₦airaland Forum

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has faulted the use of kinetic approach to insecurity, insisting that firearms alone cannot resolve insecurity.

The governor stated this at public presentation of ‘’Where I Stand’’, a book written by the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, which was translated by Sheikh Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo into Arabic.


Speaking, Sani argued that the insecurity in the North West is unlike the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, which is ideologically-driven, adding that poverty, unemployment and neglect of rural communities are at the heart of banditry.


He pointed out that “insecurity can’t be resolved solely through the use of firearms. Whoever makes such a claim is only playing politics. We must fear God, and stop deceiving the people because that approach will not work.”

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The governor added that Nigeria’s security manpower has reduced despite the country’s massive population growth in the last 45 years.

“In 1970 after the civil war, Nigeria had about 300,000 soldiers, but today they are less than 250,000 while our population has increased by over 100 million. How then can anyone say that guns alone will solve the problem? It is impossible,” he stressed.

He lamented the absence of security presence in large parts of the Northwest, saying ‘’if you travel to Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, or the forests of Katsina, you can go for about 50 kilometers without meeting a single policeman, not to talk of a soldier. We have vast areas in this country without any security personnel.”

According to him, the Kaduna Peace Model which emphasises non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity, was initiated by the affected communities, involving traditional, religious leaders and other stakeholders.

Citing the case of Birnin Gwari, the Governor disclosed that the Emir spearheaded the return of peace in the area, adding that ‘’we spent six months trying to understand the root causes of insecurity.’’

Governor Uba Sani who said that ‘’we discovered that poverty, unemployment, lack of schools, hospitals, and commerce in rural areas pushed people into crime,’’ insisted that leaders must take responsibility.

“We should not deceive our people by saying President Tinubu or National Security Adviser Ribadu is responsible. We should not expect them to go to Giwa, Birnin Gwari or Dansadau forest to solve the problem for us.

“We were elected by the people, and it is our duty to do everything possible to protect our people. I decided to embark on the non-kinetic approach to address insecurity in Kaduna State because it’s me that God will hold responsible in the hereafter,’’ he added.

However, this reaction is coming days after Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, a former governor of Kaduna State, critised negotiating with bandits and other aspects of the non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, the former governor said, “I still maintain my earlier stance in dealing with these bandits. Kill them all. Reduce them to nothing. I’m a no-nonsense person. You don’t pamper terrorists by saying you are negotiating with them. It has never worked anywhere.”

“What this government is doing, is that they have succeeded in suppressing the media not to report insecurity issues. The present security challenges, particularly in my State (Kaduna) is more than what we had in the past.”

El-Rufai also claimed that the insecurity ravaging the North was higher than how it was before Tinubu-led federal government came on board, accusing the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) of coordinating ransom payments to bandits to free kidnap victims.

But the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, had had dismissed the claim, saying at no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under Tinubu’s administration engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals.

A bloody weekend across Nigeria left at least 102 people dead, including security personnel and suspected bandits, in a series of violent incidents reported in Borno, Sokoto, Edo and Katsina states.

Katsina: Bandits Kill Seven in Night Raid

In Katsina State, seven people were killed when armed bandits raided Magajin Wando village between 11 p.m. and midnight on Friday. According to the Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the attack was initially repelled by the Community Watch Corps (CWC), a volunteer security group dedicated to protecting local communities. However, as the corps members were evacuating the injured to hospital, they were ambushed by the same bandits in what appears to be a revenge attack.

The ministry confirmed a fierce exchange of gunfire during the ambush, during which the CWC vehicle was riddled with bullets and later set ablaze. Fortunately, the corps members escaped unharmed. Preliminary investigations suggest that several bandits were killed during the initial confrontation, which may have prompted the retaliatory ambush.

The Katsina State Government commended the CWC for its bravery and sacrifice, stating that their swift response prevented what could have been a far worse tragedy. Authorities assured that the state government is working closely with the military and police forces to track down and dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the attacks, which continue to plague northwestern Nigeria.

Sokoto: Villagers Kill 15 Bandits, Rescue Hostages

In a remarkable display of community resilience, residents of Shagari and Bimasa villages in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State launched a coordinated counteroffensive against bandits who had laid siege to their communities. In a prolonged gun battle lasting several hours, the villagers reportedly killed 15 bandits.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits, who attacked in large numbers, were overpowered by the coordinated self-defense efforts of the communities. The locals also freed scores of kidnapped victims who had been held hostage in nearby forests. During the retreat, the bandits abandoned dozens of rustled cattle, which were recovered by the villagers.

