The Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened a nationwide strike.

The union decried the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters pertaining to academics in Nigerian Federal Universities. The body of academics, during an ongoing press briefing at the University of Abuja, also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

The body said it saw the increment as a wage award that could be withdrawn by the government anytime it deems fit.

Speaking during the ongoing briefing, the President of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke noted that it has given the Tinubu-led government enough time to set things in motion.

Osodeke noted that the union was also concerned over the failure of the Federal Government to appoint members of Governing Councils for Federal owned universities.
Osodeke also noted that the dissolution of the governing councils was illegal as it was against the principles guiding the existing universities.

The National Universities Commission had, on June 22, 2023, announced the dissolution of governing councils of all federal universities and boards of other agencies and parastatals in the country.
The NUC directive was based on a similar one three days earlier by President Bola Tinubu ordering the dissolution of the boards of all government parastatals, agencies and companies.

A man who was arrested in Edo State for dressing his four-year-old girl in skimpy dresses to dance inappropriately on social media has revealed his motives.

According to him, he dressed her in skimpy dresses and posted the content on her Instagram page in anticipation of her upcoming birthday.

He said part of the strategy was to make his daughter a celebrity.

The father, simply identified as Suleiman, was arrested on Sunday after the controversial posts went viral, sparking outrage and concern for the child’s well-being.

In a video released by the state police command and sighted by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, the father said, “I am used to watching other people’s content creation; comedy, and those other people, so I think that she is too small, so she cannot be doing comedy, so I decided to bring her up in a model way, to be dressing like a model, and to look like a model.”

When pressed further about the appropriateness of his actions, the father revealed his intentions. “This month is her birthday, May 28. So, I wanted to mark her birthday bash on her Instagram.:

The police officer interrogating the father then questioned the morality of his actions, asking, “So, do you think you have done a good thing to the life of that young girl?”

The father responded, “To my understanding, I want her to become a celebrity.”

The incident sparked widespread concern and condemnation from child protection advocates and the public, raising questions about the exploitation of minors as the child, in many videos, has been seen with her father dancing inappropriately among many other things.

The police statement released after the father’s arrest read, “The Edo State Police Command is aware of the trending video of a child of about four years old conspicuously naked and used as adult content in an undisclosed hotel in Auchi, Edo State.

“The Commissioner of Police Edo State Command, CP Funsho Adegboye, immediately drafted a tactical team to go all out and arrest the suspect and his cohort.

“Within 12 hours, the father of the girl was arrested, investigation has commenced further revelation will be made known to the public.”

Gombe State High Court has convicted and sentenced the duo of Abdulwahab Magaji and Salihu Musa to nine years imprisonment for employment fraud and intent to defraud.

Magaji faced a one-count charge of employment scam while Musa was arraigned on two-count charges of intent to defraud and conspiracy by the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The charge against Magaji reads: “That you Abdulwahab Adamu Magaji and Adamu Usman between January and December 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court obtained the aggregate sum of Seven million and eight hundred thousand Naira, N7,800,000, only from one Hajia Hauwa Ali which you claimed was payment for the offer of an employment at the Ministry of Health in Gombe, Gombe State and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”

One of the charges against Musa reads: “That you Salihu Musa sometime in January 2023 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with intent to defraud, made false documents, to wit: Bank of America ATM card with card No 4658656032040012, Australia New Zealand Bank Debit card, etc, which you knew to be false document and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 362 of the penal code law and punishable under Section 364 of the same law.”

The EFCC in a statement on its official X handle said the defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel S.E Okemini to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel, I.S Gadah and U.M Mojaji pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the defendants were first-time offenders.

Delivering the judgement Justice Abdulhamid Yakubu convicted and sentenced Musa to six years imprisonment with an option to pay a N60,000 fine.

He also forfeited an iPhone S6 being the tool of his crime to the federal government while Magaji bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of N30,000.

