₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Customs Service has made a significant seizure of 12,500 litres of petrol worth over ₦25 million which was intercepted from suppliers of bandits within the Babanna Border area of Niger State.

During a press briefing in Minna, North Central Nigeria, Ejibunu highlighted the security threats posed by the Lakurawa terrorist group along the fringes of Kebbi State.

He revealed that the group has claimed lives, including three officers lost in a recent attack in Bashaga village in Kebbi State.

The Comptroller Niger-Kogi command of the Customs, Pascal Chibuoke, commended the efforts of the locals and sister security agencies in making the seizure possible.

This interception is part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s efforts to disrupt the supply chain of bandits and terrorists in the region.

PressMyButton:
Thank Goodness, our Justice system is no longer tolerating nonsense, it is finally waking up. If I were the Judge, he would get 12years with an option of hard labor. Look at this nonsense guy refusing to accept Naira as legal tender. If you loved dollars that much, why not relocate to the US. Anyone who lacks home training, Nigeria is ready to give you one.



After God, na Tinubu 💪 God bless Nigeria

Brendaniel:
As long as all Tinubu's strategy does not remove the military government from power and reinstate a civilian government, then all his strategies are usless, you people think it Nigeria that you will be playing stupid politics and people like you will be supporting ..

Six Nigerian tourists detained in Cape Verde have been released and are now in the care of the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal.

“Final update:

They are free! They’ve passed through the Dakar border and are now in the care of the Nigerian embassy in Senegal,” an X user, @tobiojenike, who raised the issue earlier, announced in a post on Wednesday.

The tourists — David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo, Jesutomi Aina — and a representative from the travel agency Ìrìn Travels, had travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde for a vacation when they were detained by Cape Verdean immigration authorities.

Earlier, NiDCOM following the concerns raised by @tobiojenike, escalated the concerns over their treatment, stating that the group was pulled aside upon arrival, accused of not having sufficient funds, and had their mobile phones confiscated before being detained at an immigration deportation camp at the airport.

“The attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has been drawn to a case involving six Nigerian tourists who travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde Island on vacation,” the commission said in a statement.

“Upon arrival in Cape Verde, they were pulled out of the queue, accused of not having enough funds, and had their phones confiscated. They were subsequently detained at an immigration deportation camp at the airport,” the statement continued.

NiDCOM noted that reports from the detention centre indicated that the tourists were in distress, with one member reportedly dealing with a medical condition and lacking access to necessary medication.

The commission called on Cape Verdean immigration authorities to treat the case with “respect and dignity” and urged that the group be “put on the next immediate return flight to Dakar for onward connection back to Nigeria.”

The tourists, aged between 25 and 31, had their situation formally reported to the Consular and Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was expected to intervene.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has announced a ban on night grazing and restricted the use of motorcycles across the state following incessant attacks.

In a state broadcast on Wednesday, Mutfwang described the attacks as “coordinated acts of terror” aimed at displacing residents and undermining their right to exist peacefully on their ancestral lands.

The governor also prohibited the transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7pm.

He said the directives take immediate effect, with the restriction on motorcycle use in place from 7pm to 6am across the state until further notice.

“The tragic echoes of Dogo Na Hawa, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Mangu, and the Christmas Eve massacres in Bokkos remain vivid. The cycle continues, but it must not endure. Enough Is Enough,” the governor said.

“As your governor, I stand resolved — Plateau shall not be overrun by fear, nor shall we accept this culture of bloodshed as the new normal.

“My administration is intensifying efforts to protect our people and enforce the rule of law across all local governments.

“I hereby announce the following measures, effective Wednesday, April 16: Night grazing of cattle is strictly prohibited; transportation of cattle by vehicle is banned after 7pm.

“The use of motorcycles is restricted from 7pm to 6am across the state until further notice.”

My Dear People of Plateau, I speak to you not just as your Governor, but as your brother one who deeply feels the pain and sorrow that has again darkened our land.

In the late hours of Sunday, April 13th, the peace of Zikwe Village in Bassa LGA was shattered by a brutal attack…

Muftwang said communities must be actively involved in defending themselves within the confines of the law.

At least 50 people were reportedly killed after gunmen invaded Kimakpa village, Miango district, in Bassa LGA of the state on April 14.

The attack came barely two weeks after gunmen killed many residents in five communities in Bokkos and Mangu LGAs.

Authorities have been scrambling to contain the attacks in a state where ethnic tensions have long simmered.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has flagged off the construction of a 10 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCF/D) Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Mother Station by Nsik Oil and Gas Limited, Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Conducting the ground breaking ceremony in Uquo Isi Edoho, Esit Eket on Thursday, the minister who represented President Bola Tinubu, said the mother station would not only be advantageous to the Nigerian gas value chain but is also a practical step towards reducing reliance on petrol, lowering carbon emissions and improving affordable energy for the people.

