At least seven people lost their lives in a lone accident involving a truck along the Katsina-Ala area of Benue State on Saturday.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Toom, reported that the truck, loaded with 600 bags of cement and carrying 15 passengers, was en route to Zaki Biam when the accident occurred.
The truck, bearing the Dangote inscription, was travelling at high speed when it hit a pothole, lost control, and overturned.
Toom said, “The truck with the Dangote inscription was involved in an accident on Saturday. Seven people died, six sustained varying degrees of injuries, and two escaped unhurt.”
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Steve Ayodele, confirmed the accident in a statement on Monday.
Ayodele stated, “The accident happened along the Katsina-Ala/Zaki Biam road around 11 am on Saturday and involved 15 people. Seven were killed, six injured, and two escaped without injury.”
He added that the road has since been cleared to allow the free movement of vehicles.
French President Emmanuel Macron denied on Monday any “domestic dispute” with his wife, Brigitte, after a video appeared to show her shoving his face away as they arrived in Vietnam for a diplomatic visit.
They were “joking as we often do”, he told reporters in Hanoi, adding that other videos had been misinterpreted as showing him sharing a bag of cocaine or confronting the Turkish president.
“None of these are true,” he said, and “everyone needs to calm down”.
His office on Monday also downplayed on incident in which his wife appeared to push his face away.
Footage shot by the Associated Press news agency in Hanoi on Sunday evening shows Macron’s plane door opening to reveal him.
His wife Brigitte’s arms emerge from the left of the open doorway, she places both hands on her husband’s face and gives it a shove.
The president appears startled but quickly recovers and turns to wave through the open door.
She remains concealed by the aircraft body, making it impossible to see her facial expression or body language.
The couple proceed down the staircase for the official welcome by Vietnamese officials, though Brigitte Macron does not take her husband’s offered arm.
Macron’s office initially denied the authenticity of the images, before they were confirmed as genuine.
A close associate of the president later described the incident as a couple’s harmless “squabble”.
Another member of his entourage played down the significance of the incident.
“It was a moment when the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by joking around,” the second source told reporters.
“It’s a moment of togetherness. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists,” the source added, blaming pro-Russian accounts for negative comments about the incident.
Vietnam is the first stop on an almost week-long tour of Southeast Asia for Macron where he will pitch France as a reliable alternative to the United States and China.
French President Emmanuel Macron denied on Monday any “domestic dispute” with his wife, Brigitte, after a video appeared to… pic.twitter.com/j6QGsi0Ai3
Saudi authorities have barred and deported prominent Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite initially granting him a visa.
Sheikh Gumi confirmed the development on Monday, May 26, 2025, by posting on his official Facebook page. He explained that although he received a visa for Hajj, he was denied entry into Medina, where he was scheduled to commence his religious rites.
According to findings, Gumi was among a group of clerics sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission to offer religious support during the pilgrimage.
“Due to some reasons related to my views on world politics, the authorities in Saudi Arabia do not want me to be present at Hajj even though they have granted me a visa,” Gumi stated on Facebook.
Nigeria and Jamaica are set to explore the possibility of a direct flight route as both countries strengthen the Bilateral Air Service Agreement.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Tunde Moshood, on Wednesday.
Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, welcomed the Jamaican Ambassador to Nigeria, Lincoln Downer, and his Consular, Andre Hibbert, to his office in Abuja for this engagement.
Downer emphasised the potential for mutually beneficial diplomatic engagements between Jamaica and Nigeria.
He highlighted the importance of improving and enhancing bilateral relations, including reviewing the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement.
“I have been tasked by my country to review and improve on the diplomatic engagements between Jamaica and Nigeria, especially concerning air services,” said Downer.
The Jamaican ambassador also shared the growing interest in Nigerian culture, particularly Afrobeat music and Nollywood films, which are trending in Jamaica.