The judge also ordered Magaji to pay N7,800,000 (Seven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira, the proceeds of his crime to his victim within three months, beginning from May 2024.

The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a man caught with what looked like an Improvised Explosive Device inside a commercial Bank in Plateau State.

DAILY POST reported that a video on Monday surfaced of a young man caught attempting to detonate a bomb in a bank in Dadin Kowa town of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, said the yet-to-be-identified man wore belts packed with what appeared to be a Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SPBIED).

Makama had said the suspect was apprehended on Monday when he was found with an apparent bomb strapped to his body to detonate at the bank.

The security expert explained that the vigilante Security at the bank prevented the detonation after they spotted the suspect, arresting him before he could achieve his aim.

Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the State Police, DSP Alfred Alabo, said the command immediately deployed its officers to the Bank after an alarm was raised.

According to him, it was later discovered that the explosives seen on the young man were fake.

The Lagos State Police Command has announced the arrest of about 428 suspects from different black spots across the state.

The State Police Spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, made this known in a statement on Monday.

According to him, the suspects were arrested at Fagba, Orile, Mile-2, Oshodi, Dopemu, Alausa, Ijora Badia, among other places.

He further stated that after screening, the suspects, who were found not culpable were released, while others would be charged to court.

No fewer than 2,500 suspected criminals have been arrested in the last four months through the massive raid of black spots in Lagos State.

The Kaduna State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said it confiscated 425,127kg of illicit drugs in April.

The state NDLEA Commander, Mr Samaila Danmalam, who revealed this, said the 71 suspects were arrested in connection with various drug crimes.

He listed the seized drugs to include cannabis sativa, cocaine, rohypnol, methamphetamine and heroin.

According to him, the agency dislodged 10 drug joints, secured seven convictions and arraigned six suspects within the period under review.

The commander said numerous enlightenment programmes against drug abuse were conducted under the agency’s non kinetic approach to combat drug crimes.

Danmalam attributed the success recorded to synergy with sister agencies, traditional rulers, community heads and the media, calling for more support and cooperation to make the state drug free.

The Police has filed a three-count charge against two persons before the Federal High Court, Lagos, for alleged cyberstalking, illegal publication and defamation of a monarch, Oba Saheed Elegushi.

The two defendants were identified as Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye.

DAILY POST gathered that the two will be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, before Justice Abimbola Awogboro.

It was alleged that Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, alongside others at large, between the months of December 2023 and March 2024, in Lagos, conspired to commit felony bordering on cyberstalking, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Abuja, UniAbuja, says the union will not call off its strike until all issues are addressed.

The branch Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, told NAN on Monday in Abuja that the members were not working.

“Those against the strike may possibly be beneficiaries of what the union is fighting against.

“Any member found breaking the strike will be subjected to disciplinary procedure.”

According to him, 90 to 95 per cent of lecturers are on strike.

NAN reports that ASUU, UniAbuja branch, had on May 2 declared an indefinite strike to draw the attention of the school management to issues bordering its members.

One of the issues listed by the union was the university’s refusal to conduct elections for the office of the Deans of Faculties and Provost, College of Health Sciences.

The union also accused the University of carrying out promotion of some members of staff without following due process.

Other reasons for the strike, according to the union, include: “Advertorial for the vacancy of the post of Vice Chancellor without following due process, among others.’’

The chairman said that ASUU as a body in the university had withdrawn the services of its members.

“ASUU do not lock university, what ASUU did was to withdraw the services our members render to the university.”

What we are saying is that our members are not working,” he said.

On the issue of some lecturers indicating interest to lecture, he said that even in a national strike some would still want to go against the action.

However, Dr Habib Yakoob, the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, said the management was not aware of any strike.

Yakoob said that many lecturers have indicated interest to lecture, adding that students were also prepared to receive lectures.