He stated that Federal Government would in two months time release N400 billion for the execution of gas projects in the country even though it had earlier released N222 billion to the sector.

The minister urged prospective contractors and entrepreneurs to ensure they have the standard and expertise in handling projects before application even as he challenged them to explore their natural resources.

He assured of the ministry’s readiness to provide enabling environment for investments adding that he has made contacts with relevant stakeholders to streamline regulatory processes, provide fiscal incentives and ensure timely completion of gas infrastructures in the country.

“Today’s groundbreaking event is a clear demonstration of the private sector alliance with the national agenda. Government’s resolve to promote cleaner energy is unwavering.

“This project is not the issue of money, it is issue of a peaceful environment and the Federal Government is taking equity in this project and I thank him for citing this project in Esit Eket,” the minister said.

In his remarks, the Chairman/CEO of Nsik Oil and Gas Limited, Mr. Nsikan Johnny while thanking the relevant stakeholders, highlighted the transformative impact the CNG Mother Station would have on various sectors, including transportation, industries and domestic energy consumption.

He said the Nsik Oil and Gas would ensure that the project benefits the local community by generating employment, empowering small businesses, and reducing energy costs.

“We envision a future where clean energy is no longer a constraint to growth and development but a catalyst for progress. he added.

The Project Consultant, Mr. Mkposong Asuquo explained that the mother station will operate with four reciprocating compressors, delivering CNG into specialized tube trailers for transportation to customers.

The facility, according to him is strategically designed to serve multiple states, including Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Cross River, and parts of Abia.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Communications, Daniel Bwala, has described Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume as a pathological liar.

Bwala disclosed this while appearing on Channels Television’s programme, Sunday Politics.
He dismissed Ndume’s claim that President Bola Tinubu is nepotistic, stressing that the lawmaker has latched on to power while getting his children juicy appointments.

According to Bwala: “When you hear about the message and forget about the messenger, it’s where the messenger has pure motive. If the messenger has an agenda, then the messenger and the message are part of what you will consider.

“Secondly, the governor of Borno is doing his best to deal with insecurity, a very honourable man. Even the governor of Borno never indicted the government.

“He is saying from the way Boko Haram insurgents are coming here and there, if something is not done, they might resurge again, it’s fair comment.

“Ndume lied, I have never talked about Soyinka, Obasanjo, or Kukah. Ali Ndume, with respect, is a pathological liar.

“He loves lies, go to Borno State and ask the people of Borno State; he lies with his eyes open.
“I can be counting people here who are vociferous against government but government has not looked at them. This freedom of speech you hear is confined within the arm bits of the law.

“If in the exercise of your freedom of speech you commit a crime, there is a penalty for it.
“Ali Ndume is a Vellenos exploiter. He has had no projects in 22 years at the National Assembly. In 2023, he went to his village, he was stoned.

“Look at Ali Ndume; he tells you the president is nepotistic. Is there any greater nepotism than one man from a senatorial district saying he will stay as a senator forever?

“Are there no others? He gets jobs for his children and very close people at the CBN, NNPC, and juicy places, but for the children of the poor, he sends them into the army.”

Former Minister for Information and National Orientation and member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Professor Jerry Gana, has made it clear the PDP will not join a coalition or merge with any political party ahead of the 2027 general elections in the country.

The professor said that despite the current setback being experienced by the party, PDP is a very solid and organised political party and absolutely trusted by Nigerians, stressing that the leaders of the party are doing serious underground work to bring the party back to where it should be ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP BoT member spoke to the Daily Sun in an exclusive interview shortly after attending this year’s Nupe Christian Fellowship International Conference in Bida, Niger State, at the weekend.

Professor Gana pointed out that now that the PDP is an opposition party, all kinds of things are happening but assured Nigerians and the party supporters that the party will soon resolve all the issues at hand and give the country an alternative that will be very clear, very credible and very desirable.

According to him, “In political development there are bases, and people like us have seen a lot of things in politics. Right now the PDP is in opposition, so there are all kindss of things that are happening,, but let Nigerians wait. We will soon come up to resolve all the issues at hand right now and move forward and give the nation an alternative that will be very clear, very credible and very desirable.

“Forget about the struggle to be here and there because there is a new political order that is emerging, but let Nigerians give the PDP a few months; we will correct it and give Nigerians a better and clearer alternative.

