Loading and transporting of petrol and other related products have been halted by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Oyo and Osun states.

The petroleum stakeholders announced the suspension of their operations at an emergency meeting held in Ibadan on Saturday.

According to them, the decision became imperative due to the incessant “harassment and extortion of members by the police”.

The emergency meeting was attended by Mutiu Bukola, Ibadan depot chairman and Hammed Hamzat, chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG.

Also in attendance were Surajudeen Adegoke, chairman, independent marketers branch of NUPENG, and Olalekan Lawal, IPMAN, vice-chairman.

NAN reports that they unanimously condemned the operations of the “inspector general of police (IGP) monitoring team” on the highway which had been “disrupting the lifting of petroleum products” from depot to filling stations in the two states.

Bukola, speaking on behalf of the associations, called for an immediate end to harassment and extortion of members of the associations.

He said they would not resume operations until the issues were addressed.

According to the IPMAN branch chairman, no filling stations would open and there would be no movement of petroleum tankers in the two states until members of the IGP monitoring team are removed from the road.

“A tanker driver bringing in a truck load of diesel was arrested at Gbongon junction in Osun in the early hours of Saturday and detained along with his truck,” the associations said.

“The team has assumed the role of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) which is the regulator in the sector.

“The NMDPRA officers at the lifting depot had already certified the product, meaning that there was no issue at all, only for the driver and the truck to be detained by the IGP monitoring team at Gbongbon.

“We hereby call for immediate release of the driver and the truck.”

In the last few months, he said the police team had “wrongly arrested” several tanker drivers and trucks, only to discover that they were innocent after investigations.

“There will be no movement of trucks in and out of Osun and Oyo states, meaning that there will be no loading of petroleum products from depot to filling stations within the two states,” he said.

“The purpose of the IGP monitoring team was to stop vandalism of pipelines but the team has left its function and is now chasing other things.”

Bukola also condemned what he described as multiple charges that “had been crippling operations” in the petroleum sector in the two states.

Veteran Nollywood actress, Binta Ayo Mogaji, has finally disclosed why she left her 13 year old marriage with retired footballer, Victor Ayodele Oduleye.

The film actress and her colleague, actor Jibola Dabo were once in a relationship and they have a 20 year old, after which she got married to Victor Ayodele Oduleye, a retired footballer and physiotherapist, in 2006.

However, on her latest interview with actress Biola Bayo on the ‘Talk To B’ podcast, Binta Ayo Magaji accused Victor Oduleye of abuse.

She further narrated her love journey with the retired footballer. Ayo Mogaji said:

“We fell in love with each other but received beating over any little thing.

“Even in England the abusive language, the mental torture, the physical abuse, when it gets too much I will advise anybody to get out of that marriage.

“It got to a stage that when it’s only two of us at home, I do go outside the compound and sit till when someone will come around so that I will not be abused. We were in it for like thirteen years and we have been separated for four years now.”

In the same interview with Biola Bayo, Binta Ayo Mogaji revealed how she became a mother at the age of 40 years.

Recounting her life experience, she said she had her baby six weeks after her 40th birthday despite having one fallopian tube.

Binta Ayo Mogaji also spoke on how her ectopic pregnancy resulted in losing a fallopian tube and almost her life.

Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, is back in town, and the heartwarming video of his grand reception from fans has taken the internet by storm.

Late June 2024 saw Davido and his beautiful bride, Chioma, jetting off to the United States for a luxurious honeymoon following their extravagant wedding.

As they boarded their private jet in Lagos, they were accompanied by key members of Davido’s entourage, including Asa Asika, Lati, and Chioma’s manager, Ubi Franklin.

Fast forward to his return to Nigeria, and the scene was nothing short of extraordinary. A viral video shows Davido basking in the rapturous welcome from his adoring fans, who had taken to the streets in droves.

The ecstatic crowd was a sight to behold, causing a major roadblock as they chanted his name and surged forward to meet his convoy.

The atmosphere was electric, with fans expressing their unwavering love and admiration for the music icon.

Moved by the overwhelming display of affection, Davido couldn’t resist immersing himself in the moment. He excitedly shot his head and body out of his car window, capturing the euphoric scene on his phone.

The video continues to melt hearts online, capturing the essence of joy and unity that Davido brings to his community. The moment was not just a welcome back but a triumphant return of a beloved star whose presence ignited the hearts of everyone around.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has re-arraigned Binance on a four-count charge bordering on alleged tax evasion.

Ayodele Omotilewa, Binance’s representative in Nigeria, was arraigned on Friday before Emeka Nwite, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja.

Omotilewa pleaded not guilty to the four counts.