The joint action by Shagari and Bimasa communities has been hailed as a turning point in the fight against banditry in the region. Community leaders have called on the Sokoto State Government and federal authorities to reinforce security in the area to prevent possible reprisals from the defeated bandits.

“We will never allow bandits to dictate our lives again,” declared a youth leader from Shagari, reflecting the renewed hope among residents that the tide is finally turning against rural banditry.

Borno: Boko Haram Kills 63 in Darajamal
Meanwhile, in Borno State, Boko Haram insurgents launched a deadly attack on Darajamal, a community near Bama, killing 63 people, comprising five soldiers and approximately 58 civilians. The civilians were mostly internally displaced persons who had been resettled in Darajamal two months prior after fleeing earlier attacks.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum visited the community on Saturday to console grieving families and community leaders. Visibly moved, he condemned the attack in the strongest terms, describing it as a brutal act against innocent people striving to rebuild their lives.

“We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night that has claimed the lives of many people. It is very sad. This community was settled a few months ago and they go about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night. Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience,” Governor Zulum said.

Confirming the casualty figures, he added, “At this moment, we have confirmed that 63 people lost their lives, both civilians and military, although the civilian casualties are more. Close to about 60 civilians and five soldiers lost their lives.”

Governor Zulum also noted the challenges faced in the ongoing fight against insecurity in Borno and called for the immediate deployment of the newly trained Forest Guards to support the military in protecting vulnerable communities. “We have to take note that the numerical strength of the military is not enough to cover everywhere.

So far so good, two sets of Forest Guards have been trained, therefore one of the solutions that we need to implement immediately is to deploy the trained Forest Guards to most of the locations that are vulnerable; they will protect the forest and communities,” he said.

Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, representing Borno Central (which includes Darajamal), condemned the attack, calling it a crime against humanity. He expressed his commitment to support Governor Zulum through legislative measures aimed at restoring peace in the state.

Reports also indicate that scores of residents remain unaccounted for following the attack, with their whereabouts unknown at press time.

The weekend’s violence underscores the continuing security challenges facing multiple regions across Nigeria. From banditry and kidnapping in the northwest to insurgency in the northeast, the clashes have resulted in significant loss of life and heightened insecurity for vulnerable communities.

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has announced that he will be taking a short break from public engagements following medical advice.

Obi disclosed this in a post on his official X handle on Saturday, stating that he had not been feeling well while attending an event in Enugu.

According to him, a doctor prescribed medication and recommended one or two days of rest.

“In obedience to the doctor’s advice, I will not be able to meet up with all my scheduled engagements within and outside the country this weekend. I sincerely apologise for any inconveniences this might cause and humbly plead for understanding,” Obi wrote.

The former governor also highlighted his recent activities, including attending a tourism event in Enugu before travelling to Good Hope Specialist Hospital, Isulo, Orumba South LGA of Anambra State.

He said he made an initial contribution of ₦10 million to support the Aguata Diocese of the Church of Nigeria in acquiring and revitalising the hospital.

“Yesterday, after speaking at a Tourism event in Enugu, I travelled to Good Hope Specialist Hospital, Isulo, Orumba South LGA of Anambra State, which is being acquired by the Aguata Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, and made my initial modest contribution of ₦10 million to aid the Diocese’s acquisition and revitalisation of the hospital facility,” he said.

Obi commended the Diocese’s plan to transform the hospital into a comprehensive health complex with a School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Technology, describing healthcare as one of the most meaningful investments for the country.

From Isulo, he later proceeded to Owerri, Imo State, where he joined a dinner organised by Barrister Nnaemeka Maduagwu in honour of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

No ₦500 Fuel Levy To Take Effect In January 2026, Awaits Minister's Order —Presidential Tax Reform Chairman Taiwo Oyedele Clarifies

The Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed reports that Nigerians will begin paying a ₦500 fuel surcharge from January 2026, describing the claims as false and misleading.

Oyedele, in a fresh video released by the State House, explained that while the new tax law provides for a fuel surcharge under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Act, the provision has not yet taken effect.

“What we have is that there’s a law that was enacted some years back with a surcharge on fuel under the FEMA Act. This is a provision that is now in the new tax law, and it does not take effect as of January 2026,” he clarified.

According to him, the implementation date will only be determined by an official order from the Minister of Finance.

“I know some people have been giving wrong information about this. What is in the new tax law is that this surcharge will take effect on a date in the future, based on an order to be released by the Minister of Finance. And we do know that Mr Finance is responsible enough to determine when it’s appropriate to do so,” Oyedele said.

