Fuel queues spread over looming price hike
- The queues for petrol grew worse in some parts of the country on Sunday following the shutdown of many filling stations amid heightened expectations of an increase in the pump price of the product.
- The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had on February 9 said Nigerians should prepare for the pain associated with the increase in crude oil price.
- Motorists besieged the few outlets that were open for business in Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger and Borno states, while some others that had dispensed petrol the previous day were locked on Sunday.
Arrest of Ganduje’s aide: PDP Reps’ caucus accuses Buhari of breaching democratic ethos
- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus, House of Representatives, Sunday, said accused President Muhammadu Buhari of breaching democratic ethos by allowing the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest Tanko Salihi Yakassai, a former aide to Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje for criticising him.
- The caucus recalled that Yakassai was arrested following his criticism of the authorities on the abduction of over 300 schoolgirls in Zamfara State recently.
- The PDP caucus in a statement signed by its leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers State) faulted the arrest, saying it was against the freedom of expression guaranteed by the 1999 constitution.
- Also calling on the President to pay attention to Yakassai’s message, the PDP lawmakers sued for the immediate release of the former aide.
Nigerians will be shocked by those behind schoolgirls’ abduction, says Matawalle
- The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, on Sunday said he had many revelations to make about the attack on Government Girls’ Secondary School, Jangebe on Friday, when over 300 students were abducted.
- The governor, who stated this when 17 Emirs in the state paid him a sympathy visit over the abduction of the schoolgirls, said Nigerians would be shocked to know people behind the abduction of the girls.
- Matawalle thanked the Emirs for the solidarity visit and assured them that he would not abandon his peace accord with the bandits no matter what the people would say.
- He said “As we await the arrival of the released kidnapped students of GSSS Jangebe at the Government House today, I want to inform you that there are many revelations in relation to the abduction of these students many people will be surprised to hear those people behind the abduction of these innocent children.”
NDLEA arrests Algeria-bound trafficker with N1bn cocaine hidden in yogurt
- A 36-year-old suspected trans-border drug trafficker, Nkem Timothy, alias Auwalu Audu, has been arrested in Sokoto by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
- He was apprehended while trying to cross to Algeria through Niger Republic with 62 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine weighing 1.550kg and with an estimated street value of about N1bn.
- The Sokoto State acting Commander of the NDLEA, Bamidele Segun, according to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, stated that the suspect was intercepted on a motorcycle around the Baggage area of the Illela border while trying to cross to Niger Republic, en route Algeria, where he resides.
FG partners firm to reduce Nigeria’s wheat import
- The Federal Government on Sunday announced that it had entered into partnership with Crown Flour Mills to reduce the importation of wheat into Nigeria.
- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, expressed delight in the interest shown by Crown Flour Mill to partner the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to expand the production capacity of wheat in Nigeria.
- Nanono said the initiative would reduce wheat importation, enhance food security and nutrition, conserve scarce foreign exchange and create jobs.