In the amended charge filed on June 14, Binance Holdings Limited is listed as the sole defendant.

After the plea by the Binance representative, Moses Ideho, counsel to FIRS, sought a date for the commencement of trial. The presiding judge subsequently fixed October 11 as the trial date.

Over the past few months, Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has been facing trial in Nigeria over alleged tax evasion and money laundering.

On June 14, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped the tax charges against Gambaryan.

A federal high court in Abuja discharged Gambaryan after the FIRS confirmed the appointment of Omotilewa as the firm’s representative.

However, the EFCC has yet to drop its charges against Binance and its executives.

The anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, Gambaryan, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, over allegations of money laundering.

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were detained by the Nigerian authorities on February 28.

However, Anjarwalla escaped from the custody of the office of the national security adviser (ONSA), leaving Gambaryan to face the charges alone.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the gunman who fired shots at the rally of former President Donald Trump.

According to the FBI, Crooks is a 20-year-old male from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

The former US president was injured in the shooting while he was delivering a speech at his campaign rally on Saturday.

The FBI has described the incident as an assassination attempt.

Although Trump survived the shooting, one person was killed while two others were gravely injured.

“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the bureau said on Sunday.

The FBI also shared a phone number and website for anyone with information, video, or pictures related to the shooting.

Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, said the website for tips is www.FBI.gov/Butler.

Following the shooting, Trump returned to New Jersey, with his plane touching down early on Sunday morning.

Several world leaders have condemned the attack and expressed sympathy with the Republican Party candidate for the US presidential election.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the shooting an “inexcusable attack”.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “appalled”, adding that such “violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world”.

Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, expressed concern over the incident, saying “our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American people”.

British rapper and singer Stephanie Victoria Allen, known to the world as Stefflon Don, caused a stir online as she boldly proclaimed Nigerian hitmaker Burna Boy to be the love of her life.

In an intimate and heartfelt interview with Fernando Halman on the Netherlands music platform Real Talk, Stefflon Don was asked if Burna Boy still held a special place in her heart.

With dreamy eyes and a voice softened by fond memories, she responded with an unequivocal, “Yes!”

As the conversation heated up, Stefflon Don didn’t shy away from revealing that she is currently in a relationship. However, she kept fans and followers on the edge of their seats, leaving them guessing about the identity of her current beau.

The plot thickened when the bold and brassy rapper faced probing questions about being married.

Unfazed, Stefflon Don firmly debunked any marriage rumors, making it clear that when she decides to walk down the aisle, the world will undoubtedly hear about it.

In 2022 Burna Boy released the breakout hit “Last Last” which is certified Platinum in the US. The song was rumored to be about his relationship with Stefflon Don which ended 2021.

On the real talk interview Stefflon said Burna Boy admitted the song was about her. “He has actually said that the song is about me.”.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has advised the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to refrain from commenting on the resolution reached by the Federal Government regarding the controversial Oil Mining Licence (OML) 245.

Lokpobiri’s statement follows comments from Mohammed Abacha, the son of the late head of state, who urged the minister to retract his public statement about resolving the disputes over OML 245 and resuming production in the national interest.

In a letter of protest written by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Reuben Okpanachi Atabo, the Abacha family gave Lokpobiri a 14-day ultimatum to withdraw his claim or face contempt of court charges. The letter, delivered to the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Oil Minister on July 5, argued that Lokpobiri’s claims were false and disregarded ongoing court cases regarding Malabu Oil and Gas ownership.

Responding to the Abacha family’s statement, Lokpobiri said, “I don’t want to join issues with the Abacha family, but I can assure you that we are resolving all the issues with OML 245 under overriding national strategic interest. This matter has lingered on for the past 28 years. And if I were a member of the Abacha family, I wouldn’t even raise my head. As Heineken Lokpobiri, I can’t give any Lokpobiri a license. That in itself is criminal. So if they know what they are doing, they should keep quiet.”

Lokpobiri, an English-trained lawyer, emphasized that oil blocks are federation assets, and the federal government will ensure that Nigerians benefit from them.

History of Litigation

OML 245, considered one of Nigeria’s most prolific oil blocks, was acquired by Malabu Oil and Gas, a company belonging to the Abacha family, in 1998 for $2 million. In 2001, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the federal government revoked Malabu’s license due to “questionable practices.” Malabu challenged the revocation in court and reached an out-of-court settlement with the government under former President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2006.

In 2011, Shell and Eni acquired the block for $1.3 billion from Malabu in a deal approved by the Nigerian government. Since then, there have been ongoing allegations and litigation, with Transparency International and other anti-corruption groups alleging bribery and corruption in the deal.

