OgunSpeaks

09/08/2025

Dangote Refinery Dismisses Shutdown Rumours, Confirms Routine Maintenance and Steady Fuel Supply

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has refuted claims of a shutdown or suspension of truck loading activities, insisting that operations remain fully functional.

The clarification follows media reports speculating that the refinery planned a 15-day maintenance shutdown of its petrol-making Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit starting August 10. On Friday, some outlets also reported the resumption of petrol loading after maintenance, alongside an increase in its ex-gantry petrol price to ₦850 per litre.

In a statement issued by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, the refinery explained that routine maintenance is standard practice and does not disrupt overall fuel supply.

“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is fully operational. There has been no shutdown, nor has there been any suspension of truck loading activities,” the statement read.

The refinery confirmed that the ex-gantry petrol price is indeed ₦850 per litre, adding that its operations include the occasional large-scale sale of Residual Catalytic Oil (RCO), which accounts for the recent fuel oil tender.

According to the management, the facility supplies more than 40 million litres of petrol daily, alongside steady volumes of diesel, with deliveries continuing uninterrupted.

"As the world’s largest single-train petroleum refinery, we employ advanced predictive and preventive maintenance protocols to ensure uninterrupted operations,” the statement noted.

Addressing speculation about fuel shortages and price hikes, the refinery challenged critics to test its capacity:

“We invite interested buyers to place immediate orders for up to 40 million litres of PMS daily and 15 million litres of AGO daily, for the next 90 days.”

Dangote Refinery reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, operational stability, and the protection of Nigeria’s energy security.

09/08/2025

Brazilian Adult Film Star Vitoria Beatriz Dies at 28

Vitoria Beatriz, a Brazilian adult film actress, has passed away at the age of 28 after spending several days in critical condition in the hospital.

Beatriz, known for her work with Peruvian company Inka Productions, died on Tuesday following an undisclosed medical crisis. The company confirmed her passing in a heartfelt social media statement, remembering her for her “joy, warmth, and the light she transmitted.”

Born in São Paulo in July 1996, Vitoria built a growing presence in the adult entertainment industry, working on projects in both Brazil and Peru while amassing thousands of social media followers.

In the days leading up to her death, she was admitted to a medical facility in critical condition. Her family and representatives chose not to reveal the cause of her hospitalisation, instead requesting prayers and privacy.

A statement posted on her Instagram fan page last Friday read:

“I want to inform you that Vitoria remains hospitalised, and we, the family, have chosen not to share details of the situation. Just know that she is surrounded by care and love.”

The same account later confirmed her passing, sharing an emotional tribute from the page administrator, who revealed frequent WhatsApp conversations with the late star.

“She told me about the challenges she faced with her physical and mental health, and how difficult it was to go through this every day… She was a very strong person, but also very sensitive,” the message read.

The exact cause of her death remains unknown, with both Inka Productions and her family maintaining silence on the circumstances surrounding her untimely passing.

08/08/2025

Pastor Adeboye Says He Will Die on a Sunday After Eating Pounded Yam

Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has said he believes he will die on a Sunday after eating pounded yam.

The 83-year-old cleric made the remark on Thursday while delivering a sermon during the RCCG’s 73rd annual convention, themed The Overcomers. Speaking on the topic Possess Your Possessions, Adeboye urged worshippers to pray earnestly to guard against sickness.

“If you are healthy and pray the way I’m going to ask you to pray, you may never be sick again,” he said.

“I’m sure I have told you how I will go, if the Lord tarries. I will go to church, it is going to be on Sunday. I can tell you that.

“If you say, ‘how do you know?’ Leave that out of the question. I will go to church, have a wonderful service, come back home, eat pounded yam and go.

“Let me hear somebody say loud and clear, I will never be sick again.”

Adeboye emphasised that his ministry is focused on holiness rather than prosperity.

“Prosperity is yours. I know there are some people who have been waiting for that so they can have something to criticise,” he said. “That is all right. Everybody knows I’m not a prosperity preacher. I’m a holiness preacher.”

08/08/2025

SSCE Pass Rate Rises to 62.96% After WAEC Corrects Scoring Error

The pass rate for the 2025 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has jumped to 62.96% from the initially reported 38.32%, following a review by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

WAEC had earlier announced a sharp decline in performance compared to 2024, stating that only 754,545 of the 1,969,313 candidates, representing 38.32%, obtained a minimum of five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, across 23,554 schools.

However, after public outrage over the mass failure, the exam body admitted to discovering technical issues that compromised the scoring process. The problem was traced to the grading of “serialised papers,” a recent innovation in the exam. WAEC explained that a serialised code file was wrongly used in printing the English Language Objective Test (Paper 3), causing the papers to be scored with incorrect keys.

Candidates who sat for the exam using the computer-based mode were not affected by this error.

“The observable decline in the performance of candidates earlier announced was partly traceable to this absurd situation,” WAEC said in a statement. “The council sincerely apologises for this imbroglio and deeply regrets the emotional and mental dismay it might have caused the affected candidates and all stakeholders.”