He added that the intended purpose of the surcharge is to channel revenues into transport infrastructure projects, which he claimed would eventually reduce the cost of logistics, ease the burden on commuters, and bring down inflation for ordinary Nigerians.

The clarification comes amid growing public anxiety that another round of hardship looms with the anticipated introduction of fresh fuel-related taxes under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

A legal expert, Dr. Misbau Alamu Lateef, also explained that the 5% levy on petroleum products has been in Nigeria’s laws since 2007 under the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Amendment Act, but was never enforced.

He said: “This is my most important message here, this re-enacted provision on 5% surcharge on fossil fuels is neither active yet nor set to become operative in January 2026, as it is being erroneously circulated in places. Its commencement is expressly conditional.

“The new law (Tax Administration Act 2025) states that the 5% levy shall be imposed ‘with effect from such date as the Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, appoint.’ This means the levy can only commence after the Minister of Finance conducts a review and issues a formal commencement order. To the best of my knowledge, no such order has been made or published.

“Therefore, the surcharge is not set to take effect in January 2026. Whilst the January 2026 date is the general commencement for the four tax laws, this specific 5% surcharge remains dormant until the required ministerial action.

“In that sense, and perhaps as it was under FERMA Act 2007, the re-enacted 5% surcharge appears to be a provision for future revenue prospecting, not an immediate fiscal measure.”

The average price of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas dropped by 17.4 percent on a month-on-month, MoM basis, to N11,875 in August 2025 from N14,375 in July.

On a year-on-year, YoY basis, the average retail price declined by 16.7 percent from N14, 261.57 recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

Meanwhile, checks by Vanguard confirmed that the price of 1kg currently retails at N950, N1,000 and N1,020 depending on the location.

However the latest report released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) Price Watch for July 2025, disclosed that the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of gas decreased by 1.91 percent on a month-on-month basis to N20,609.48 in July 2025 from N21,010.56 in June.

The report stated “On state profile analysis, Adamawa state recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas with N22,528.39 followed by Rivers state with N22,512.49 and Taraba with N22,363.57.

Conversely, the lowest average price was recorded in Yobe state N19,030.00, followed by Niger and Nasarawa states with N19,154.99 and N20,000.62 respectively.

The Defence Headquarters has ordered retired soldiers protesting at the Federal Ministry of Finance Headquarters in Abuja to vacate the premises.

Daily Trust had reported how dozens of retired soldiers who voluntarily exited the Nigerian Army in 2024, returned to streets after last month’s protest over unpaid benefits.

The protesters lamented what they described as the government’s failure to pay their entitlements, saying they had been neglected for too long.

But reacting to their demonstration, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Markus Kanye, said the aggrieved former soldiers have already been educated.

He explained that the agitation stemmed from the introduction of two separate salary charts for military personnel in 2024, following the implementation of the new minimum wage.

According to him, a “pre-minimum wage chart” was in effect between January 1 and July 28, 2024, while the “minimum wage chart” took effect from July 29, 2024, and remains applicable.

The senior military officer said, “The actions of these protesting soldiers are seriously affecting the smooth conduct of activities at the Ministry of Finance.

“While the Defence Headquarters acknowledges the right to legitimate protest, the veterans are strongly advised to tread with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance to allow government functions to continue seamlessly.

“This is the message we have been directed to pass on, so that through your medium, our veterans and the Nigerian public can be properly informed.

“Let me reaffirm that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to their constitutional mandate of defending the territorial integrity of our great nation, supporting civil authorities in maintaining internal security, and ensuring peace and stability across all regions,” Kangye added.

Kangye noted that gratuity and security debarment allowance for retired personnel are calculated based on the salary chart in effect on the date of retirement.

“Before the implementation of the new minimum wage, there was a chart on which gratuity and security debarment allowance for soldiers was calculated, and later, the minimum wage chart. Essentially, there were two charts in 2024.

“The first, known as the pre-minimum wage chart, was effective from January 1, 2024, to July 28, 2024. I repeat: January 1, 2024, to July 28, 2024. This was the chart used to calculate the emoluments of retired soldiers and other military personnel.

“The second was the minimum wage chart, which took effect from July 29, 2024, and remains applicable to date. Now, the calculation of gratuity and security debarment allowance for military personnel is based on the salary chart in effect on the date of retirement.

“If a soldier retires today, his entitlements will be calculated using the current chart. If another chart is introduced tomorrow, the same soldier’s entitlements will not be recalculated based on the new chart.

