metro
Fresh fuel scarcity may ground economy as it spreads to Lagos, P’Harcourt
Long queues of motorists have surfaced at many filling stations in Lagos as fuel scarcity hits the commercial capital of Nigeria.
There are fears that the economy of the country may be badly affected as Abuja, the nation’s capital, and its environs have been experiencing the problem for some weeks, after heavy flooding especially in Kogi has prevented trucks from taking fuel to that part of the country.
In Lagos, some filling stations, mostly independent marketers, do not have fuel to sell to motorists and other consumers.
And those with stock have increased their prices, selling between N200 and N250 per litre, depending on location.
The National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, attributed the situation to unsteady supply in the past few days.
He told Vanguard that as a result of the unsteady supply, depots prices had risen to between N175 and N180 per litre in Lagos and its environs.
He said, “The situation has culminated in higher prices at the depots. Our members, who find it difficult to get the product, pay between N175 – N185 per litre. Consequently, we are compelled to sell at higher prices in order to cover cost.”
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said the artificial scarcity of petrol in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other states was caused by the ravaging flood in the country.
The Chairman of IPMAN in Rivers State, Mr Joseph Obele, said there was no scarcity of the product but transportation challenges caused by the flood.
He added this had triggered the scarcity of the product as many highways across the country had been overtaken by flood.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has not spoken on the current fuel situation in Lagos.
But it recently urged consumers in Abuja, where fuel scarcity has persisted for weeks, not to panic as it was working to restore stable supply.
It stated, “The current queue situation in some parts of Abuja and its environs is as a result of delays in arrival of fuel trucks. This is happening as a result of heavy flooding that has submerged parts of the highway passing through Lokoja, Kogi State and also an incidence of a failed road section around Badegi-Agaie highway in Niger State.
“Consequently, vehicles, especially fuel tankers, are finding alternative roads to get to their intended destinations”.
metro
$13m fraud: FBI seeks EFCC help to arrest Nigerian suspects
$13m fraud: FBI seeks EFCC help to arrest Nigerian suspects
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been tasked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America to locate and apprehend two Nigerians, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, who were listed as wanted for allegedly using a fraudulent website to extort American medical facilities in Minnesota of $13m.
A grand jury in the U.S. District Court for Minnesota arraigned them on September 25 for their involvement in a fraud conspiracy that deceived many healthcare providers between October 2020 and 2024.
According to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, Shodiya and Jamiu allegedly used falsified websites and email addresses to manipulate payment transfers on Optum Pay, a popular payment system among Minnesota’s healthcare providers under the guise of being owned by Fairview Health.
Using these fictitious email addresses, the fraud team sent emails to Fairview Health staff, deceiving them into supplying login information.
They created a counterfeit website, fairviewhospitals.org, and pretended to be key hospital personnel, including the CEO, executive vice president, and a business analyst.
READ ALSO:
- 25-year-old man stabs father to death in Lagos
- Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims
- Video: Fubara dares IGP, says no one can stop Rivers LG poll
In addition to the wire fraud allegations, Shodiya is charged with aggravated identity theft for pretending to be Fairview executives.
Luger said, “As part of the scheme, Babatunde and Jamiu created a fake ‘spoofed’ internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health.”
“In total, Babatunde and Ahmed fraudulently directed more than $13m in payments intended for Fairview Health from Minnesota-based healthcare companies to accounts controlled by Babatunde, Ahmed, and their co-conspirators.”
However, the U.S. security agency has confirmed that the suspects are Nigerian citizens who also reside in Nigeria and have called on Nigeria’s EFCC to seek their assistance.
“The U.S. officials reached out to us and informed us that the suspects are believed to be hiding in Nigeria
“We have a duty to honour this request in line with our long-standing collaboration with the U.S. in addressing cross-border crimes,” an EFCC officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, said.