This cultural exchange, he noted, further reinforces the need for enhanced diplomatic and air connectivity.
“There is no reason why we should not have a direct flight between our countries. Nigerians love Jamaica, and there is a rising demand for Jamaican spices in Nigeria,” Downer added.
Keyamo in his response, welcomed the ambassador’s proposals and expressed his eagerness to take the next steps.
“I am delighted to start the BASA arrangements. To ensure a swift resolution, we will set up a committee to expedite the process,” said Keyamo.
He further committed to visiting Jamaica if necessary, stating that he would be willing to travel to Jamaica to finalize and sign the BASA agreement in person.
It was noted that Downer disclosed that Jamaica currently lacks a national carrier, relying on neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago for air transport.
He proposed the idea of combining the BASA between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to address the air services gap, underscoring the increasing demand for travel from Nigeria to Jamaica.
Downer expressed his deep appreciation for Nigeria, revealing an intriguing discovery from his four months as the Jamaican envoy to Nigeria.
“I have since discovered that Nigeria might be my ancestral home after all,” said the ambassador
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has initiated fresh negotiations with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over the renewal of the naira-for-crude agreement, as talks are underway in anticipation of the expiration of the initial deal, which ends on March 31, 2025.
The NNPCL disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in response to claims that the government-owned oil company had suspended the naira-for-crude deal until 2030, as it has forward-sold all its crude oil.
This came as fresh findings by The PUNCH indicated that crude oil worth about N486.31bn was received by the $20bn Lekki-based refinery under the deal between October and December 2024.
Recall that on October 1, 2024, the government commenced the sales of crude oil in naira to local refineries to improve supply, save the country millions of dollars in petroleum product imports, and ultimately reduce the pump prices of refined products.
The NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, in the statement on Monday, explained that the initial deal was for six months, confirming The PUNCH exclusive report last year, adding that discussions for the renewal of the agreement are currently ongoing, with the aim of establishing a new contract.
He also stated that under the deal initiated in October 2024, the 650,000-capacity refinery has received 48 million barrels to refine for petroleum products, while a total of 84 million barrels has been supplied to the refinery since it commenced operations in 2023.
The spokesperson also clarified that the deal was subject to availability.
The statement read, “NNPC Limited has noted recent reports circulating on social media regarding the alleged unilateral termination of the crude oil sales agreement in naira between NNPC and Dangote Refinery.
“To clarify, the contract for the sale of crude oil in naira was structured as a six-month agreement, subject to availability, and expires at the end of March 2025. Discussions are currently ongoing towards emplacing a new contract.
“Under this arrangement, NNPC has made over 48 million barrels of crude oil available to Dangote Refinery since October 2024. In aggregate, NNPC has made over 84 million barrels of crude oil available to the refinery since its commencement of operations in 2023.”
The national oil firm further reaffirmed its commitment to supplying crude oil for local refining based on mutually agreed terms and conditions. “
Naira-for-crude policy intact
Similarly, the Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee on the naira-for-crude deal, Zacch Adedeji, reaffirmed the government’s stance, emphasising that the termination of the contract was never a consideration.
He said there is substantial evidence supporting the policy as the correct approach and affirmed that it will continue to contribute positively to the nation’s economy.
“The policy framework enabling the sale of crude oil in naira for domestic refining remains in force. The initiative was designed to ensure supply stability and optimize the utilisation of local refining capacity. There has been no decision at the policy level to discontinue this approach, nor is it being considered. After implementing the policy for some months, evidence abounds that it is the right way to go, and it will continue to help the economy.
“The framework for domestic crude transactions is designed to promote a competitive and efficient pricing environment,” the Federal Inland Revenue Chairman said in an e-signed statement.
He also revealed that local refineries have not been excluded from domestic crude supply and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission is actively ensuring compliance with the Domestic Crude Oil Obligations provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.