“PDP is a very solid and organised political party and absolutely trusted by Nigerians. PDP took over power from the military, and we restored democracy, good governance, fairness, justice, and equity in the country.”

Professor Gana,, who expressed regret over the current economic and security situation in the country, stated that Nigeria as a country was doing greatly well under PDP, adding that “the country’s economy was doing so well; Nigeria paid her foreign debts and put up institutions that are very durable. It was unfortunate that some people made a few mistakes because they don’t know how to govern.”

The BoT member who went on a historic excursion on the formation of the party said the political agreement that was reached in 1998 during the formation of the party was tampered with, hence the current crisis in the party.

“The truth is that PDP made some mistakes, and that is why we are where we are today, and we must own up to our mistakes. In 1998, when the PDP was formed, we agreed on a power shift so that power would shift to the north and to the south, so the whole nation would stabilise and give every section of the country a sense of belonging, so that there would be equity, justice and fairness.

“In 1999, we all agreed that the power must shift to the South, after which it will come back to the North. The South had it for eight years under Obasanjo, the North had it for eight years under Buhari, and in 2023, some of us who are the custodians of the party history said no, it is not the turn of the North.

We must make sure that the power shifts to the South, and one or two people insisted that the North should still have it. That is where the mistake comes from, and it was a serious mistake, but thank God people are recognising that mistake, and Nigerians and supporters of the PDP will soon hear goodness.

“We shall come back again, take over the government and move the country forward. People are working underground, and we are telling ourselves the truth,, and people are listening to the truth,, and very soon PDP will be back stronger. PDP will emerge, PDP will move forward,, and in 2027, PDP will return Nigeria back to the good old days of peace and economic prosperity,” he added.

While dismissing the possibility of any coalition, Gana said,,

“PDP will not join any coalition because when we formed the party in 1998, it was a coalition; it was a platform for democracy and a very powerful coalition”, adding further that “All that the party needs now is a new leadership, and we shall surprise Nigerians with a good and credible candidate for 2027.

“Knowing the capacity, the ideas and power that we possess, we cannot go into merger or coalition with any political party. PDP is the only political party that is tested and trusted and found to be the only option for Nigeria’s greatness.

“All that we need, like I said, is a new leadership,, after which we will present a new proposal to Nigerians,, and we will give Nigerians purposeful leadership,” he submitted.

Operators of food commodity business in Nigeria, especially those who deal in cash crops, had been smiling to the bank as it kept growing due to increased demand for Nigerian varieties at the global market. Weekend Trust was told that most of these cash crops are exported to different countries across the world.

According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), in August 2024, Nigeria had declared a non-oil export sector impressive growth in the first half of the year by generating $2.7 billion in revenue. This development led to a surge in the prices of staple food and cash crops. It was also projected that the price would continue to surge in 2025.

However, recent reports indicate that food and cash crops market in Nigeria was witnessing a decline in the prices, especially in the northern part of the country.

This trend is reflected in the commodity price index, which has dropped by over 25 per cent from N87 at the beginning of the year to N64 as at March 2025 as reported by Nigeria’s first licensed private commodities exchange, AFEX’s infrastructure and platforms.

During the surge, a lot of merchants invested heavily in the production of these cash crops, especially sesame and soybeans, with the expectation that there would be a huge gain as international demand on the commodity raised.

To many merchants, the drop in prices is temporary as demand by the international market remains very high, while other merchants feel that it is better to work with the reality and do the needful to remain afloat in the business arena.

Alhaji Aminu Gumel, a sesame merchant who claimed to have been in the business for over three decades, said he bought the commodity worth millions of naira for export, but his international business partners were yet to make any payment, contrary to what was obtainable years back.

He said, “It is clear that there has been a mad rush for Nigerian cash crops, such as sesame and hibiscus flower. However, many of us studied the trend last year and sent our men to mop-up the commodities from farmers. We paid more than what was required because we were optimistic that we will gain out of it.

Ironically, what is currently happening goes contrary to our expectation as our international partners have asked us to wait. But the waiting period is getting too long and we were left with no option than to bring out the commodity and sell at the Nigerian open market price.”

It was also gathered that in Kano, this development resulted to price fluctuation, which is observed across many staple commodities. It is also believed that another reason behind the development is driven primarily by seasonal production cycles that are specifically attached to many cash crops.

According to Alhaji Sagir Bello Black a Jigawa State-based sesame farmer, under normal conditions, prices of commodities decline during harvest periods due to increased market supply but rise during the lean season. He added that another factor would lie in the production level because if it falls short of demand, it is due to insecurity or any other reason.

