The president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has said the push by the president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to get the government to ban fuel import following the commencement of his refinery is not anti-competitive since the businessman did not bar any other entity from establishing refineries in Nigeria....Read More

Mr Adesina made the assertion in the messages he circulated to some eminent Nigerians, which were included in a post on X by Femi Otedola, the chairman of FBN Holdings and Geregu Power on Tuesday.

According to the post, Mr Adesina noted that monopoly often exists where there are high barriers to entry or high capital costs.

“Has Dangote refineries prevented any other company from setting up refineries? Why have others not done so? How come they have not done so for several decades? Was it Dangote that held them back?,” Mr Adesina was quoted as saying.

“But Dangote refineries surely cannot be asked to ‘compete’ with importers of petroleum products. That is not competition. Let the importers set up local refineries and compete by refining in Nigeria. That is fair and justified competition.”

The AfDB’s chief’s reaction follows a claim by authorities in Nigeria that Mr Dangote, who built the refinery – Africa’s largest – at the cost of $19 billion is seeking to bar the importation of petroleum products in Nigeria.

Before the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was signed into law in August 2021 by ex-president Muhammadu Buhari, the bill originally sought to allow only refinery owners to be the importers of fuel into the country.

Popular social media influencer, Dr. Patrick Osagie Eholor, known as “Ultimate Equal,” has publicly accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State of being behind the recent killing of a police officer....Read More

In a viral video posted on his X platform (formerly Twitter), Eholor called on Governor Godwin Obaseki to take immediate action to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Obaseki has nothing to do with this, and I am not here to defend him. I want to appeal to Godwin Obaseki, as the number one citizen of Edo state, that this crime is a crime against humanity.

“You must wake up and ensure that the trigger-lover who shot the police, must work with the IGP and the commissioner of police to find the trigger-lover. We are not going to rest on this matter,” Eholor stated.

Eholor also criticized Philip Shaibu, the reinstated deputy governor of the state, who recently rejoined the APC.

He questioned Shaibu’s decision to return to the party so soon after the police officer’s killing.

“How will you go back to join APC 24 hours after the killing of a police officer? APC that has ruined this country, where a bag of rice is more expensive than a salary.

“Phillip Shaibu went to PDP from APC, and now going back again to your vomit. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves,” Eholor declared.

VIDEO ...Read More

Four abducted corp members in lfon, Ose council area of Ondo state, have shared their harrowing ordeal in the hands of their captors....Read More

Recall that the corp members were kidnapped along the Ifon-Owo highway in the state, on their way from Enugu State, where they had undergone the mandatory orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

During the attack, the driver of the vehicle and a female passenger were shot dead.

The victims include Adewole Paul Oluwaseun, Oluwadara Feranmi, Andrew Patience, Oribamise Taiwo , and Ajayi Lekan.

Narrating their ordeal to newsmen in Akure, the state capital, one of the corps members, a female, Patient Andrew, said that they were tortured and only fed with dirty water and gari.

According to her ”We boarded a bus from Abia state to Onitsha, but our driver was not fast enough, one of the park drivers took us to where we board another bus going to Akure, we got there around 2pm but the driver did not take off immediately, so we left Onitsha park around 5pm with 9 passengers in a Siena bus.

“We got to Ondo State around 10 pm. Our abductors flashed torch light on the driver and the driver said “Oga I no see you”

“They shot the driver twice, the moment he made that statement and the woman sitting next to him, and one guy was butchered, two people died and we don’t know about the guy that was butchered and ran away.

“The kidnappers brought us out of the vehicle and they took us inside the bush, we trekked from past 10 P.m. till around 7 am the following day in the bush.

”Our kidnappers were five in number and their age ranged around 25 and not up to 30 they were speaking Hausa/Fulani language and they had one interpreter.

“They tortured us and we were only given garri and dirty water for four days

Speaking on the ransom paid, the 25-year-old abductee said “At first they asked for N30 million per person but as the negotiations were ongoing they brought it down to N3 million per person

”But after much negotiation, they now asked us to bring N1 million each.