Namitra Bwala, the student at the centre of a recently viral video depicting her being bullied by fellow students, on Monday, has initiated legal proceedings against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

On April 22, an X user, #mooyeeeeeee, posted videos of a female student of Lead British International School, who was seen being bullied by her classmates.

In one of the videos, the victim was seen being slapped repeatedly by another female student while asking “Who broke my heart?”

In another video, the victim was seen sitting next to a male classmate who was heard saying “I spoilt her relationship”.

However, the lawsuit, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory under case number FCT/HC/CV/2341/24: MISS NAMTIRA BWALA v LEAD BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LTD, seeks damages from the educational institution for its alleged failure to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for the plaintiff.

According to a public statement on Monday issued by Marvin Omorogbe., the founding partner of the law firm representing Bwala, the legal action is aimed at holding the school accountable for its negligent conduct regarding the highly publicized incident.

The lawsuit further requested, “the Defendant to issue a public apology to the Clamant in two national daily newspapers.

“An order directing the Defendant to pay the Claimant the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) as general damages for the Defendant’s breach of the duty of care it owes to the Claimant, and its negligent conduct in failing to prevent the assault, torment, emotional distress, pain, trauma and breach of privacy suffered by the Claimant while under the Defendant’s custody and supervision.”

The law firm emphasised its client’s hopes that the lawsuit would catalyse meaningful changes and prompt the implementation of adequate measures to prevent similar occurrences within the school premises.

“Our client hopes that this lawsuit will bring about drastic changes and adequate measures to prevent a reoccurrence of similar issues in the school,” the statement added.

The viral video, which sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, depicted Ms Bwala being subjected to bullying by her peers, raising concerns about the school’s ability to ensure the safety and well-being of its students.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called upon a French airline, Air France-KLM, to make its lower-priced ticket fares available to Nigerian travellers, emphasising the importance of fairness in ticketing.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Keyamo, Tunde Moshood on Monday.

More than two years ago, foreign airlines, including Air France-KLM, suspended their low-priced tickets for Nigerian routes due to ticket revenue, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, being inaccessible in Nigeria.

However, In March, the airlines started to restore their low-priced fares after the Central Bank of Nigeria finalised the payment of approximately $7bn backlog, encompassing over $700m in unremitted ticket revenue.

The statement read in parts, “During the meeting, Air France-KLM expressed appreciation for the improved facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, particularly acknowledging the enhanced experience at wing E. They also extended gratitude for the Minister’s leadership in fostering a smoother relationship between their team and various aviation regulatory agencies.

“Highlighting their commitment to innovation and service excellence, Air France-KLM announced the launch of their new Airbus A330/A350 aircraft, emphasising their dedication to deploying modern and improved aircraft services on routes within Nigeria. This initiative aligns with their overarching goal of providing Nigerian travellers with a superior journey experience.

“Air France-KLM commended the Minister for his intervention and successful facilitation of fund repatriation, showcasing the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in overcoming challenges within the aviation sector.

“In response, the Minister welcomed the Air France-KLM team and expressed gratitude for their visit. He emphasised the importance of equitable pricing for Nigerian travellers, urging the airline to consider offering lower-priced ticket fares to ensure parity with fares in neighbouring regions.”

Keyamo emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to partnering with the travel industry, stressing collaboration with Air France-KLM to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for Nigerians.

“He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to fostering partnerships within the travel industry, emphasising the government’s open-door policy and willingness to collaborate with airlines to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for all Nigerians.

“The courtesy visit by Air France-KLM exemplifies the mutual commitment to advancing the aviation sector in Nigeria and lays the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at delivering unparalleled travel experiences to passengers across the nation.”

In a tense turn of events at the University of Ibadan, officers of the Nigerian Army have reportedly arrested and detained four individuals amid a protest against fee hikes.

It was gathered that the detained protesters, identified as Aduwo Ayodele, Made Gbadegesin, Olorunfemi Adeyeye, and Nice Linus, were apprehended and bundled into an Army van during a Monday demonstration.