“Unfortunately, the soldiers who retired between January 1 and July 28, 2024, before the implementation of the new minimum wage, want their gratuity and allowances calculated based on the new chart. This cannot be done because the policy only came into effect on July 29.

“Those who fall within the pre-minimum wage chart category are the soldiers who have continued to protest and block access to the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite repeated explanations from the Defence Headquarters,” he said.

Kangye maintained that the veterans had been adequately educated on the matter but had continued to stage protests and block access to the Ministry of Finance.

There is a popular American political proverb that goes: “Every accusation is a confession.” It describes the tendency for politicians to attribute to rivals the very traits, desires, guilty knowledge, or actions they themselves harbor or have committed.Kperogi book collection

No one embodies this proverb more spectacularly than Malam Nasir El-Rufai. For example, in 2017, he admitted on national television that he used Kaduna State resources to pay bandits who kidnapped and murdered people.

“Yes, we offered [bandits] money,” he told Channels TV’s Chamberlain Usoh. “We said, ‘Look, if we have to pay you not to kill our people, we’re happy to do it.’ Compensation for life and property has foundations even in the Qur’an and the Bible.”

Eight years later, in an August 31 interview with Channels TV, he declared: “What I will not do is to pay bandits,” then accused his political rivals of doing just that. “It’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser, and Kaduna is part of it.”

Both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Kaduna State government have flatly denied his claims.

To be fair, El-Rufai did tell BBC Hausa in February 2021 that he disagreed with Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s call for compensating bandits. And in April 2021, he vowed he would never pay ransom even if his own son were kidnapped. But he never reconciled these positions with his 2017 admission that he did, in fact, pay ransom.

In that same August 31 interview, where he accused the NSA of “empowering bandits,” El-Rufai bragged that he had “dealt with” Christian Southern Kaduna leaders and with Shia Muslims of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). “I didn’t take any nonsense from them,” he said. “Go and ask them.”Nigerian history books

What he described so cavalierly about the IMN was the cold-blooded mass massacre of more than a thousand Shia Muslims and the destruction of their place of worship. One of the victims was my Facebook friend, the brilliant young Bukhari Muhammed Bello Jega, who was murdered along with his infant daughter, wife, and sister.

Another was the family of my former Daily Trust colleague (who’s now a lecturer at ABU), Waziri Isa Gwantu, who lost three children in the state-sanctioned mass butchery.

Set aside doctrinal differences or resentments toward Shias for a moment. These were human beings whose governor ordered their slaughter simply to show he “doesn’t take nonsense.” The sheer cold-bloodedness of bragging on national television about mass killings as proof of toughness is beyond what my mind can grasp. Honestly.

Yet this same governor, who boasts of orchestrating a mass massacre, complained bitterly on AIT that the Kaduna State government he helped install sent thugs to disrupt a meeting of his loyalists on August 30.

I don’t condone violence against him or his associates. But apart from his televised braggadocio about mass murder, Senator Shehu Sani, his longtime political foe, has documented, with videos and news clippings, a sordid history of thuggery and violence sponsored by El-Rufai’s government from 2016 to 2021.

The record is damning. In December 2016, gunmen attacked Senator Sani’s constituency office, injuring many. In July 2017, armed thugs stormed a press conference at the NUJ Secretariat, assaulting Senators Sani and Hunkuyi, other politicians, and journalists.

In May 2018, at Ranchers Bees Stadium, El-Rufai cursed Kaduna’s three senators before cheering supporters and urged attacks on them. Just weeks earlier, thugs had invaded a meeting led by Senator Hunkuyi, killing one man and injuring others. And in May 2021, thugs attacked peaceful NLC protesters after mass sackings, an assault Sani says was led by El-Rufai’s aide, who was later freed on El-Rufai’s orders.

Now, in his AIT interview on August 30, El-Rufai lamented: “I’m quite disappointed and disgusted… If the authorities don’t take decisive action to end this reintroduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics, well, God help us, because nobody has a monopoly of violence. Nobody has a monopoly of thugs.”

Did he mean by “reintroduction” the continuation of the very violence and thuggery he normalized while in power?

Few Nigerian politicians weaponize the strategy of accusing others of what they themselves did as effectively as El-Rufai. It is his favorite tool for self-preservation, moral reframing, and political attack. That it collapses under the slightest scrutiny has never deterred him.Nigerian history books

Whenever El-Rufai hurls accusations, my instinct is to check when he himself did the same things he accuses others of, or to assume, if no precedent exists, that it is what he harbors or intends.

