The management of Dangote Refinery has reacted to a report that it approached a court to stop the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and others from continuing fuel importation. Continuing, the Dangote Refinery clarified that it neither served any party with the court process nor intended to do so. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited. Such licences, Dangote Refinery said, ought only to be granted to the firms in situations of petroleum products shortage. The refinery had demanded the court to recognise that NMDPRA was failing to fulfil its mandated duties under the PIA by not supporting local refineries like Dangote Refinery.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to void the import licenses issued to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and four other companies for the purpose of importing refined petroleum products that are already being produced by Dangote without shortfalls. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited. The refinery’s legal team stated that the plaintiff is greatly distressed, and its investments risk being jeopardized unless the court intervenes. The plaintiff sought an order of injunction restraining the 1st Defendant from further issuing and/or renewing import licenses to the 2nd to 7th defendants or other companies for the purpose of importing petroleum products.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has refuted claims that it filed a lawsuit against Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other marketers to revoke their licence to stop fuel importation. It said that a process to commence the formal withdrawal of the lawsuit will commence in January 2025. Chiejina was reacting to reports of a lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court to stop the importation of fuel by oil marketers and NNPCL. He further noted that events, including the naira for crude sales, have overtaken this development and will be withdrawn from the court. We understand that once the matter comes up in January 2025, we will be in a position to formally withdraw the matter in court.”

Ahead of the two-day sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) beginning today, security agencies have commenced confidence-building patrols known as ‘Show of Force’ ready to confront the Biafra separatist group in the five states of the South-East. Also, security agencies in Abia have increased their presence across major city centres and suburban areas ahead of the sit-at-home order. Also, the police in Enugu asked residents to ignore the order to sit-at-home. The Enugu State Government has also dismissed the illegal sit-at-home order by faceless persons, noting that the state had since gone past that era. The government, therefore, directed citizens to go about their lawful businesses, as every inch of Enugu State had been well covered by the security agencies and infrastructure to assure security of lives and property.

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged Nigerian youths to join politics to decide their fate and make a difference. Otti gave the advice during Church Service at The Transforming Church on Sunday in Abuja, the nation’s capital. He stated that every society needs the leadership it deserves, saying: “If you sit back and say politics is for politicians, the politicians will decide everything for you. Otti said that he left the banking sector in 2014 and joined politics to make a difference by doing things differently. He thanked Otti for visiting the church and reiterated the commitment of the church to praying for those in positions of leadership.

Seven Israelis are accused of photographing and collecting information on IDF bases and facilities, including the Kirya defence headquarters in Tel Aviv and the Nevatim and Ramat David air bases, as well as Iron Dome battery sites. The suspects, who are all Jewish and live in Haifa and the north, include two juveniles and a soldier who left the military. The Nevatim base was targeted in both Iranian missile attacks this year, and Ramat David has been targeted by Hezbollah. Investigators claim that the suspects received hundreds of thousands of dollars, some in bitcoin, in exchange for their acts. On Friday, prosecutors want to indict the seven suspects for security offenses and ask that they be detained until the end of the legal process, according to the prosecution.

President Lula da Silva of Brazil has been hospitalised after sustaining a bruise to the head in an accident at home on Saturday, leading to the cancellation of his planned trip to the upcoming BRICS Summit. The president’s office confirmed the news, stating, “President Lula da Silva, 78, will not be travelling to the BRICS Summit” due to medical advice to avoid long-haul flights. The 16th summit of the BRICS bloc is scheduled to take place from October 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia. However, the president will still participate in the summit via video conference from Brasília, where he will continue with his usual work schedule next week. Lula da Silva was admitted to a hospital in Brasília after experiencing a “bruise” on the occipital region of his head.

