Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited, yesterday reduced the retail price of the premium motor spirit (PMS) or petrol, across its retail outlets in the country. In Lagos, petrol at the NNPCL retail outlets sold at N860 per litre, from a previous N945 per litre. The same commodity sold in Abuja at N880 per litre from a previous N965. The latest price cut comes barely two weeks after the NNPCL reduced the pump price in Lagos to N945 per litre and five days after the Dangote Refinery implemented a reduction in the price of the same commodity across the…
Mudashiru Obasa has been returned as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Obasa was reinstated following the resignation of Mojisola Meranda, who stepped down from the role with immediate effect. He was returned as the speaker during Monday’s plenary session. In January, the lawmakers impeached Obasa over multiple allegations, including poor leadership style, high-handedness, frequent lateness to plenary sessions, abuse of office, and intimidation of colleagues. The impeachment was supported by over 90 per cent of the lawmakers. Reacting to his impeachment, Obasa rejected the process, insisting that the lawmakers did not follow the constitutional procedure to…
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of the defunct music group P-Square, bail in the sum of N100 million ahead of his trial for alleged fraud. Okoye was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of laundering N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59. He pleaded not guilty and was initially remanded in the Ikoyi Correctional Facility by Justice Alexander Owoeye. His counsel, Inibehe Effiong, had requested that he be kept in EFCC custody instead, but the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, opposed the request. During…
The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the employment of 1,010 secondary school teachers in the state. According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Monday, the governor’s approval came after the completion of the recruitment process by the state Teaching Service Commission which screened thousands of applicants last year. Adeniyan said the successful candidates are to begin their documentation immediately. The statement read, “The governor had given approval for the recruitment of 1010 secondary school and 1000 primary school teachers last year, which signalled the start of the recruitment exercise by TESCOM and…
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has approved a two-year tax waiver for traders affected by the September 2024 flood disaster and the Maiduguri Monday market fire incident. The Chairman of the Borno State Internal Revenue Service (BO-IRS), Prof. Ibrahim Bello, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Maiduguri on Sunday, said the move aimed at facilitating economic recovery and easing financial burdens on businesses. He explained that the waiver is part of the state government’s ongoing tax administration reforms, designed to enhance the ease of doing business and encourage economic growth. The September 2024 flood disaster significantly disrupted economic activities…
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, at the weekend maintained that only contractors who can deliver quickly are needed to work on Nigerian roads, stressing that henceforth, contractors must get to site two weeks before they are paid mobilisation fees. Speaking while inspecting ongoing works on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) from Zuba Interchange to Western Bypass in Kaduna, the minister said that this would guarantee that road projects are not abandoned by those he described as ‘recalcitrant’ contractors. However, he lauded Messrs Infiouest International (Nig) Limited, which he said has proven its capacity to deliver quality jobs…
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government areas pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission. The governor also directed the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administration by Monday, March 3, 2025. Fubara gave the directive in a statewide broadcast in Government House, Port Harcourt, on Sunday evening, in response to the Supreme Court judgment. This is the first time the governor will be speaking since last Friday’s Supreme…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, paid a condolence visit to the home of late Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, who died a few weeks ago. He described the late Adebanjo as a man of courage who stood unwaveringly for truth and justice. During a visit to the late elder statesman’s residence in Lekki, Lagos, Jonathan emphasized that no nation could thrive without upholding these values. He said, “When we learned about the death of our leader I issued a statement. Some of you must have read that statement, but I said that statement in newspapers was not enough, we…
The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has called on Muslim faithful to embody the spirit of the fasting season to show brotherly love and devotion to God. The former governor of Anambra made the call on Saturday in his 2025 Ramadan message to felicitate with the faithful on his X handle. According to him, as the holy month of Ramadan begins, following the official sighting of the moon and the pronouncement by the Sultan, I would like to urge our Muslim brethren to embody the spirit of the season. “Let’s continue to show brotherly love,…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has blacklisted an Indian firm, Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited, over alleged production and importation of dangerous opioid combinations into West Africa, including Nigeria. In a statement signed by its Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Friday, NAFDAC accused the Indian company of producing and distributing Tafrodol and Royal 225—drugs containing a harmful mix of Tapentadol, an opioid, and Carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant. NAFDAC stated that the substances pose severe health risks, including respiratory failure, seizures, overdose, and death. “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has…