Psychologists call this “projection.” Rhetoricians call it “accusation in a mirror,” where one levels against opponents the very charges that could be leveled against oneself, thereby confusing the public and flipping blame.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s notion of “ressentiment” is also apt. It says moral condemnation can become a mask for the bitterness of lost influence, a way to strike at successors or foes who enjoy the power he no longer wields.

So, when I say every El-Rufai accusation is a confession, I am not showing off a witty American aphorism. I am describing what has now become a consistent pattern in his politics.

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) has clarified that the Federal Government does not subsidize Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), following recent pump price increases by some operators.

In a statement on Wednesday, PCNGI explained that pricing decisions are determined by private sector players, while assuring that government agencies will continue to protect consumers against exploitation.

“The recent adjustment in CNG pump price was carried out by NIPCO Gas, a private sector operator in the Auto-CNG market. NIPCO is one of several investors in the sector and, like other operators, retains the discretion to set prices in line with its business and commercial realities,” the statement said.

The Initiative stressed that it neither sets nor regulates CNG prices, noting that such responsibility lies with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

It pointed out that since April 2024, the NMDPRA has maintained an incentive-based pricing framework for Auto-CNG that ensures it is always priced lower than petrol and diesel, while empowering the regulator to act against price gouging.

PCNGI added that since the launch of the domestic gas market in June 2025, it has worked with the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) and NMDPRA to guarantee steady supply and long-term price stability.

“The era of opaque subsidies that crippled the PMS/AGO sector will not be replicated in the CNG market. Instead, the CNG sector is being developed as a transparent, investment-driven market where healthy competition will drive costs down over time,” it stated.

The Initiative disclosed that over $1 billion has been attracted into the CNG sector in the last 18 months under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It acknowledged temporary supply challenges but described them as normal in emerging markets, emphasizing that price adjustments by operators are permissible as long as they remain within regulatory limits.

PCNGI reaffirmed its commitment to working with industry players to expand supply, encourage adoption, and safeguard investor confidence in Nigeria’s CNG sector.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the recall of Mr Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who briefly vacated the post following some management changes in the agency," a State House release by the presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, said on Tuesday.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the reinstatement of the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, and the Executive Director of News, Mr Ayo Adewuyi, effectively reversing recent management changes in the agency.

"President Bola Tinubu has directed the recall of Mr Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who briefly vacated the post following some management changes in the agency," a State House release by the presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, said on Tuesday.

"Dembos was appointed DG of the TV network by President Tinubu in October 2023. He will now return to complete his three-year tenure."

Similarly, the President ordered the reinstatement of Mr Adewuyi to continue his tenure.

"The President similarly directed the recall of Mr Ayo Adewuyi, the Executive Director of News, to complete his three-year tenure, which ends in 2027," the statement added.

"Adewuyi was appointed by President Tinubu in 2024. The new directive effectively reversed the previously announced appointments of a director-general, executive director of news, executive director of marketing, and managing director of NTA Enterprises."

On August 22, it was announced that President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Rotimi Pedro (South-West) as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA.

A statement by Segun Imohiosen Director, Information and Public Relations, Office Of the Secretary To the Government of the Federation also names three new members of the Management Team for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) which are as follows:

"Executive Director, Marketing, Karimah Bello (North-West).Executive Director, News- Stella Din Jacob (North-Central). Managing Director, NTA Enterprises Limited, Sophia Essahmed (North-East)."

It is unclear the rationale for the reversal of the appointments and new developments

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has described those calling for the removal of President Bola Tinubu from office as “power-hungry politicians” who feel politically displaced.

He spoke against the backdrop of comments of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-ERufai, that the President would not be re-elected in 2027.

The former Kaduna governor had, in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics programme on Sunday night, said: “I was governor of Kaduna State; I was one of Bola Tinubu’s biggest campaigners, but I couldn’t deliver the state to him. Bola Tinubu himself couldn’t win his state with his own governor in place. So, these things are not as theoretical as people want them to be.

“If you want to engage in self-delusion, you are free to do so. I will not tell you how we are going to win, but I tell you very clearly, the worst-case scenario in the 2027 elections is that no winner will emerge in the first round.

“We may have to go for a runoff, and Bola Tinubu will not be on the ballot for the runoff because he will, at best, be third in the election. He has no pathway to win. I have done the maths, I have done the analysis; he cannot, he will, at best, be third.

“But he can deceive himself; he may think, oh, you know, I have money, because they have taken all the money in the country, I have INEC, I have the police, I have the army. You know what, President Tinubu, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for a chat, and ask him if he didn’t have all these in 2015, and we got him out. Is the case still the same? Similar to 2015? It’s worse.