Adeyeye, the National Secretary of the African Action Congress, managed to record a distressing video while inside the van. In it, a man in military uniform is clinging to the vehicle as it speeds towards the Agodi area of Ibadan.

In a distress message sent to our correspondent on WhatsApp chat, Adeyeye said, “UI security officers swooped on us as I joined UI students to raise placards. They dragged us, beat us, and then called soldiers from Operation Burst.”

A student, requesting anonymity for fear of victimisation, disclosed that the arrests occurred concurrently with a swearing-in ceremony for the new Students’ Union executives, with protesters voicing their dissent against the fee hike.

Efforts to reach the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Brig. General Onyema Nwachukwu and the UI Dean of Students Affairs, Prof Adekeye Abiona, were futile at press time.

Expressing condemnation and demanding the protesters’ release, human rights group, the Take It Back Movement, in a post on X, said, “Here is @activistfemi being moved to an unknown location by @HQNigerianArmy officers. He was arrested by operation burst during an ongoing protest around the University of Ibadan. We condemn this as despicable, and demand his immediate release.”

The National Association of Nigerian Students in April denounced the “outrageous” fee hike for new UI students, citing financial burdens imposed on families already grappling with economic challenges.

According to NANS Public Relations Officer Victor Igbudu, the fee increase for the 2023/2024 academic session, which ranged from N230,000 to 412,000, was deemed unacceptable.

A viral video circulating on social media shows a woman lamenting the demolition notice served on her property in Lagos State allegedly just two months after moving in.

In the video that surfaced online on Monday, the yet-to-be-identified woman cried as she recounted the ordeal.

A picture of a demolition notice dated May 7, 2024, was also attached to the video.

She said, “We bought that property in February, and we’ve only been there for two months. All the hard work, all the sleepless nights, everything… If you’re in Lagos, you’ll know how much property in Eti Osa costs.

“Each time my son sees me crying, he will always ask me why I am crying. How do I explain this to our son? What do I tell my children? I’m trying so hard to be strong, but this is very painful.

“I don’t wish for anybody to work so hard and face something like this. I don’t.”

The video, which was shared on X.com on Monday by Spotlight Abby, tweeting with the handle #Spotlight_Abby, has garnered reactions from netizens, with some sympathising with the couple and others criticising the decision to invest in Lagos real estate citing recent incidents of demolitions.

It also raised concerns about the need for thorough due diligence before investing in real estate in the state.

One Nneka Busy Body tweeting as #Nnekabusybody wrote, “While this is sad I’m a bit confused. With the uncertain investment landscape of Lagos and everything we see and read about, you still went and bought property in Lagos in 2024? How? Why?”

Another user tweeting anonymously as #ideniyor wrote, “She and her husband deserve it. They bought a land without lawyers and due diligence. Cry me a river. The seller landed a fast one on them.”

This is not the first time property demolitions in Lagos have sparked controversy.

Last week residents of Mende Estate Villa in the Maryland area of Lagos State decried the demolition of their multimillion-naira houses in the area by the state government while seeking compensation for a new shelter.

Speaking on the incident, the state commissioner for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed that the government issued the residents of Mende Villa Estate two demolition notices in 2021 and 2023.

On Wednesday, Wahab, in a post on X.com, also hinted that illegal builders whose houses are demolished may soon be asked to pay for the demolition.

World record holder Tobi Amusan, is the fastest woman in the women’s 100m hurdles this year after running a blistering 12.40s to win the first Jamaica Athletics Invitational in Kingston, to win the race ahead of Jamaican and world champion, Danielle Williams.

For most part of the race, Amusan was behind reigning world champion Williams and America’s Nia Ali but surged ahead in the closing stages, beating the previous world-leading time of 12.42s set by Tonea Marshall of the USA on April 20.Williams finished second in 12.46s seconds, with Christina Clemens of the USA taking third place in 12.54s.