“The engagement process for crude oil supply to domestic refineries therefore remains in place by structured agreements, balancing factors such as availability, demand, and market conditions. There is no exclusion of local refineries from access to domestic crude oil. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission is actively ensuring compliance with the Domestic Crude Oil Obligations provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.
“We remain committed to ensuring the efficient execution of this initiative in line with its core objectives – enhancing local refining, reducing foreign exchange exposure, and stabilising the domestic fuel supply,” he concluded.
Commenting on the ongoing contract renewal discussions, the Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refinery-Owners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, stated that the renewal was part of the original plan, emphasising that there have been no changes to the initial discussions.
However, he urged the government to honour its commitment to meeting the 27,000 barrels per day demand from modular refineries, stressing the importance of fulfilling this promise for the continued success of the industry.
Speaking in an interview, the publicity secretary said, “What the Federal Government said to us during our meetings last year was that they were going to start the pilot phase with Dangote, and when it ends, the second phase, which will start after March, will cover other refineries with a capacity of 27,000 barrels. The reason they started with Dangote was because they needed a refinery that could produce petrol, and only Dangote could do that.”
“But we also know that diesel is consumed by trucks that carry foodstuffs, which ultimately drives up the price of products, so modular refineries are important, and we really hope that they would fulfil that promise, as discussed, to include other refineries.”
He also highlighted the gains of the agreement, stressing that “We have seen a reduction in the price of products on one hand, and the naira has performed well against the dollar. Given this success, we are supposed to just enter the second phase and not say the government is renegotiating with Dangote. It is supposed to be with all the refineries.”
Meanwhile, an analysis of crude oil liftings obtained from the NNPCL monthly presentations at the monthly Federal Account Allocation Committee meetings between October 2024 and the last FAAC meeting held in February 2025 showed that the Dangote refinery received crude supply worth N486.31bn.
The national oil firm noted that the transactions were valued at $373.76m, and payments were made at an Afrexim Bank-advised exchange rate payable in naira, amounting to N486.31bn.
However, as of last month, the documents indicated that a total of $126.99m at an equivalent of N199.96bn was listed as obligations due for remittance and yet to be paid.
It further stated that all products were supplied to the refinery under a credit facility, with a payment due date set for 45 days from the date of barrel liftings.
It was observed that the crude oil figures were disclosed post facto, with the December data shared during the company’s last meeting in February 2025. The figures reported in January and February are expected to be presented to the FAAC committee during its meeting in March and April 2025.
The report revealed that on October 14, 2024, the $20 billion Lekki-based refinery received its highest allocation of crude oil, totalling 598,125 barrels. In contrast, on October 30, 2024, the refinery’s lowest allocation was 5,000 barrels. Additionally, the government only fulfilled its daily oil requirement on four occasions during this period.
A detailed breakdown of each transaction revealed that the first shipment, which was loaded onto the Sienna vessel carrying 100,000 barrels of crude oil, was received on October 14. This shipment was sold at a unit price of $78.56 per barrel, corresponding to invoice number PSC10.24.001. The total value of the transaction amounted to $7,856,870, which, when converted at N1,628, equals approximately N12.797bn.
The second transaction with invoice number PSC 10.24.002 was initiated on the same day with 598,125 barrels supplied. It was sold at a unit price of $78.56 per barrel with a dollar value of $46,993,903 and the equivalent of N76.54bn using an exchange rate of N1,635 per dollar.
The next allocation with invoice number PSC.10.24.009 was initiated on October 23, with 597,917 barrels delivered via vessel Sonangol Kalandula to the refinery. It was estimated at a unit price of $78.67 per barrel and a total value of $47,043,332 and naira equivalent of N77.64bn. An exchange rate of N1,650 was used for this transaction.
Similarly, a supply of 350,000 barrels was delivered on the same date at the same unit price and exchange rate. This transaction with invoice number PSC 10.24.008 was valued at $27,537,545 and a naira equivalent of N45.45bn.