“We slept inside the bush throughout the day, we heard the bark of a dog and the sound of a cow in the bush and we passed through farmland when we were coming out.

”As we walked through the thick forest, we didn’t meet anybody. Our brothers came with what they asked for which is 3 Hollandia yoghurt, 2 loaves of bread, one carton of Peak milk, one pack of malt 5 bottles of Fearless energy drink, one pack of YES cigarettes and 10 packs of rice and chicken and N1 million each.

“We were treated in Owo area command clinic and later wrote our statements.”

The brother of one of the victims, Oluwadara Olamide, who took the ransom to the abductors said that they gave him the location to drop the money.

Olayide said; “We agreed on N5 million in total, they gave me a location and told me to be there before 10 am, then I gathered the money and we got to Owo at 9:30 am and they told me to stop at the double lane that entered Owo town, then I was trying their number till 11am when I was able to call them, then they called me back after 15 minutes.

”They then asked me to take a transport from that junction to Mobil, so I called them after getting to Mobil, then they asked me to take two motorcycles, one for me and the other to carry the stuff we bought for them, then they told us to go to Achiever road at Ago Alhaji.

”I was warned not to inform the security, otherwise they will deal with me.

“One of them said “If you bring wahala, wahala plenty here.

“We told the bike men that we were going on an excursion, then when we got to Ago Alhaji, then they told us to go to Ago Pan, so when we got to Ago Pan we called them, and a young guy came to meet us with gun and told us where to pass, and we got into the bush and I showed them the bag where the cash was and they carried it away.”

According to him, “Not quite long, they called out their other members who later brought our family members out of hiding.

Recall that the state police command said the victims “were abandoned by their assailants after the police mounted pressure on the kidnappers.

Police image maker, Funmi Odunlami, said that ” policemen drawn from the Tactical squad led by the Area Commander of Owo, ACP Olufemi Awoyale continuous combing of the Bush with sustained technical support frustrated the assailants and were forced to abandon the victims at Oyinbo/ Sanusi Camp. ...Read More

Operatives of the Benue State Police Command have killed suspected bandits and recovered firearms in Mbafyan, Mbachir Council Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, and Tse Shenge, Ukum Local Government Area....Read More

The police disclosed this in a statement on Monday night, which was signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Catherine Anene.

According to Anene, security agents have sustained operations in Sankara to clamp down on bandits, particularly in communities where attacks are threatened.

“In the last one week, the operation Zenda JTF teams have engaged bandits in gun duels at Mbafyan, Mbachir Council Ward, Kastina-Ala Local Government Area and Tse Shenge, Ukum Local Government Area.
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“During these operations, three suspected bandits were neutralised, while others sustained injuries and escaped into nearby communities.

“Items recovered from them include one Toyota Corolla, one Hummer Bus, one tricycle, 12 motorcycles and three shotguns.

“The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, Hassan Steve Yabanet, who was in Kastina-Ala on July 20, 2024, commended officers who have been on the frontlines fighting against bandits and encouraged them to remain steadfast and cooperate with the good people of Sankera for useful information.

“The CP assures the good people of Sankera of his commitment to fighting banditry in the area. He advised them to be vigilant and report suspicious movements to security agents in their communities, as bandits running from security agents may be violent against vulnerable people.” ...Read More

This is the heartstopping moment armed guards on a container ship opened fire on an apparent Houthi kamikaze sea drone before it explodes in a huge fireball....Read More

The video, posted to X by Navy Lookout, shows the large cargo ship sailing through the foggy Red Sea before the alleged Houthi kamikaze drone boat filled with explosives speeds towards it.

The small unmanned speedboat, believed to be remote controlled by Houthi rebels is seen ripping through the water while the Ukrainian crew onboard the boat gear up to launch their counterattack.

It is not clear where or when exactly the footage was captured, and the ship has not been named.

In the clip, two armed crew members, donning protective gear, raise their firearms while another films the tense scenes on a mobile phone.

