Author: VOP Lagos

Five days after NNPC Limited assured consumers that it had resolved logistic challenges that caused the present scarcity of petrol, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has threatened to shut down operations over failure by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, to pay about N200 billion bridging debts owed its members. Checks around the Federal Capital Territory and Abuja city centre today, showed that the shortage in petrol supply had not eased as several filling stations remained shut with long queues seen at the few outlets opened to the public. Black marketers continued to have…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has deleted his post on the X platform after shipping giant, Maersk, denied plans of investing $600 million in Nigeria’s port sector. A statement released by the presidential media team, which Onanuga shared on X, claimed that the investment was secured during a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh over the weekend. It was disclosed that A.P Moller-Maersk chairman, Robert Maersk Uggla, had discussed the investment with President Tinubu on the sidelines of a meeting discussing energy development and growth. The statement even included a direct quote…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the US is the only country that can stop Israel from attacking Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million people are taking refuge. Mr Abbas, who runs parts of the occupied West Bank, said any attack could see Palestinians flee Gaza. Israel has consistently vowed to carry out an offensive in Rafah. US President Joe Biden “reiterated his clear position” on Rafah to Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a call on Sunday. The US has repeatedly said it cannot support a large-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah without seeing a credible plan…

The Lagos State Government has stated that the ongoing removal of all contravening structures under the System I drainage channel midstream- Ojota and Ogudu, will address address major flooding issues on the mainland and its environs. The State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab made this assertion when he led some officials on an inspection tour to the enforcement sites to ascertain the level of compliance by property owners and the extent of work. He explained that System I was established in 1974 and it is the biggest and widest Primary Channel that defloods the major…

In a tragic development, Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State has again come under attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen. VOP News gathered that the attack, which occurred late Sunday evening, claimed some lives, with many others critically injured. Sources disclosed that the herders attacked mourners at Ugwuijoro Nimbo community, leaving behind tears and sorrow. A gruesome video circulating on social media showed a deserted community. A voice in the video cried out that the invaders took the villagers by surprise and shot sporadically at the mourners. Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu State Command,…

The immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday, asked his counterpart in Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to come out of his hiding and answer his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC is investigating Bello and has declared him wanted after the former governor failed to show up for arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the anti-graft agency filed N80.2bn fraud charges against him. During a public event the immediate past governor, Samuel Ortom, made a public call for his counterpart, Governor Yahaya Bello, to come forward and address the…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, said yesterday that the petrol scarcity currently spreading to more states across the country will take at least two weeks to normalise. This is even as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NPCL insisted yesterday that it has adequate stock of the product. However, the Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said the product is not available in the country. He said it has become a bit of a challenge to source the product because most refineries in Europe are undergoing turnaround maintenance. Ukadike also blamed the acute shortage in supply…

The Federal Government is planning to stop politicians guilty of tax evasion from running for elective offices in the country. The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, made this known over the weekend while speaking at the 2024 strategic retreat for staff of the Joint Tax Board. Oyedele disclosed that the Executive plans to send a bill to the National Assembly in the coming days to back up the move. He also revealed that the federal government is planning to set up a National Tax Amnesty Programme. Oyedele, however, admitted that the argument that…