Similarly, for Alkasim Idris Ajingi, a merchant and farmer, Nigeria’s ginger production in 2023 faced a severe setback due to blight epidemic, a fungal disease that devastated crops nationwide. He revealed that in that year, about 70 per cent of the crops was affected and as a result, the price went high due to scarcity.

“Due to the epidemic, there was a drastic reduction in production and supply, which led to a six-fold increase in ginger prices over the years, escalating from N50,000 per bag to about N300,000.

“Farmers struggle to meet market needs when they face difficulties during planting seasons; and when supply dwindles, prices are bound to rise. This development had resulted to more production last rainy season although the price has also dropped a little,” he said.

An agricultural economist at Tryout Invest Limited, Mr Audu Tanga, said Nigerian commodities had enjoyed a sizable push under the trade and international demand statistical table. He explained that the Nigerian soybean market had recorded tremendous rise due to import restrictions on GMO-soybeans in 2023/2024 season by many countries.

Findings have shown that this development played a very important role in the increase in demand for Nigeria’s non-GMO soybeans.

“It was also revealed that as a result, Nigerian soybean exports skyrocketed by over 1,000 per cent, leading to a sharp increase in domestic prices, trading well above international market quotes.

“Soybean exports increased significantly from USD10.8 million in 2022 to about USD201 million in 2023, with domestic prices in northern Nigeria surging to over 1 million per metric. Unfortunately, the demand has dropped in 2025 because the demand for organic crops dropped,” he said.

However, recent findings have shown that a kilogram of soybeans, which sold at N1,300 last year, is now selling at N750. This development, according to Mr Chucks Idowu, an international soybeans merchant, is due to the fact that countries demanding for Nigerian soybeans are now growing their own organic commodities; and that has affected demand.

He further revealed that with the increase in soybeans price last year, a lot of people had hoarded the commodity; and now that the demand has fallen, they have no option than to bring it out and sell according to open market price.

Alhaji Abdullahi Usman, the chief executive officer of Mumin Foods Limited, said the drop in international demand for Nigerian crops by the international community was responsible for the recent drop in prices in the country. He explained that with the rising demand for Nigerian commodities, many business people had mopped up not only cash crops but also food crops from the markets.

He added that the recent development that warranted countries to grow their crops and reduce importation forced the Nigerian commodity market to experience glut; hence the drop in the prices of some cash crops.

“People engaged in hoarding these commodities, especially when some foreign countries indicated interest in Nigerian crops because they are mostly organic and not genetically modified.

“It is clear that the business seemed to be flourishing at the initial stage and that had attracted more people. Unfortunately, the demand by these countries ceased or dropped unexpectedly, and that has necessitated the drop in the prices of these cash crops,” he said.

It was reliably gathered that a kilogram of sesame which sold at N2,300 last year is now selling at N1,600 and a kilogram of hibiscus flower sold at N2,300 last year is now selling at N1,500. Sources within the agro-business sector revealed that the price may still drop as demand by the international community keeps dropping.

A grain merchant at Dawanau International Grain Market, Kano, Alhaji Danliti Dauda, said it was widely believed that the falling prices offer only temporary relief to struggling households as it may not indicate a sustained long-term decline. Moreover, those who deal in cash crops are usually not affected negatively because they have what it takes to store the commodities till when the prices are favourable to them, he added.

Similarly, an economist at the Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano, Malam Hassan Ali, said the relative stability of the naira against the dollar had also played a role in easing import costs. He added that according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the exchange rate for the US dollar to the naira has fluctuated between N1,478 and N1,551 from January 1, 2025 till date. According to him, this marks a decline of over 8 per cent from the N1,688 recorded in the last months of 2024.

It is also said that seasons play a role in price fluctuations in Nigerian agro-products as the timing of planting and harvesting cycles directly affects the supply of food commodities; and consequently, their prices. It is usually a tradition that weeks after harvest, there is a general reduction in prices of agricultural commodities due to surplus supply, while prices usually spike as stocks begin to dwindle.

Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed, son of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has openly stated that his father cannot back former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s presidential aspirations.

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, @shamsudeen_bala, he responded to a user who expressed hope that Atiku and Governor Mohammed would unite to revive the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Shamsudeen explained that Atiku undermined his father’s 2023 re-election campaign by backing the opposition and mobilizing influential Bauchi figures against him.

“Honestly, it would be difficult,” he wrote.
“Because even if he wins, there’s nothing he would do for us except settle old scores. He didn’t support us in 2023—he backed the APC candidate and used Bauchi elites to oppose us.

We barely survived it. He’s made it clear he doesn’t value us enough to engage in dialogue.”

His comments highlight ongoing rifts within the PDP ahead of the next electoral cycle.