Regarding the 28-year crisis and litigation, Lokpobiri recently stated, “The core issue revolves around the agreement between the federal government, Shell, and ENI, wherein the Federal Government facilitated the transfer of rights from Malabu to Shell/ENI in exchange for consideration. This process was conducted transparently and by established legal frameworks.”

National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said that the return of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano and the several demolitions carried out by the state governor, Engr. Kabir Abba Yusuf, were fulfilment of campaign promises by the party.

Kwankwaso, however, alleged that some persons in Abuja pressured the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero into coming to Kano even after he, alongside others, had accepted the dissolution of the five emirates created by the Ganduje government.

Speaking on Prime Time, a political programme on Arise News monitored in Abuja, Kwankwaso, who was presidential candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 general elections, said they have no regrets for fulfilling the promises made during their campaign for which the governor was elected.

He said: “It was a campaign issue. Don’t forget that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was installed in 2014 by our government. My Deputy who became governor decided in his wisdom to divide Kano into five emirates. What many people don’t remember is that it was tried by the Rimi government during the Second Republic.

“It was our position, our belief that Kano should continue as one solid traditional institution. That was what we believed in. So, during our campaign, the governor went round to tell the people that if they voted for him, Kano would return to being one solid traditional institution, of course with support from the other emirates.

“That is why when he was sworn-in, he started a process of consultation. For your information, the emirates that were created by Rimi were dissolved by Sabo Bakinzuwo who took over from him right there at the Race Course where he was sworn in. 

“But for one year, the governor carried out due consultations and decided to follow due process through the State House of Assembly and Sanusi was reinstated. People voted for him for several reasons, including making Kano one strong emirate.

“So, we are not just coming from the streets. We have a history.  We did not just wake up one day to do that. That is the position of the people of Kano State and we have done what is right and the other four emirs have accepted it and moved out of their palaces.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the inability of Sen. Mohammed Ndume to access President Bola Tinubu cannot warrant or justify his outlandish declaration that the president had been “caged”.

Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

The statement was the party’s reaction to comments credited to Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Senate, saying President Bola had been “caged”.

Ndume, while saying that securing financial autonomy for local governments was the greatest achievement of Tinubu since he assumed office in 2023, also said that he was unaware of existential challenges in the country.

“The latest outburst in the media by the senator representing Borno South, and Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, claiming that President Tinubu has been caged.

“And unaware of existential challenges in the country is as haughty as it is unnecessary.

Operatives of Ogun State Police command have arrested two kidnappers, who killed their victims, after collecting ransom from their families in Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North local government area of the State.

Spokesperson for the command, Omolola Odutola, who disclosed this in Abeokuta, the State capital, said the arrest of the kidnappers led to the discovery of the shallow graves of 71-year-old farmer, Adekunle Ifelaja, and Ogunyemi Femi, who were allegedly killed by the suspects in Ijebu-Igbo forest.

She stated that the two suspects; Chukwuma Bartholomew and Igwe Monday, were arrested through technical investigations on June 28, 2024, at about 6:20pm.

Odutola stated that the suspects, after confessing to the crime during interrogation, led the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, and the anti-kidnapping squad to the forest, where the corpses of the victims were exhumed.

She said, “They are responsible for kidnappings and abductions that have been recorded in the Ijebu-Igbo area. They kidnapped their victims, demanded ransom from their family members, and then killed them.

“They then took them to a forest in Ijebu-Igbo, where they dug a shallow grave and buried them. They were arrested by our anti-kidnapping squad after a thorough investigation, which led the team to the hideouts of the criminals on June 28, 2024, in Ijebu-Igbo.

“After their confession, the suspects took the CP and members of the anti-kidnapping units to the forest where they buried the victims to exhume the corpses.”

The arrest came six months after the last operation in which their victim, 71-year-old Sunday Adekunle Ifelaja, popularly known as Adeife, did not return home after his kidnappers collected ransom.

It was gathered that on November 23, 2023, the suspects, part of a 7-man criminal syndicate, stormed the home of 34-year-old Femi on November 23, 2023, abducted him and took him to an unknown location. 

They allegedly made a video of Femi and sent it to his family to demand ransom.

According to the police, the suspects killed the victim despite receiving ransom from his family.

Similarly, after abducting the elderly 71-year-old farmer at Oke-Sopen in Ijebu-Igbo on December 31, 2023, the suspects reportedly recorded a video of the septuagenarian man and sent it to his family via WhatsApp, demanding a ransom for his release.

According to the police, the farmer was killed and buried in one of the shallow graves despite the payment.

“On June 28, 2024, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad made a massive breakthrough in the hunt for the kidnappers when through technical-based investigation, they discovered the hideout of the criminals in Ijebu-Igbo.