“It’s like those who say Tinubu has never lost an election. That can be contested, but it’s okay, he’s a political strategist, he’s this, he’s that. Wait.

“I naturally have said, if you want to learn some lessons, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for a chat over coffee, and ask him what happened in 2015. That’s all.’’

But reacting yesterday, Onanuga, in a statement via his X handle, accused el-Rufai of being at the forefront of the campaign of removing the President, despite admitting in the past that four years was not enough for any leader to deliver “meaningful changes.”

He said: “Nasir El-Rufai confesses here that four years is not enough for a political office holder to make ‘meaningful changes’. Yet he is at the forefront of the gang of political desperados plotting President Tinubu’s ouster, just two years into his tenure. What a contradiction!

“In contrast to the political laggards and underachievers who were once governors in Anambra, Rivers and Kaduna states, President Tinubu and his team have implemented meaningful changes in our country over the past two years, positioning us on the path of prosperity.’’

He argued that Tinubu’s administration had achieved significant progress within two years, citing increased foreign reserves, growth in the stock market, harmonisation of the exchange rate, and four consecutive months of inflation decline.

“Phenomenal wealth creation in the stock market has seen ASI skyrocket from 53,000 points to over 140,000 points. Over N26 trillion in additional wealth has been created in the market under Tinubu’s watch,” he said.

Onanuga also pointed to reforms in education and social welfare, including student loans through NELFUND and cash transfers to vulnerable households.

He added that states and local governments were receiving more funds from the centre, enabling them to embark on capital projects and create jobs.

“The governors said they have never had it so good,” he noted, insisting that those behind the alleged plot were acting out of desperation.

He wrote further: “Yet, these power-hungry politicians want the President, who has achieved so much, to be removed, all because they have become politically displaced and irrelevant. May they never succeed in their plot against our nation and people.’’

The presidential spokesman said El-Rufai’s past comments would be used against him during political campaigns.

“Please save the video. We shall confront Nasir with it when electioneering starts,” Onanuga noted..

Petrol consumption nationwide has fallen by 28 per cent over the past two years, as pump attendants across filling stations are left with scanty vehicular calls.

Latest figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) show that the daily volume of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, dropped from 68.353 million litres in June 2023, when fuel subsidy was removed, to 49.277 million litres in June 2025.

President Bola Tinubu had, in his May 29, 2023 inauguration address, declared “subsidy is gone,” ending decades of subsidy payments that had cost the government tens of trillions of naira.

Following the announcement, NNPC Limited raised the pump price from N195 per litre to N448 in Lagos and from N197 to N557 in Abuja. Less than a month later, prices rose again to N617 per litre.

Since then and with the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery, marketers have reviewed prices a multiple times, in some cases weekly.

Checks by Financial Vanguard last weekend showed that fuel stations across major cities in Nigeria have just effected another round of adjustment.

Pump attendants idle away
However, despite conspicuous display of the prices, a large number of consumers no longer bother with the price as they make purchase decisions before getting to the fuel station and their decisions are always based on availability of money and considerations for competing needs in their lives.

This, according to attendants in many fuel stations, may have caused low patronage and dwindling vehicle presence at the fuel stations, causing rise in idle time at the stations.

Station Manager at RYBL Services Limited in Karshi, Abuja, Ibrahim Gambo, told Vanguard that it now takes about two months to sell a single 30,000-litre tanker due to poor patronage.

“The market is not moving well. We used to have three pump attendants, but now we keep only one. We cannot pay salaries for three because sales are too low.

‘’Before, people came with jerry cans, but now you hardly see that. Many only buy when they have important and compelling need to drive. Also, people are now using generators at home sparingly,” he lamented.

In filling stations visited in some parts of Lagos, including Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Ajegunle and Orile, independent marketers lamented that sales have dropped significantly.

An attendant at Techno Oil at Alaba Oro, told Vanguard that “within the last two weeks, the price of petrol increased by N50 and dropped N20 few days ago. But one cannot say the business is all that lucrative at the moment.

‘’This is because, prior to deregulation, we had a lot of demand from customers to fill up when cars come to purchase fuel, but the reverse is the case now. Most times, our turnover is very low compared to what was obtainable in the past.”

The situation, however, appeared to be different at retail outlets such as MRS and Fatgbems at Amuwo, Oshodi/Apapa expressway, and Mile 2 road, respectively which had long queues of cars trying to buy petrol.

