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Truck ban will reduce fuel supply to North, NARTO warns FG

Published

10 months ago

February 24, 2025

Truck ban will reduce fuel supply to North, NARTO warns FG

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has expressed concern over the potential impact of the Federal Government’s impending ban on large tankers carrying over 60,000 liters of petroleum products.

The prohibition, which will go into effect on March 1, 2025, was announced last week in response to the frequent accidents and explosions caused by overloaded trucks, which have killed 493 people in the last three years.

NARTO’s National President, Yusuf Othman, told one of our correspondents that the limitation will reduce the supply of petroleum products, especially in Northern Nigeria, which relies significantly on supplies transported from Southern depots.

“The ban, which takes effect from March 1, 2025, will prevent trucks carrying more than 60,000 liters from loading at depots and travelling on federal roads. By October 1, 2025, the restriction will be further reduced to 45,000 liters per truck,” the NARTO president explained.

He stated that NARTO is analyzing the situation and working closely with its members to estimate the possible financial losses, which might exceed N300 billion in investments.

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Othman also raised concern about the livelihoods of about 2,000 drivers, 2,000 motorboys, and their families, who may be directly impacted by the changes.

He mentioned that the association is also considering the option of reducing the capacity of the affected tanker through fabrication.

“We are exploring options such as fabricating smaller tankers to comply with the new regulations. We are also looking into how we can tap into the federal government’s policy on compressed natural gas and associated infrastructure development,” Othman said.

“In a few days, we will have a clearer position on the matter, but for now, we have taken the government’s directive in good faith.”

However, Othman expressed alarm about the status of the country’s roadways, which he feels play a big influence in tanker accidents.

“We have asked the government what measures they are taking to improve the condition of our roads, as this is another factor contributing to fuel tanker accidents,” he said.

Regarding the probable impact of the restriction on fuel distribution, Othman stated that the volume of delivery to remote locations in northern Nigeria will most certainly fall due to truck capacity constraints.

The NARTO president warned that this could result in price swings caused by the fundamental principle of supply and demand.

“The deregulation of the sector has already made market dynamics unpredictable. It’s difficult to forecast all the possible outcomes, but there will undoubtedly be an effect on the volume and cost of fuel distribution,” Othman concluded.

Truck ban will reduce fuel supply to North, NARTO warns FG

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Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Published

11 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

File photo

Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has dismissed viral reports alleging that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area, killing an Imam and several worshippers.

Some online platforms had circulated claims that armed bandits stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, murdered the Imam and congregants, and abducted others.
However, Hashimu, speaking by telephone, described the reports as entirely false.

“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he stated.

A member of the state legislature representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also debunked the claims, insisting that no mosque attack occurred on Saturday.

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“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.

While officials denied the alleged mosque incident, a separate early morning assault on Gatawa town within the same LGA resulted in five deaths and left one person critically injured.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that six people — including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys — were abducted by attackers suspected to be bandits.

“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot. Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” the resident said.

He added that the attackers also stole livestock as they fled.
“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” he recounted.

Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

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FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

Published

11 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Almajiri school

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

The Federal Government has commenced the official recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a renewed push to overhaul Almajiri education across the country.

The move was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), during an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He described the recovery process as a crucial step toward fully revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education.

Muhammad explained that the effort follows the establishment of a legally backed national body now responsible for all Almajiri-related programmes — a structure he said was missing during earlier reform attempts.

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While commending former President Jonathan for constructing the schools, which he described as “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system,” Muhammad noted that the previous initiative struggled due to weak policy implementation, including inadequate engagement with Alarammas, the traditional Qur’anic teachers who play a central role in the Almajiri system.

He added that the lack of a strong institutional framework — with the project operating only as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education — contributed to its challenges.

According to him, the Commission is now strengthened by law and guided by the newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, positioning it to deliver sustainable reforms.

Muhammad expressed confidence that harmful practices linked to the Almajiri system would be addressed, emphasising that all recovered schools would soon be fully under the Commission’s control and rehabilitated to serve their original purpose.

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

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Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Published

17 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

The Delta State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State, arresting key suspects linked to the case.

Spokesperson SP Bright Edafe disclosed on Sunday that operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 25-year-old security guard Godwin Mngumi on 6 December 2025. Mngumi allegedly murdered the retired judge, and authorities also recovered the deceased’s mobile phone from him.

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According to Edafe, Mngumi confessed to inviting a friend, Nnaji Obalum, and another accomplice — who remains at large — to the residence where the crime was committed. Obalum has since been arrested, while a manhunt continues for the third suspect.

The arrests mark a major step forward in the effort to bring all perpetrators of the high-profile murder to justice.