The next day, October 24, another supply of 250,000 barrels was submitted at a unit price of $75.37 per barrel at a total cost of $18,844,675 and N30.814bn naira equivalent. An exchange rate of N1,635 was utilised for this transaction with invoice number PSC.10.24.018.
Also, the next allocation with invoice number PSC.10.24.017 was initiated on October 24, with 202,716 barrels delivered via vessel Constantios to the refinery. It was estimated at a unit price of $75.37 per barrel and a total value of $15,280,468 and naira equivalent of N24.98bn. An exchange rate of N1,635 was used for this transaction.
On October 30, the lowest supply of 5,000 barrels was submitted at a unit price of $78.18 per barrel at a total cost of $390,943 and N600.03m naira equivalent. An exchange rate of N1,534 was utilised for this transaction with invoice number PSC.10.24.013.
A summation showed that 2,103,758 barrels were supplied in the month of October. However, there was a significant decline in the supply during November, with only two transactions approved throughout the entire month.
Both transactions occurred on November 4, 2024, with a combined supply of 798,374 barrels of crude oil. The unit price for the oil was $75.82 per barrel, bringing the total value of the transactions to $60,534,073. This amount was equivalent to N100.87 billion, using an exchange rate of N1,666 to the dollar. The invoice number for these transactions was PSC/EXP/OML/146/09-24/RO-19.
In December. On the second day of the month, four vessels conveying 799,737 barrels of crude oil berthed at the refinery terminal. It was sold at a unit price of $74.87 per barrel, a total dollar value of $59,879,328, and a naira equivalent of N93.59bn. An exchange rate of N1,562 was used for these transactions and was paid in naira.
On December 11, 233,401 barrels of crude oil were supplied at a unit price of $76.21 per barrel at a total cost of $17,787,886 and N23.03bn naira equivalent. An exchange rate of N1,294 was utilised for this transaction with invoice number PSC.12.24.001. A remark on this transaction stated that Dangote paid based on the received volume of 193,320 barrels as against the invoice volume of 233,401.
Also, a pending crude oil supply of 956,061 barrels at a unit price of $74.9 and a total value of $71.61 was postponed to January.
The documents, however, didn’t reveal the supply of petroleum products received from the refinery under the deal.
Comedian and skit maker, Ganiyu Morufu, popularly known as Ijoba Lande, has claimed that he has eight videos of other men sleeping with his estranged wife, Dara, aside from Yoruba Nollywood actor, Baba Tee, who recently admitted sleeping with her.
The comedian disclosed this during an interview with media personality, Daddy Freeze, via Instagram livestream on Monday night.He admitted that it was so painful watching the men have rough sex with his wife.
“I have eight videos of other men sleeping with my wife aside from Baba Tee. It’s so painful. I watched how these men were spanking her.
“So, if she behaves like that as a single mother, it does not mean all single mothers will behave like that. It is just on her will to be promiscuous. Since I left her, no woman appeals to me anymore; I have been avoiding all women. I challenge anybody to admit seeing me with any lady in a hotel since this incident happened. I’m embittered with the whole situation. She’s a bad woman.
I have had Baba Tee’s sex video with my wife since four months ago. I am looking to drop the video anytime soon,” he added.The PUNCH reports that Baba Tee backtracked and admitted that he had a “short” sexual experience with Dara.
His disclosure countered the earlier denial he made about the same issue where he challenged Lande to bring evidence that he truly slept with his wife or face the law because the comedian had defamed him.
Lande claimed that his wife left him after he discovered her alleged infidelity, stating that at least 21 men in the entertainment industry were involved with her.
Among those he called out was Baba Tee, whom he mentioned in an Instagram post and the viral interview.
Reacting to the alleged sexual affairs with Baba Tee, Lande’s estranged wife said she only sat on the actor’s legs during a “Truth and Dare” game initiated by her friend, Marygold.
