Breaking: IGP Orders Withdrawal Of Police Personnel From 23 Rivers LG Secretariat

  The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel previously deployed to seal off the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. The directive was announced on Monday in a statement by Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command. According to the statement, the order follows recent political developments in Rivers State. The newly deployed State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, conveyed the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the Local Government Secretariats in the state.” The statement emphasized that the decision “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.” It further clarified that personnel will only be redeployed to those areas if there was a crisis or breakdown of law and order, at which point emergency measures would be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy. The Rivers State Command assured the public of its continued commitment to maintaining peace and order across the state, while reiterating its professional conduct in carrying out its duties. Residents and stakeholders were urged to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation unfolds.

Breaking: Lion Kills 35-Year-Old Worker In Obasanjo Library’s Zoo

  The Ogun State Police Command on Sunday confirmed that a 35-year-old zoo worker at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Babaji Daule, was on Saturday killed by a lion. The spokesman for the state police command, Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Sunday. The Bauch State born lion handler was said to have forgotten to secure the locks and barricade the lion’s enclosure before approaching the cage to feed the animal. This reportedly allowed the lion to escape and attack the handler, resulting in injuries to his neck and eventual death The victim’s body was said to have been removed and taken to the mortuary at Ijaye General Hospital, while the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler. Details later

Breaking: Adeleke Cuts workdays For Osun Workers.

  In response to high transportation costs, Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved re-scheduled working days for various categories of civil servants and an extension of payment of palliatives for public servants for the next two months. The approval which was contained in a circular from the Office of the Head of Service, was in pursuance of Governor Adeleke’s commitment to the well-being of workers, and a response to the present economic situation in the Country. By this Circular, therefore, and until another directive is given, the working day schedules for Public Servants in the State have been approved as follow: Public servants on GL.01 to GL.10 – Three days a week Public Servants on GL12 to GL.17 – Four days a week The Circular further noted that these arrangements exclude those on essential duties such as medical personnel, security officers, political office holders and Accounting Officers. “It is also important to note that arrangement as to which days each public servant in the above categories will be at work shall be arranged by the Accounting Officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government. The Governor has also graciously approved the continuation of payment of the agreed palliatives to public servants in the state for the next two months pending the commencement of the new minimum wage. All Accounting Officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of governments, including Local Governments, were further directed to comply. Signed Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Spokesperson to the State Governor

NNPCL Purchases Fuel from Dangote Refinery at N898 per Litre

  The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced that it has acquired fuel from Dangote Refinery at a price of N898 per litre. The oil firm had moved about 300 trucks to the 650,000 capacity refinery in Lagos, on Saturday, and loading commenced on Sunday. Speaking with Daily Trust over the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, Chief Spokesperson of the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, said, “We successfully loaded PMS at the Dangote Refinery today. The claim that we purchased it at N760 per liter is incorrect. For this initial loading, the price from the refinery was N898 per liter.” He told our correspondent that as of the time of filing the report, over 70 trucks had been loaded. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, had announced that NNPCL would be the sole off-taker of refined petrol from Dangote Refinery. At the Technical Sub-Committee meeting on the sale of crude oil to local refineries in Naira, on Friday, the Finance Minister who was represented by Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), had said diesel from the Dangote Refinery would be sold in Naira to any interested off-taker, while PMS would only be sold to NNPCL, which will then sell to various marketers. He announced the completion of all agreements and modalities for the implementation of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval on the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira. FEC under the leadership of President Tinubu had approved the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira. The government explained that the initiative was aimed at reducing pressure on the naira, eliminating unnecessary transaction costs, and improving the availability of petroleum products in the country. “Since then, the implementation committee chaired by the Hon. Minister of Finance and the technical committee have worked intensely with NNPCL and Dangote Refinery to fashion out the details of the modalities for the implementation of the FEC approval. “I am glad to announce that all agreements have been completed and loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday 15th September. From 1st October, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira. “In return, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid for in Naira. Diesel will be sold in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested offtaker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC, NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now,” he said. He added that all associated regulatory costs (NPA, NIMASA, etc.) will also be paid for in Naira. The government, according to the minister was also setting up a one-stop shop in Lagos, that will coordinate service provision from all regulatory agencies, security agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth implementation of this initiative.

Omoyele Sowore Released After Arrest

  Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has been released shortly after his arrest. PUNCH Online earlier reported that Sowore was arrested on Sunday morning at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State. He wrote, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me. “This is not unexpected because I have always known that it is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt. His flight left Washington Dulles International Airport at 6.14 EDT and arrived in Lagos at around 9.43am. On Thursday, 12 September 2024, a DSS memo ordering the arrest of Sowore upon his arrival in Nigeria was leaked. However, in a post via his official X handle, Sowore disclosed that he had been released by the Nigerian Immigration Service and his passport had been released to him after it was earlier confiscated. He wrote, “I have just been released by the Nigerian Immigration after a brief detention and my passport released back to me.”

Just In: FG Declares September 16, Public Holiday

  The federal government has announced that Monday, September 16, will be a public holiday in observance of Eid-ul-Mawlid, which celebrates the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The minister of interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government on Friday, September 13 He congratulated the Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora for the celebration. Tunji-Ojo in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, urged the Muslim Ummah and, by extension, Nigerians, to imbibe the spirit of patience, sacrifice, and resilience. While congratulating the Muslim Ummah on the occasion, the minister implored them to use the opportunity of the period to pray for enduring peace and a more prosperous nation.