Another Jamaican athlete, Yanique Thompson, secured fourth in 12.59s while Ali slipped to fifth with a time of 12.65s.

Amusan and other prominent athletes snubbed the Doha Diamond League to attend the Jamaica Invitational.

The Nigerian ended last season on a high by winning the Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon for a third consecutive time, silencing critics about her disappointing performance at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest where she placed fifth and lost the title to Williams.

A middle-aged woman, Abike Olonade, has been arrested for trafficking a 16-year-old student to Libya.

It was reliably gathered that the victim, whose name is yet to be disclosed, is a student of Adeoye Lambo Secondary School in Obada Oko, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Confirming the arrest, the command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, in a statement in Abeokuta, on Saturday, said the suspect confessed to trafficking the victim to Libya.

She said, “One Abike Olonade has been arrested for trafficking 16 year old student of Ademoye Lambo Secondary School in Obada Oko, Ogun State.

“She confessed that the victim has been trafficked to Libya.”

The Adamawa/Taraba states command of the Nigerian Customs Service has said it recently seized 12,435 litres of Premium Motor Spirit worth N10.8 million.

The Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the command, Bashir Garba-Bature, made the disclosure while briefing journalists in Yola.

According to him, the seized items included 491×25lt and 8× 20lt jerrycans of the commodity, saying that the petroleum was intercepted in Mubi enroute to the Cameroon Republic.

“The command officers while on anti-smuggling operations along the border frontiers within the period of two weeks had recorded 05 incidents of interception of PMS on its way to the neighbouring Cameroon Republic,” he said.

He assured that the command would sustain the fight against the menace of smuggling, saying: “we have strategically deployed our operatives along the flashpoints.”

Mr Garba-Bature solicited the cooperation, understanding and collaboration of relevant stakeholders such as the media, sister security agencies and patriotic citizens to effectively put an end to the ugly trend of smuggling.

He stated, “We attributed the successes recorded to the unwavering support and encouragement being extended to us by the current leadership of the service under our Comptroller-General, Mr Bashir Adeniyi.’’

The government is implementing new laws and policies that will facilitate growth in IT-enabled services in the country, President William Ruto has said.

The objective, the President announced, is for these measures to help the government unlock opportunities in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services sector.

Consequently, the government is enhancing the country’s competitiveness and aligning it with global standards to accelerate the growth of the BPO market and other IT-enabled services.

The goal, he noted, is to scale up government investments in the relevant infrastructure, including the national broadband and digital hubs, to create jobs for at least one million digital workers in the next five years.

“We are determined to claim our fair share of the BPO pie for the benefit of our young men and women who are eager to contribute to growing our economy,” he said.

He noted that Kenya’s strength is in a large, skilled youthful workforce, government policies which give priority to the digital economy as a strategic pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, an education system that stresses digital skills, a strategic geographical location aligning with global time zones and proficiency in English, a language widely used in major economies.

President Ruto made the remarks during the launch of Call Centre International (CCI) Global Contact Centre at Tatu City in Ruiru, Kiambu County, which has already created more than 5,000 jobs.

Present were Cabinet Secretaries Rebecca Miano and Eliud Owalo, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, among others.

The President said the government is strengthening existing laws to create a conducive environment for the ICT-BPO industry to thrive.

“Our goal is to develop sector-specific legislation that aligns with international standards in the short, medium and long term,” he said.

Government efforts in strengthening the sector, President Ruto explained, include enforcing BPO standards that meet international best practices, updating fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to keep pace with technological advancements and investing in green energy.

He said the government is also working with the private sector in enhanced skills training for Kenyan youth to ensure that they are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.

“These efforts demonstrate our commitment to fostering a thriving, sustainable and globally competitive BPO sector in Kenya,” he said.

The President appealed to investors to collaborate with the government in its digital hubs programme for BPO operations to succeed and expand.