Detailing how the incident unfolded, she said, “The first time I met Baba Tee was in July last year when Marygold told me we should go to his house because she wanted to invite him to the launching of her movie. When we got there, Baba Tee didn’t know I was Lande’s wife, we greeted and Marygold said she wanted to drink alcohol.
“There was no alcohol in the house, so Marygold and Baba Tee’s driver went to buy it while I sat down in the living room. Baba Tee and I didn’t talk till they returned. When Marygold entered the house, she said we should start a ‘Truth or Dare’ game. I didn’t want to, but she encouraged me, so I told Baba Tee that I was Lande’s wife, and we started the game.
“As the game was going on, Marygold stripped herself naked and gave Baba Tee a BJ. By then, I had already drunk 10 shots of alcohol while Marygold and Baba Tee were smoking ‘Igbo’ (marijuana). Marygold then dared Baba Tee to give me a doggy style, so Baba Tee went to get a condom.
“When he returned, I told him I would not allow doggy, but I would sit on him. We then told Marygold to turn to the wall so she wouldn’t watch us. I only sat on his lap; we didn’t do anything.”
Former Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations under manager Mikel Arteta.
Mikel stated that while the Spaniard has improved the team, he is unsure if he is the right man to lead them to ultimate success.
Speaking on the Gunners’ progress in his Obi One Podcast posted on YouTube on Monday, Mikel acknowledged Arteta’s impact since taking over the club but insisted that Arsenal must move beyond merely competing and focus on actually winning major trophies.
“Has he done well for Arsenal? Yes. Has he improved Arsenal? Yes. There’s no doubt about it. Mikel Arteta has improved Arsenal from where they were before he took over.
“He’s massively improved the squad, the team, the way they play, and the way the fans want to see an Arsenal team play. He’s massively improved the team,” Mikel said.
Despite these advancements, the former Chelsea midfielder cast doubt on Arsenal’s ability to win the Premier League or Champions League under Arteta’s leadership.
“Now, is he the guy to take Arsenal to the next level, which is winning the Premier League, the Champions League? I don’t see that. Because it’s not about competing,” he argued.
Mikel stressed that Arsenal’s mentality should be about securing trophies rather than just being in the title race.
“People talk about competing. Yes, Arsenal need to compete to win. No, Arsenal should be talking about winning the league, not competing to win.
“When was the last time Arsenal won it? The Invincibles in 2004? What is it now, 20 years? 21? 22? Arsenal fans keep talking about competing. No. They’ve got to win it. Win it.”
Arsenal, currently positioned second in the race for the Premier League title, will be looking to prove their credentials as they push for their first league triumph in two decades.
The Police Command in Lagos State has sealed a church over the alleged killing of a 28-year-old graduate of Lagos State University, Adedamola Ogunbode.
The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Monday.
Hundeyin said that the church where some people alleged that the missing boy was killed and buried had been sealed to prevent it from being burned.
“The church was sealed following intelligence reports that some people planned to burn it down out of vengeance and we do not want that to happen.
“It is still a suspected crime scene, we still need to go over it, we may need to revisit that scene multiple times for us to gather evidential value.
“The church has been sealed for now to prevent it from being burned. And we assure the public that updates will be given about the investigation and the progress we have made as soon as we get new updates,” he said.
The PPRO said that three suspects have been detained so far.
“We have three suspects, the pastor and two others in custody, and the case is ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department,” he said.
According to him, efforts are underway to apprehend five other suspects, two of the five suspects are outside the country in Benin Republic.
Hundeyin in a statement on Friday said that the matter was no longer a case of missing person but suspected murder.
“Investigation has been intensified to locate the body of the deceased and uncover the circumstances surrounding his death.
“Among the five suspects into whose accounts money was moved from the victim’s account, three suspects had been apprehended and in police custody,” he said.
Hundeyin said that the State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, assured intensive investigation.
