Author: Opalim Lifted

Dangote Refinery has announced that it will begin the free direct distribution of petrol nationwide on September 15. The refinery announced the development in a post on its X page on Thursday. According to the post, the scheme will begin in 11 states, adding that the refinery will “subsequently expand our operations into other states”. The plant said the product will be sold at an ex-gantry price of N820 per litre. Dangote refinery listed the states to include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara states. According to the refinery, petrol will be delivered to…

Only 14 out of 171 associations seeking to become political parties have scaled through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) first round of screening. Sam Olumekun, INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter education, announced the development after the commission’s weekly meeting in Abuja on Thursday. He revealed that 157 groups failed to meet the basic legal and constitutional requirements. The 14 successful associations include the African Transformation Party (ATP), All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Advance Nigeria Congress (ANC), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Grassroots Initiative Party (GRIP), Green Future…

By Bamidele Johnson Watching him deliver a lecture at Bishop Mike Okonkwo’s birthday reminded me of how sharp a speaker Professor Yemi Osinbajo is. The video was shared with me late last night by Funsho Balogun, but I was already sleepy when it came. I woke up to pee much later and decided to see what it was all about, having seen people circulate it days before. Osinbajo deserves hectolitres of kudos and “more blezzing” (I would have added Trovi if he were not a preacher) for taking the hammer to one of the most corrosive features of today’s Christianity,…

Michael Numa, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and counsel to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator, has asked Yahaya Danzaria, acting clerk of the national assembly, to facilitate her resumption or face legal action. Natasha had, in a letter dated August 28, 2025, notified the clerk of her intention to resume on September 4, the date she said marked the end of her six-month suspension. On Tuesday, the national assembly prevented Natasha from resuming legislative duties, insisting that her suspension is still a subject of litigation. In a letter dated September 10, Numa said the clerk’s claim that her…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted Mahmud Usman, a commander of the proscribed Ansaru sect, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Usman, better known by his aliases Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar, entered a guilty plea on Thursday to the charge that he engaged in illegal mining activities, proceeds of which he used to procure arms for terrorism and kidnapping operations. Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, ordered that the defendant be held in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending trial on 31 other counts filed against him. Usman, who styled himself as…

Fatoumatta Njai, a Gambian lawmaker, has asked the Nigerian senate to reinstate Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central. Akpoti-Uduaghan had, in a letter dated August 28, 2025, notified the clerk to the national assembly of her intention to resume on September 4, the date she said marked the end of her six-month suspension. On Tuesday, the national assembly prevented Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming legislative duties, insisting that her suspension is still a subject of litigation. Njai, who chairs the gender and children’s welfare committee of the Gambian parliament, made the demand in a letter dated September 9, 2025, and addressed to…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned two senior commanders of Ansaru, a terrorist organisation. The two commanders of the Al-Qaeda-linked sect — Mahmud Usman, aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, the self-styled Emir of Ansaru; and Mahmud al-Nigeri, aka Malam Mamuda, Bara’s deputy and chief of staff were arraigned on Thursday before Emeka Nwite, a judge, on a 32-count charge bordering on terrorism. The suspects who were recently arrested during operations by security forces are facing charges bordering on leading a terrorist organisation, financing its activities, recruiting fighters, and coordinating violent attacks across Nigeria. In July 2022, Ansaru militants were linked…

The Federal Government has introduced 26 technical education trade areas in a move it says would align Nigeria’s skills acquisition with industry demands. The reform will take effect from the 2025/2026 academic year. Folasade Boriowo, the education ministry’s spokesperson, said the trade areas will see all federal science and technical colleges (FSTCs) transition to full-fledged federal technical colleges. Under the new structure, students will be required to take one trade course alongside general subjects. She said Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, stated that the move is part of an effort to “reduce overload” and produce a more skilled workforce.…

Adekunle Gold, the Nigerian singer, has announced that his highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Fuji’ will be released on October 3. In a post via his Instastory, the ‘Coco Money’ hitmaker revealed that the album tells his personal story, capturing lessons, friendships, victories, grief, and the joy of fatherhood. “I’ve been working quietly on something that marks a new chapter for me. Music that carries where I come from, who I have become, and where I’m heading,” he wrote. “This album is my story, the lessons I have learned, the friendships I have lost, the wins I have celebrated, the…

The court of appeal has set aside a high court ruling in the case between First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) and General Hydrocarbons Ltd (GHL). First Bank had alleged fraudulent diversion of proceeds of sale from an oil cargo which it said GHL had pledged as security for a loan. The high court had ruled that the matter in contention was not a maritime claim but a case of debt recovery. First Bank proceeded to file an appeal against the ruling. In its ruling on Thursday, the appeal court set the high court judgement aside. The court authorised the sale…