MRS is one the retail partners to the Dangote Refinery and sells petrol at about the lowest price in the country.

Checks showed that pump price at MRS has dropped to N865 per litre, compared to N870 to N890 at other stations.

At the MRS station, an attendant who identified herself simply as Chinenye, said: “We are very grateful for the number of customers and the turnover we are getting. I can tell you for certain that things have turned around for us at MRS, against the regulated period of the downstream.”

In Asaba, Delta State, the situation also remained the same at filling stations across the state capital.

Retail outlets visited along Benin-Asaba Road showed a few vehicles being attended to. Vanguard gathered that pump price has also dropped from an average of N950 per litre it sold a week ago, to the current rate of N910 per litre.

In Nasarawa State, checks by Vanguard showed that while most stations operated by independents and major marketers remained largely empty, those operated by MRS, AYM Sharfa and AA Rano had a good number of vehicles, tricycles (Keke) and commercial motor cycles (Okada) in them.

Speaking to Vanguard, AA Rano’s Ado Station Manager, Munir Ibrahim, said the increased number of vehicles compared to other stations was “due to our lower price”.

In Kano, the situation was not different as very few vehicles were seen at filling stations visited by our correspondent. Pump attendants could be seen sitting idle in most of the filing stations.

However, a petrol attendant at Ammasco, Court Road branch, also lamented low patronage of customers, explaining that the low patronage has affected their daily sales.

On his part, A. Y. Maikifi, said sales have dropped drastically due to rise in the pump price of the product.
“You can’t compare sales two years ago with now. We recorded more sales in the past than now. The increase in the price of fuel is the major factor for the low patronage,’’ he said.

While noting that in the past week pump price had dropped from N950 per litre to N900, he expressed the hope that sales would start to pick up if it was sustained for a longer period.

In Kaduna, attendants across the stations visited by Vanguard disclosed that sales had improved slightly compared to recent weeks, as motorists were returning to the pumps. However, they observed that sales volumes remained lower than they were two years ago, largely due to fewer vehicles on the roads and the increasing shift to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, by some vehicle owners.

CNG demand surges
The gloomy picture at petrol stations contrasts sharply with the growing demand for Compressed Natural Gas, CNG.

Across the FCT, long queues were seen at CNG outlets, where prices range from N230 to N235 per kilogram, far lower than petrol.

At the NNPC CNG retail station in Wuse Zone 2, a Bolt driver, Onyebuchi Okeke, told Vanguard he had already spent an hour on the queue but noted that the waiting was worth it.

“I really don’t mind the time because it is by far cheaper than petrol. I have a 10kg cylinder and it costs just N2,300 to fill. I will work with it for about four hours and make over N10,000. So, I will be here until it’s my turn. I have about half a tank of petrol in my car. It has been there for about two weeks. If there is need to use it, I will,” he stated.

He disclosed that he hardly goes to filling stations to buy, adding that “since I got my car converted to CNG, I don’t go to petrol stations often. It is once in a while.”

Trying time for marketers – IPMAN
Speaking to Vanguard on the situation, the Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, said it was a trying time for independent marketers.

He attributed the drop in petrol consumption to the increase in the price of the product, vehicle conversions to CNG and the general hike in the cost of living in the country.

He also pointed out that the drop in consumers volume could partly be due to reduction in the volumes smuggled across Nigeria’s borders to neighbouring countries due to removal of subsidies in Nigeria.

He said: “The issue of smuggling has dropped drastically. Movement across the borders have dropped because the removal of subsidies means that neighbouring countries which have been benefiting from low prices in Nigeria are no longer able to do so.

“Secondly, many vehicles have been converted to CNG because it is cheaper. I am sure you have noticed the length of queues at the CNG stations. It is far cheaper and makes more economic sense.

‘’In fact, if the presidential committee on CNG continues to work at the rate they are doing, by this time next year, petrol supply will drop by half of what NMDPRA has declared.

“Thirdly, small scale industries are also converting to gas usage. All these have made the petrol supply business not as lucrative as it used to be.

“The cost in petrol price has also moderated the pocket of Nigerians. Since the removal of subsidies, many car owners have dropped cars and now use commercial vehicles. Also a lot of people now use commercial motor bikes to pick up items or parcels, rather than drive to pick them.”

On the impact of the drop in consumption on their business, Ukadike said: “It is actually a trying time for marketers. The return on investment is now very small. For most, the turnover is not more than one truck per month, for some it is one truck in two months.