“CP Jimoh has assured the public that the command is fully committed to resolving the matter and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
CP Jimoh calls for restraint from actions that could potentially hinder or interfere with the ongoing investigative efforts,” he stated.
Elon Musk said X was hit by a major cyberattack on Monday as outages plagued users of the platform once known as Twitter.
“There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X,” Musk said in a post on the platform.
Musk blamed a cyberattack, providing no evidence, for crashing the site last year when an interview with Donald Trump was to be streamed.
In his post Monday, Musk included an X post from a DogeDesigner account that some on Reddit speculated could be a puppet of the tycoon himself.
The post noted protests against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that Trump entrusted to Musk, along with Tesla shops being vandalized, suggesting a cyberattack could signal another burst of animosity towards Musk.
Musk is chief or Tesla, his electric car company.
“It would take a lot of (money) to do an attack of this magnitude,” read a post in the exchange by the account of Jammies
Musk also maintained such an attack would take tremendous resources, speculating it was the work of a country or large coordinated group.
Outages on the X social media platform left tens of thousands of users unable to access the site, according to monitors.
Reports of problems with X started in the early hours of Monday, with users in Asia, Europe, and North America saying they could not access the platform, according to the Downdetector tracking site.
At the peak, more than 40,000 people reported outages, the site said.
The bulk of the reports were from people trying to use X on smartphones, but people on web browsers also reported the service down.
“Twitter keeps breaking?” asked a post by @Lalaslovely in the Downdetector chat section.
After Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in late 2022, the majority of employees left or were fired, raising concerns about whether staffing was in place to keep the platform safe and stable
Dokubo-Asari, Receives Staff of Office as Amanyanabo of the Source(Elem Kalabari)
In a historic ceremony held today, Dec 31st, 2024, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Da-Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, ( Dabaye Amakiri 1) formally received the staff of office as the Amanyanabo of the Source (Elem Kalabari) from Governor Siminlayi Fubara.
Elem Kalabari, renowned as the cradle of Kalabari development, holds a revered place in the annals of Kalabari history and socio-political development. As the first settlement of the founding fathers of the Kalabari Kingdom, it served as the genesis of the kingdom’s growth, preceding the dispersion of its people into present-day settlements.
During the ceremony, Da-Amakiri Tubo, Dokubo-Asari, expressed his profound gratitude to Governor Fubara for the esteemed honor bestowed upon him. He pledged to utilize his position to foster and promote the social, cultural, and economic growth of the Kalabari Kingdom, ensuring the well-being and prosperity of his people.
He said,
”
I am lost for words. This honour is of great joy to me and I thank our dynamic Governor, Sir Siminlayi Fubara for the honour and privilege to serve the Kalabari kingdom in this capacity.”
On arrival at Obuama, a large crowd of men and women gathered at the entrance into the town to welcome him with drums and singing accompanying his convoy all the way.
when he got to his residence, overwhelmed by the joy and crowd, he shed a few tears. It was an emotional moment. A few others in the crowd joined.
With over 30 years of experience fighting injustice, environmental degradation, and advocating for resource control in the Niger Delta, Dokubo-Asari’s elevation provides a broader platform for him to provide leadership and guidance to his community. His unwavering commitment to the betterment of the region has earned him recognition as a champion of human rights and a steadfast advocate for the Niger Delta people.
Throughout his journey, Dokubo-Asari has faced numerous challenges, including multiple arrests and imprisonments. He spent over 12 months in solitary confinement, a testament to his unyielding spirit and determination. Despite these hardships, he remains a pathfinder, champion, and motivator for Niger Delta youths worldwide, inspiring generations to strive for a brighter future.
As Da-Amakiri Tubo, Dokubo-Asari, embarks on this new chapter, he is poised to build upon his legacy, fostering growth, development, and prosperity for the Kalabari Kingdom. His leadership and vision will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the region, cementing his place as a revered figure in the annals of Kalabari history.