The Emir of Tikau in Yobe, Muhammadu Abubakar Ibn-Grema, is dead.

The emir’s younger brother, Abubakar Talba, confirmed the death in an interview with journalists in Damaturu on Saturday.

Mr Talba, a prince of the Tikau Emirate Council, said the emir died in Potiskum at about 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

“ Yes, I can confirm to you that the emir died after a brief illness. He was over 70 years old at the time of his death,” he said.

The prince said the deceased, a first-class chief, would be buried by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, according to Islamic rites.

Mr Ibn-Grema, whose palace is located in Nangere Local Government Area, was the paramount ruler of the Karekare people.

He was installed as emir on July 25, 2001, and spent 23 years on the throne before his demise.

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, visited Kaduna State on Friday and met with wounded and injured Nigerian soldiers at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.

PUNCH Online reported that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, visited Kaduna State on Friday, where they were welcomed by Governor Uba Sani, who gifted the Duke traditional Hausa attire and photo frames of the prince with his late mother, Princess Diana, and another with his wife.

The duo arrived in Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, an initiative Prince Harry founded to support the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans, including Nigerian soldiers engaged in a 14-year conflict against Islamic extremists.

A report on the official website of the Duke of Sussex stated that Prince Harry toured the hospital facilities alongside the Chief Medical Director, Col. NS Onuchukwu.

The report partly read, “Designed to help wounded servicemen and women recover after injury, the hospital includes a leading physiotherapy gym and a high-tech prosthetics lab which offers state-of-the-art replacements to those who have lost limbs – a donation offered by Germany that has been transformational for on-site prosthetic fittings.

“Prince Harry met up with around 50 courageous soldiers across two wards, hearing about their stories of service and sacrifice and wishing them all a speedy recovery. Two of the men he had seen at last year’s Invictus Games, and their smiles were a reminder of what they’d seen was possible post-injury.”

The report also added that Prince Harry “was especially pleased to be able to congratulate Princess Owowoh in person since her graduation from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.”

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the fuel crisis being experienced in the country will soon be a thing of the past.

Mr Bamidele gave this assurance in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the Oil Technology Conference in Houston, Texas on Friday.

He said the legislature is working tirelessly to ensure that fuel scarcity and frequent queues at filling stations are resolved.

He said there were plans to involve more private-sector players in the construction of new refineries.

“The Senate is working to ensure that more private-sector players are licensed to own and operate refineries. This is to support other smaller ones that are springing up in several parts of the country.

“In addition to licensing new refinery operators, the Federal Government and Senate are working to ensure that the existing refineries are turned around with repairs and replacement of parts carried out where necessary,” he said.

Bamidele said the Senate had received an assurance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that two of its refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt would come on stream before the end of the year.

He also noted that the commitment to licensing new refinery operators and revitalising existing refineries remained vital for increasing domestic oil production.

Opeyemi maintained that the focus was to ensure that Nigeria meets its OPEC production quota.

He explained that achieving such milestones would provide more revenue for the government and halt lack and borrowings.

By enhancing local refinery capacity, he said the country could reduce its dependence on fuel imports leading to a potential decrease in petrol prices.

He explained further that what drives pricing is the ability to meet demand in the face of every product, finding its level and place in a free market.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee of Downstream, Ifeanyi Ubah, said the last Turn Around Maintenance that happened at the refineries was about 15 years ago, which led to the comatose state of the facility.

Ubah said that the non-deregulation of the downstream sector had put undue pressure on NNPC Ltd., as the entire industry depends on the company for its petroleum needs.

He pointed out that no country could meet its energy needs by having a single entity; importing its petroleum product needs.

However, to be self-sufficient, Ubah urged the government to create a cluster of five to eight modular refineries within the riverine communities.

Over the month, thousands of commuters in the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Niger, Gombe, Sokoto and Anambra states have been left stranded at various bus stops due to the scarcity of PMS required by transporters to run their vehicles.