Headlines

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 199,495 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, with a Duty Paid Value of N199,495,000.

Comptroller General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made the announcement on Thursday during a press briefing at the Service’s Adamawa/Taraba Command in Yola.

He revealed that the seizure was part of Operation Whirlwind, a collaborative effort between the NCS, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority aimed at curbing fuel smuggling.

Adeniyi explained that the interception was carried out through intelligence-driven operations and strategic tactics designed to disrupt sophisticated smuggling networks.

According to him, the seized petroleum products included four fuel tankers carrying 97,000 litres, 1,363 jerry cans of 25 litres each, and 311 drums of 220 litres each.

He further stated that the operation led to the discovery and dismantling of illegal storage facilities, the interception of fuel tankers, and the prevention of cross-border smuggling through unauthorized routes.

The Customs chief reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to tackling fuel smuggling and ensuring that petroleum products are not diverted from local markets to unauthorized destinations.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that certain individuals, whom he described as “clowns,” are being paid to defend the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

El-Rufai made the remarks on Monday during a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, where he criticized the state of governance and opposition in the country, describing it as a “national emergency.” He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of lacking internal democracy, stating that he no longer recognized the party he helped to build.

His comments sparked speculation about his possible exit from the APC, drawing reactions from party loyalists, including the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala.

In response to El-Rufai’s criticism, Bwala took to social media, questioning whether the former governor would have expressed the same views had he been part of the current administration.

“My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a Ji soron Allah mana,” Bwala wrote.

El-Rufai swiftly countered, dismissing Bwala as a “latter-day convert” to Tinubu’s government. He reiterated that he had informed President Tinubu that he was not interested in serving in his administration.

“I was a cabinet minister 22 years ago, and it was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government,” El-Rufai stated.

He further criticized those defending the government, suggesting that their actions reflected “moral flexibility.”

“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I would still say or do the same regarding the tragedy within a party I was a founder of, and the government that emerged from it,” he added.

Approximately 1,000 lecturers at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) have staged a protest over the non-payment of their salaries since their employment in 2019.

The aggrieved staff, wielding placards with various inscriptions, lamented the hardship they have endured, with 12 of their colleagues reportedly passing away while waiting for their remuneration.

The lecturers questioned whether their withheld salaries were due to the federal government or the university administration, demanding immediate explanations and action.

One of the affected lecturers, Mr. Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, a visually impaired staff member at the Centre for Disabilities and Special Needs Research, expressed his frustration, stating that despite working diligently for the past five years, he has yet to receive any payment.

“We were initially told the issue was with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), but even after the then Governing Council approved our payment, nothing changed,” Emmanuel said.

The protesters urged the university management to take urgent steps to resolve the issue, emphasizing that the prevailing economic hardship in the country has made their situation even more unbearable.

Some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have arrived at the Department of State Services (DSS) office in the Magodo area of the state, following the detention of two of their colleagues.

The detained lawmakers, Hon. Lanre Afinni and Hon. Sylvester Ogunkelu, were invited for questioning over matters related to the state assembly. According to sources, one of them has been released, while the other remains in DSS custody.

Lawmakers currently present at the DSS premises include Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe Constituency 1), Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa Constituency 2), Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho Constituency 2), and Hon. Solomon Bonu (Badagry Constituency 1), among others.

Details surrounding the lawmakers’ questioning remain unclear as of the time of this report.

Ajegunle Powerline community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State was thrown into mourning on Tuesday as suspected herdsmen reportedly killed five farmers in a violent attack.

The victims, identified as labourers from Plateau and Kaduna states, were working on farmlands when the assailants struck around 3:00 pm, witnesses said.

An eyewitness, who is also a farmer, recounted that the attackers had been consistently destroying crops and disrupting farming activities in the area. He lamented that similar attacks have become a recurring threat, forcing many farmers to abandon their farmlands for fear of being killed.

The witness further revealed that aside from the killings, female farmers in the community have also suffered occasional assaults, including rape.

A survivor of the attack disclosed that the armed men stormed the area suddenly and began shooting indiscriminately, leading to the death of five individuals.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, CSP Funmilayo Odunlami, stated that security operatives were still investigating the case. She, however, did not confirm the exact number of casualties.

Residents of the community have called for urgent intervention by security agencies to prevent further loss of lives and destruction of farmlands.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Barka affirmed the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declared the group illegal. The appellate court ruled that there was no basis to overturn the Federal Government’s order proscribing IPOB, citing national security concerns.

The court maintained that the government acted lawfully in outlawing the organization, whose activities were deemed a threat to the country’s stability. Consequently, it dismissed IPOB’s appeal for lack of merit.

The proscription of IPOB was first ordered by the late former Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, on September 15, 2017. The ruling followed an ex-parte motion filed by the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Justice Kafarati’s order specifically banned all IPOB activities, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.