After crouching and aiming through a the ship’s metal railing, one of the crew strikes a clear shot at the quick boat before it erupts in an orange blaze.

The crew members on board the container ship open fire at the small boat before it explodes

The drone boat erupted in an orange blaze, and was believed to have been unmanned and full of explosives

The massive explosion sends thick black clouds billowing into the sky as the Ukrainian ship continues is journey onwards, leaving the smoking remains of the apparent Houthi drone in its wake.

This is not the first incident of its kind to take place in the Red Sea in recent weeks, however, as just last month a video emerged on social media showing a Houthi USV striking a 750ft Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned cargo carrier.

And though the Iranian-backed rebel group has routinely attempted USV attacks after launching their assault on shipping in November after the Israel-Hamas war broke out, this incident marked the first time they managed to successfully strike a vessel.

The M/V Tutor had been sailing through steady waters before the vessel’s security crew noticed a small boat whizzing towards them at speed.

The Houthi USV appeared to have dummies on board, with the Ambrey maritime security firm stating: ‘Inspectors found three electronic switches connected to 25kg of C4 explosives – approximately 33.5kg of TNT equivalent, and 50kg of TNT,’ on the boat.

But security personnel aboard the cargo carrier appeared to take no action against the USV, as seen in footage.

One crew member watched on through a pair of binoculars while two guards held their firearms pointing skywards instead of towards the small boat.

The trio watched the USV steadily approach for around 30 seconds and the video cut out before the explosive impact.

It did, however, capture the security personnel making a mad dash to the bridge and the panicked crew trying to figure out their next move.

The Yemeni militant group has been using kamikaze drone boats for several years, and pioneered the operational use of kamikaze USVs.
All that remained of the alleged kamikaze drone boat was a rising pile of smoke on the water’s surface View pictures in App save up to 80% data.
All that remained of the alleged kamikaze drone boat was a rising pile of smoke on the water’s surface

Most notably, in 2017, an unmanned explosive-laded Houthi USV struck Saudi frigate Al Madinah in the first confirmed use of the drone boat weapon.

Former US Navy vice admiral and Directory of Navy Staff told DefenseNews at the time that he was concerned about the weapon ‘being in the hands of the Houthis’.

‘That’s not an easy thing to develop. There have been many terrorist groups that have tried to develop that, it’s not something that was just invented by the Houthis. There’s clearly support there coming from others, so that’s problematic,’ he said.

But despite continued efforts by the US and allies to take down Houthi drones and USVs, they have been ramping up their shipping attacks.

The months-long US-led campaign in the region has seen the Navy face its most-intense maritime fighting since World War II, with near-daily attacks targeting commercial vessels and warship.

Just two days after the Tutor was hit, they targeted M/V Verbena, a Ukrainian-owned cargo carrier in two separate attacks, CENTCOM stated.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain.

However, many of the ships they’ve attacked have little or no connection to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

A recent report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency said that container shipping through the Red Sea has declined by 90 per cent since December because of the attacks.

As much as 15 per cent of the world’s maritime traffic flows through that corridor.

‘It is deplorable that innocent seafarers are being attacked while simply performing their jobs, vital jobs which keep the world warm, fed, and clothed,’ the shipping industry said in a joint statement last month.

‘This is an unacceptable situation, and these attacks must stop now,’ it said. ...Read More

The event aims to bring attention to the country’s governance issues....Read More

Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, has announced the locations of protest coordinators across Nigeria for the upcoming #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstration.

The event aims to bring attention to the country’s governance issues.

According to Sowore, a former presidential candidate, the protest will take place in 35 states nationwide.

He also invited Nigerians who wish to participate in the campaign to add their towns or cities if they are not already listed.

According to the activist, the designated locations for the protest in Lagos are Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki/Ajah axis, Badagry, Ikeja and Epe.

For Kano State, the location is Kano city; Bauchi State – locations are Azare and Bauchi town. Enugu State – locations are Enugu city and the university town of Nsukka; Jigawa State – locations are Dutse and Kazaure; Ekiti State – locations are Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti; Cross River State – location is Calabar.