Former Remo Stars midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro delivered a crucial performance for Sampdoria in a thrilling 5-3 victory over Cesena at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi, Soccernet.ng reports. The 19-year-old midfielder joined the Serie B side on a season-long loan with a buy-back option from Inter Milan during the summer transfer window. Making his 11th appearance for Sampdoria, the Nigerian scored his first professional goal with a precise diagonal shot, leaving Cesena’s goalkeeper Matteo Pisseri with no chance as he sealed the game in the dying minutes. “So grateful and happy to have my first professional goal, [It] really means a lot to me. Akinsanmiro’s move to Sampdoria allows him to gain more playing time and develop his skills at a competitive level.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick showed support for Super Eagles forward Chidera Ejuke by hugging him while he was walking off the pitch after he sustained an injury on Sunday, Soccernet.ng reports. Ejuke has been impressive for Sevilla in recent weeks. Ejuke also started for Sevilla when they played Barcelona on Sunday. At the time, Barcelona were leading 3-0, but interestingly, Flick went over to Ejuke to hug him. Now, Ejuke has no previous relationship with Flick, but it may not mean that he was impressed by the Nigerian’s showing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some online reports had speculated that the Army Chief had passed on in an undisclosed hospital abroad. ADVERTISEMENTHowever, the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Saturday, issued a statement that the COAS was on leave and also attending to his health outside the country. Nwachukwu said that there was no leadership vacuum in the Nigerian Army, clarifying that the Chief of Policy and Plans, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Ibrahim was in charge of affairs in the army. “To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances. “Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS, while he is away.

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has announced that the modernisation of Nigeria’s border security infrastructure is underway. The statement read in part, “At Seme Border, Idiroko, as well as Lagos and Ogun State Commands, the CGIS updated officers on new immigration initiatives. These advancements are part of the ongoing drive to modernize Nigeria’s border security infrastructure. “The CGIS also held a joint security meeting with sister agencies to enhance collaboration in intelligence gathering and sharing. She emphasized the vital role of border communities in supporting border security efforts.

The World Health Organisation has certified Egypt as malaria-free. “This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge. “Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase. Our continued multisectoral efforts will be critical to preserving Egypt’s malaria-free status,” said the Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr Khaled Ghaffar. “The final decision on awarding malaria-free certification rests with the WHO Director-General, based on a recommendation by the independent Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification,” WHO added.

Olawepo-Hashim, a businessman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke in Kaduna on Sunday when he visited Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, a former Governor of Kaduna State, to condole him on the death of his son, Dr.Faisal Ahmed who died recently in a motor accident. He said the death of a child is a difficult pain to bear, but he knew that Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, as a man of faith, had accepted it as the will of God. According to him, “I am here with my small delegation to pay a condolence visit to our leader. I honestly and sincerely thank you and I wish you journey mercy back home,” Makarfi said. Other dignitaries at the occasion were former Governorship candidate of the PDP in Kaduna State, Rt.

The Department of State Service (DSS) has withdrawn Adegboyega Fasasi as Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the President, Bola Tinubu. Effectively, another officer of the service, Rasheed Atanda Lawal, a Deputy Director, has been appointed as the replacement for the outgone Fasasi. According to sources privy to the development, the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, had requested President Tinubu to approve the release of Fasasi from serving as CSO so he could proceed on the strategic training course. “Yes, I heard he has been replaced with another officer because he is being sent on a professional training course. As of press time, there was yet to be any official confirmation from the Presidency concerning the movements in the CSO’s office.

Power experts have attributed frequent power grid collapses in Nigeria to inadequate investment in modernizing and upgrading infrastructure. READ ALSO:#ENDSARS Anniversary: CP orders release of detained protesters in LagosHe noted that much of Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure dated back to the 1960s and 1970s, made it outdated and overstretched. “Without major investments across the entire value chain, attempts to increase capacity to 8,000 MW or more will likely cause more grid collapses,” he warned. Bosah called for massive investments to build new power plants, improve gas supply infrastructure and develop renewable energy sources like solar and wind. He criticized both the government and private power companies for prioritizing profits over infrastructure development, pointing to the imposition of high electricity tariffs on consumers.