Major security, political and international developments dominated the news on Friday as several senior police officers, including Deputy Inspector-General Frank Mba, bowed out of service while seven Assistant Inspectors-General are being considered for promotion in a fresh leadership reshuffle within the Nigeria Police Force.
On the international front, tensions escalated in the Middle East after Iran launched a barrage of missiles that triggered explosions over Tel Aviv, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Back home, disagreements emerged in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector as oil marketers and the Dangote refinery traded words over petrol pricing, reflecting ongoing debates about fuel market regulation and competition.
Meanwhile, a protester linked to the #EndSARS demonstrations regained freedom after spending six years in detention, while a United States court sentenced a Nigerian man to six years in prison for a $5m COVID-19 fraud scheme.
Elsewhere, the United States approved a temporary arrangement allowing stranded Russian oil cargoes to be sold to India, and concerns grew in Borno State, where hundreds of residents remain missing following a Boko Haram attack.
See the top stories below:
DIG Mba, others retire, seven AIGs for promotion
A Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Frank Mba, alongside several other senior officers, is set to retire from the Nigeria Police Force following recent changes in the leadership of the force.
The development comes as seven Assistant Inspectors-General of Police have been pencilled down for promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
The planned retirement of Mba and other DIGs followed the exit of the former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the subsequent confirmation of Tunji Disu as the new Inspector-General of Police.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/dig-mba-others-retire-seven-aigs-for-promotion/
Iran missile barrage sparks explosions over Tel Aviv
A fresh barrage of Iranian missiles triggered multiple explosions across Tel Aviv on Friday, as firefighters battled a blaze that engulfed a residential building near the city’s commercial centre.
The explosions followed Israel’s decision to widen its military campaign against Hezbollah, with authorities vowing retaliation against the Tehran-backed group for joining the conflict after the reported killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster, Iran launched missiles “against targets in the heart of Tel Aviv,” while the Israel Defence Forces said it was working to intercept incoming projectiles late Thursday as air defence systems were activated over the city.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/iran-missile-barrage-sparks-explosions-over-tel-aviv/
Marketers, Dangote trade words over petrol price
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, data from the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria indicated that imported petrol currently sells for about N64 less per litre than fuel produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The refinery, however, dismissed the claim and challenged importers to bring in petroleum products despite the ongoing airstrikes in the region.
The development comes after the Dangote refinery increased its gantry price from N774 to N874 per litre. The adjustment followed a surge in global oil prices to about $84 per barrel, up from below $70 in the days preceding the latest escalation involving the United States, Iran, Israel and other countries.
Following the increase, several filling stations on Tuesday adjusted their pump prices to as high as N937 per litre, depending on location.
Before tensions in the Middle East intensified over the weekend, some outlets had been selling petrol between N812 and N839 per litre. The crisis has since disrupted the global fuel market, with ripple effects on prices in Nigeria and other countries.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/us-iran-war-marketers-dangote-trade-words-over-petrol-price/
#EndSARS protester regains freedom after six years detention
A Lagos-based advocacy group, the Take It Back Movement, has announced the release of Rasheed Wasiu, who had been in detention since his arrest during the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The group confirmed that Wasiu regained his freedom after spending several years in custody following his participation in the demonstrations against police brutality.
The #EndSARS protests, which began in October 2020, were a nationwide youth-led movement demanding an end to police brutality, particularly the activities of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
The demonstrations attracted thousands of young Nigerians across major cities and were marked by confrontations with security agencies in some locations, as well as reports of arrests and alleged human rights violations.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/endsars-protester-regains-freedom-after-six-years-detention/
US court jails Nigerian six years for $5m COVID-19 fraud
A United States District Court has sentenced a 34-year-old Nigerian, Adepoju Babatunde Salako, to six and a half years in prison for his involvement in a $5m COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud scheme.
According to a statement published on the website of the United States Department of Justice, Salako, who resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, received a 78-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The statement added that as part of a plea agreement, Salako also agreed to plead guilty to seven additional counts of wire fraud in the District of Alaska.
The court further ordered him to pay $2,581,002.50 in restitution to victims affected by the fraudulent scheme.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/us-court-jails-nigerian-six-years-for-5m-covid-19-fraud/
US approves temporary sale of stranded Russian oil to India
The United States government on Thursday temporarily eased economic sanctions against Russia to allow Russian oil currently stranded at sea to be sold to India.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a Russia-related licence “Authorising the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of March 5, 2026, to India,” the Treasury said in a statement.
It said the transactions, including from vessels blocked by various sanctions regimes, are authorised through the end of the day on April 3, 2026.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waiver was issued “To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market.”
Read more here: https://punchng.com/us-approves-temporary-sale-of-stranded-russian-oil-to-india/#
Borno: Hundreds still missing after Boko Haram attack
Suspected militants of Boko Haram have reportedly abducted more than 300 residents during a deadly midnight assault on the Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area.
The attack, which occurred around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, forced thousands of survivors to flee to the neighbouring Pulka community. Many displaced residents were said to be sleeping along roadsides and inside school buildings out of fear of further attacks.
Earlier reports by The PUNCH indicated that the insurgents also killed an unspecified number of civilians and abducted several women after launching an assault on a military post in the area.
Sources told our correspondent that the attackers initially targeted the military base in Ngoshe before turning their violence on civilians in the community, triggering panic and a mass exodus of residents seeking safety in nearby areas.
Read more here: https://punchng.com/borno-hundreds-still-missing-after-boko-haram-attack/#
Leave a comment