legislative consideration.

The resolution was passed during plenary on Monday in Port Harcourt, following a motion moved by Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol. The lawmakers referenced a Supreme Court order in Suit No.: SC/CV/1174/2024, which halted the state’s statutory federal allocations and restricted spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State until an Appropriation Bill is passed.

The resolution, signed by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, stated:

Speaker Amaewhule also criticized Governor Fubara’s directive instructing Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to take charge of local councils, calling it illegal and contrary to the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The lawmakers cited the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023, and the Supreme Court’s judgment in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024, which prohibits the administration of local governments by HLGAs or any other persons except democratically elected officials.

Meanwhile, the House announced plans to go on recess by Friday, stating that lawmakers have been working continuously for the past two years.

Notably, there was no mention of the 2024 budget during the plenary session.

Governor Fubara had signed a ₦1.1 trillion 2025 budget into law on January 2 after presenting it to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers. However, last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Speaker Amaewhule and his faction are the legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, ordering them to resume legislative activities.

The Kano State Government, in collaboration with Kano Major Markets, has announced a reduction in the prices of essential food items at the Kano Trade Fair Complex.

The initiative aims to make food more affordable for residents, with several staple products now available at lower prices compared to regular market rates. The revised prices include:

• BUA Rice – Reduced from ₦81,000 to ₦76,000
• Amarava Rice – Reduced from ₦72,000 to ₦66,000
• Dangote Sugar – Reduced from ₦82,000 to ₦79,000
• IRS Flour – Reduced from ₦61,000 to ₦57,000
• Crown Taliya – Reduced from ₦16,000 to ₦15,100
• Crown Macaroni – Reduced from ₦15,700 to ₦14,700
• Honey Macaroni – Reduced from ₦15,700 to ₦14,700
• BUA Macaroni – Reduced from ₦16,500 to ₦15,000

Residents in Kano can take advantage of these reduced prices by purchasing their food supplies at the Kano Trade Fair Complex.