Once the EFCC successfully hunts down Mr Shodiya and Mr Jamiu, they will be taken to the U.S. to face trial while also compromising all assets linked to the profits of the crime to the American authorities.
$13m fraud: FBI seeks EFCC help to arrest Nigerian suspects
metro
Horror as man stabs father to death in Lagos
Horror as man stabs father to death in Lagos
A 25-year-old man, Chibunnma Chimelie, has been taken into custody by the Lagos State Police for allegedly stabbing his 68-year-old father to death.
The tragic incident took place on Thursday at around 10:00 p.m. in the Isolo area of Lagos, according to the state’s police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the report.
Hundeyin shared that the incident was brought to light when the suspect’s brother filed a complaint at the Aswani Police Divisional Station.
“The complainant stated that he received a call from a neighbour, informing him that his father was having a serious altercation with the suspect, who also lived in the same house,” said Hundeyin.
READ ALSO:
- Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims
- Video: Fubara dares IGP, says no one can stop Rivers LG poll
- Nigeria gets new $500m World Bank loan
Upon arriving at the scene, the complainant found his father lying in a pool of blood, unresponsive.
The police swiftly responded to the situation and arrested the suspect at the scene. Investigators found a blood-stained knife near the body, which has been taken as evidence.
“A team of investigators arrived at the location, documented the scene, and transported the victim to General Hospital, Isolo, where doctors later confirmed his death,” Hundeyin explained.
The victim’s body has since been taken to the General Hospital Mortuary, while the suspect has reportedly confessed to the crime. Authorities are continuing their investigation to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
Horror as man stabs father to death in Lagos
metro
Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims
Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims
Operatives of Amotekun have foiled five kidnap attempts and rescued nine kidnap victims across the state within one week. Mr Adetunji Adeleye, state Commander of Amotekun Corps, made the disclosure on Friday in Akure while parading 20 suspected criminals arrested for crimes like cultism, house breaking, motorcycle theft, among others.
Adeleye, who said that the arrests were made within a week under review through the Amotekun Rangers, reiterated the corps commitment to ensuring the safety and security of residents in the state.
He said that the Amotekun rangers had been active in combing the forests across Ondo state, particularly in known flashpoints, to keep kidnappers at bay.
According to the commander, the suspected kidnapper, 28-year-old Usman Abubakar, who was arrested in Igbo Oba, Owo, confirmed collecting N2 million from a victim.
READ ALSO:
- Video: Fubara dares IGP, says no one can stop Rivers LG poll
- Nigeria gets new $500m World Bank loan
- Senator tackles Gov Mohammed over bandits’ sponsorship comments
“Abubakar told us how they shared the N2 million, and he also told us how to get to the root of their godfathers.
“The Amotekun Rangers launched by Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State had, recently, penetrated the forest substantially within the week under review.
“We were able to resist five kidnapping attempts and we were also able to rescue nine victims. That is to say that the kidnap attempts failed.
“Moreover, the notorious portion of Elegbeka area has been bombarded, and we are glad to say that the Amotekun Rangers had infiltrated the entire forest to guarantee safety of commuters,” he said.
Adeleye, therefore, reassured the public that the rangers would continue to infiltrate the entire forest to ensure the safety of commuters and safeguard lives and properties.
Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims
(NAN)
-
metro3 days agoFRSC recovers N8.6m from accident scene in Kaduna
-
Sports3 days agoOsimhen says he is worth more than €100m
-
metro1 day agoJust in: Court bars VIO from impounding vehicles, imposing fines
-
International3 days agoUK dad finally meets daughter 15 months after DNA result was falsified
-
Business3 days agoNNPCL delivers 48.6m barrels of crude to Dangote Refinery
-
Business2 days agoNaira records marginal appreciation, exchanges for N1,700/$
-
Business3 days agoShell Nigeria gets new MD, Elohor proceeds on international assignment
-
Entertainment3 days agoMohbad: Yomi Fabiyi confirms fleeing Nigeria after two attempts to assassinate him