For the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – locations are Gwags and Central Business District; Imo State – Owerri; Abia State – Aba and Umuahia; Anambra State – Awka and Onitsha; Ebonyi State – Abakaliki; Akwa Ibom State – Uyo; Kaduna State – Kaduna town and Zaria; Kwara State – Ilorin and Offa; Borno State – Biu and Maiduguri; Edo State – Benin and Auchi.

Bayelsa State – Brass and Yenagoa; Yobe State – Damaturu; Zamfara State – Gusau and Kaura Namoda; Nasarawa State – Keffi and Lafia; Sokoto State – Sokoto town; Plateau State – Jos; Oyo State – Oyo town and Ogbomosho; Ondo State – Akure, Ondo, Ore and Owo; Niger State – Suleja and Minna; Benue State – Gboko and Makurdi.

Delta State – Ughelli, Asaba, Warri, Sapele; Kogi State – Kabba, Okene and Lokoja; Rivers State – Port-Harcourt; Kebbi state – Birnin Kebbi and Gwandu; Katsina State – Daura and Katsina. Osun State – Ile-Ife, Oshogbo, Iwo, Ilesha and Ede; Ogun State – Ijebu-Ode, Shagamu, Ilaro and Abeokuta; Taraba State – Jalingo. ...Read More

The House of Representatives has directed the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to immediately reverse the recent electricity tariff hike for Band A customers....Read More

This directive was given on Tuesday after the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Power.

The report recommended a return to the old tariff, citing the inability of Nigerians to afford the new rate.

The NERC had announced a tariff hike, which would have seen Band A customers pay N225 per kilowatt.

However, the House of Representatives has now resolved to probe the tariff hike pending an investigation.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee on Power, Victor Nwokolo, stated that the new tariff is unaffordable for Nigerians. The Committee’s recommendations were adopted by the Committee of the Whole and subsequently passed. ...Read More

Global human rights movement, Amnesty International has berated the Bola Tinubu-led government for threatening protesters....Read More

AI was reacting to comments made by Tinubu’s media aide, Dada Olusegun, who said those planning the nationwide protests in the country will “meet the strongest resistance of your lives.”

In a post on X, the organisation stated:

”Threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful. It is a clear attack on freedom of assembly — which is guaranteed by international law and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution:

”Nigerians must not be denied the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; through veiled threats of violence and false insinuations.” ...Read More

Ihyi Abdul, one of the abducted Chibok girls, has shared her harrowing experience while in Boko Haram captivity....Read More

Abdul, who was abducted along with other students in the infamous 2014 Chibok school attack, disclosed that she was married to eight different men during her time in captivity.The 27-year-old recounted her ordeal at a briefing held at the headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai Theater Command, located in Maimalari barracks, Maiduguri.
Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna, the commander of Sector One, read out her statement to journalists, revealing the grim details of her captivity.

Abdul, currently three months pregnant, revealed that she has four children from her marriage to the eight Boko Haram militants.
The Chibok school abduction occurred in April 2014, when Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 female students from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

She said, “I trekked for days before getting to a military checkpoint in Nigeria where they took me and my children in.

“I married eight men and gave birth to three children for different husbands.

“I did not escape all the while because I did not want to escape earlier until now.

“We the Chibok girls are not kept in the same camp, and I don’t know why they are still in captivity but those of us have chosen to remain Sambisa, while others have not had the chance to escape.

“As for education, I cannot say anything for now but am not sure I can continue with education).(sic)”

Also, the theatre command handed over 330 rescued families of Boko Haram terrorists to the Borno State government for further management and reintegration into society.

The rescued families came out from the Bama and Pulka axis of the Sambisa forest within the past two weeks.

Speaking on the continued surrender of the insurgents, the representative of the theatre commander, OPHK captain Mohammed Abdullahi, said the logistics supply strangulation to insurgents introduced by the theatre commander for the rainy season, is yielding dividends and would be sustained to maximum effect

The rescue of Abdul brings to 19 the total number of rescued Chibok girls. ...Read More