“This is why we have been asking government to intervene so that independent marketers do not go out of business. With the way things are going, independent marketers will go into extinction by 2028.”

Frequent price changes unhealthy for sector, expert warns

Speaking on the development, the CEO, AHA Consultancies, Mr. Henry Adigun, observed that price instability in the downstream was unhealthy for the sector.

Press Release

SOSG to Encourage Qur’anic Memorization Among Pupils

Gov. Ahmed Aliyu has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to create an enabling environment that will encourage Qur’anic memorization among children in Sokoto State.

He gave the assurance at the graduation ceremony of 111 memorizers of the Glorious Qur’an from the Sokoto State branch of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation.

Gov. Aliyu noted that encouraging Qur’anic memorization among children will help raise a generation that upholds the good teachings of Islam in line with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

According to him, his administration has placed Islamic propagation as a top priority, ranking second only to security in his Nine-point Smart Agenda.

“We have awarded contracts for the renovation of 65 Jumu’at Mosques, out of which 25 had since been completed and 15 successfully commissioned.

"We have also introduced monthly cash allocations to all our Jumu’at Mosques, ranging from N300,000 to N500,000 depending on their category.

"In addition, monthly allowances had been introduced for Imams, their deputies, and Mu’azzins across the state to support them in the discharge of their duties,” the Governor said.

Gov. Aliyu further directed the school management to identify a land suitable for the establishment of its permanent site and forward the proposal to the state government for necessary action.

He congratulated the graduands for successfully memorizing the Holy Qur’an and prayed that their knowledge would benefit the society.

In his remarks, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar commended Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi for his foresight in establishing the foundation, which continues to train young people in Qur’anic memorization.

He also praised the contributions of scholars (Ulamas) in promoting Islamic ideals and peaceful coexistence in the state and the country at large.

Also speaking, Sen. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, represented by Dr. Aminu Sufi, urged parents to encourage their children to memorize the Holy Qur’an, noting that it will benefit them both in this world and the hereafter.

He also commended the Sokoto State Government for consistently prioritizing Islamic affairs.

Similarly, Sen. Abdulaziz Yari, represented by Dr. Lawal Liman, praised the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation and announced a donation of N10 million to the graduands, N10 million to the organizers of the ceremony, and N2 million plus food items to the school management.

He promised to continue supporting the foundation in its mission of training young Qur’an memorizers.

In his address, the school proprietor, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, represented by Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, explained that the school, which began in Bauchi, had expanded to other states to enable children to memorize the Qur’an within four years.

He emphasized that the initiative aims to keep children in a structured learning environment rather than roaming the streets begging.

He expressed optimism that if such schools are established across the North, they would greatly help in addressing the menace of street begging among children.

Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi later led the graduating pupils in reciting some selected verses from the Qur’an.

At the event, the Sokoto State Government, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, donated N20,000 and clothing materials to each of the 111 graduands.

The epochal ceremony was rounded off with the presentation of prizes to the graduating students.

Abubakar Bawa
Director General,
Media and Publicity,
Government House, Sokoto
30th August 2025

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Kayode Opeifa, has apologised to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over a recent altercation with the union.

Opeifa, in an exclusive telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, said he had “done the needful” in response to NUJ’s demand for an apology.

NAN recalls that the FCT Council of the NUJ, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Jide Oyekunle, condemned the alleged harassment, intimidation, and verbal abuse meted out to Ladi Bala by Opeifa.

Bala, the Transport Correspondent with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abuja, is also the immediate past President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists.

She was reportedly assaulted on Wednesday while covering the aftermath of the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment.

Opeifa, however, told NAN he had apologised for the incident, saying he remained a friend of the media.

According to him, he has always identified as a unionist, having participated in union and human rights activities both in academia and other spheres of activism.

“My position is not to address the issue because it involves the NUJ, an organisation I was once part of, fought with, fought for, and cherished.

“The FCT Council of the NUJ even gave me an award in the past.

“I am a friend of NUJ and other unions, and I have journalist friends across the country, including a former Minister of Information and Culture, among many others.

“The NUJ demanded an apology from me, and as a friend of the house, I apologise for what happened and take full responsibility,” he said.

Opeifa added that he would not “dissipate further energy” discussing the matter, stressing that his focus remained on his national assignment in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Yesterday at the Villa, I did what others thought I would not do — I publicly apologised to the NUJ.

“I have also been in touch with several media leaders who reached out to me.

“They asked for an apology, and I have given it. I am leaving the rest to God, mankind, and humanity.

“I want to remain focused on my assignment,” Opeifa said.