Following the correction, WAEC’s latest analysis shows that 1,239,884 candidates, representing 62.96%, obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

08/08/2025

Senator Ibrahim Musa Kontagora Dies in Abuja

Ibrahim Musa, former senator representing Niger North under the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has passed away.

Musa, a lawyer with 17 years of legal practice, served in the Senate from 2011 to 2015. He was widely regarded as one of the staunchest loyalists of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement on Thursday, Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the Niger State Government, confirmed the death, stating that the former lawmaker died in Abuja after a brief illness.

“Senator Ibrahim died today (Thursday) in Abuja after a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated service to his people and the nation at large,” the statement read.

“Senator Ibrahim Musa’s passing is a great loss not only to Kontagora Emirate but to the entire state and the nation. We pray that Almighty Allah grants him eternal rest and gives his family, the Emirate and all who mourn him the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

The Niger State Government also extended its condolences to the deceased’s family and constituents, describing his death as a painful blow to the state.

08/08/2025

30 States Spend ₦11.75 Billion on Foreign Trips to Woo Investors, Record Zero FDI

Thirty Nigerian states spent a combined ₦11.75 billion on international trips and trainings in the first quarter of 2025, with no foreign direct investment (FDI) to show for it, FIJ has reported.

According to the Capital Importation Report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday, all the FDI inflows recorded between January and March went to just seven locations: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano, and Ekiti.

An analysis of the states’ first-quarter budget performance reports by FIJ revealed that the travel expenses, converted at the official exchange rate of ₦1,532.65 to a dollar, amounted to about $7.66 million.

Osun State topped the list, spending ₦1.88 billion on international journeys, followed by Yobe with ₦1.53 billion. Bauchi recorded ₦977 million, while Taraba and Adamawa spent ₦895 million and ₦894 million respectively. Benue disbursed ₦710 million, Jigawa ₦577 million, and Ebonyi ₦414 million. Delta, Edo, and Bayelsa spent ₦214 million, ₦349 million, and ₦307 million respectively.

Even states with relatively modest expenditures, such as Gombe (₦91 million), Katsina (₦49 million), and Imo (₦15 million), secured no foreign investment in return.

In total, these 30 states accounted for nearly ₦12 billion in travel costs without attracting any new capital inflow.

By contrast, the FCT alone attracted $3.05 billion in FDI during the period, while Lagos secured $2.56 billion. Ogun and Oyo received $7.95 million and $7.81 million respectively. Kaduna attracted $4.06 million, Kano received $117,000, and Ekiti recorded the lowest among the seven at $4,250.

Experts have long cited factors such as insecurity, weak policies, and poor infrastructure as deterrents to subnational investment. In 2025, insecurity remains a key barrier, with over 2,200 people killed and nearly 900 abducted in the first half of the year alone. Deadly attacks in Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara have rendered several regions high risk for business and investment.

08/08/2025

08/08/2025

EFCC Arrests 55 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ogun, Recovers Guns

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested 55 suspected internet fraudsters during a sting operation at K Hotel in Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

In a statement on Thursday, the commission’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate said the raid, carried out on Wednesday, followed “credible and actionable intelligence” on alleged cybercrime activities.

Among those arrested are Ogunniyi Oluwaseun, Babalola Ibrahim, Dada Qowiyu, Kunle Ajayi, Rufai Suleman, Babajide Shedrack, Oloyede Toheeb, Monday Joseph, Akinbode Babatunde, and Oyedipe Micheal. Others include Adekunle Jeremiah, Mustapha Muyideen, Mike Opeyemi, Bale Abayomi, Odukoya Samuel, and Joseph Oyegunle, among several others.

Items recovered from the suspects include six exotic cars, two locally-made pistols, a motorcycle, multiple laptops and mobile phones, incriminating documents, and 89 unclaimed phones.

The EFCC said the suspects have provided “useful information” during preliminary investigations and will be charged to court in due course.

This operation is the latest in a series of coordinated crackdowns on suspected cybercrime hotspots in Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos states. In June, 33 suspects were arrested in Ibadan, while over 40 were apprehended in Abeokuta in May.

The commission urged hotel owners, landlords, and the public to report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies, warning that “Yahoo Yahoo” remains a serious threat to Nigeria’s reputation and financial system.

08/08/2025

Police Accused of Covering Up Assault on Sowore, Denying Him Medical Care

Authorities under the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, have been accused of attempting to cover up the brutal assault of human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, by a team of police officers early Thursday morning.

According to sources, no fewer than eight officers—led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP)—attacked Sowore while trying to forcibly take him to court from his detention cell at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja. The officers allegedly broke his right hand during the scuffle after he insisted on the presence of his lawyers and the opportunity to dress before leaving.

Sowore had been detained on Wednesday after honouring a police invitation over petitions accusing him of forgery and criminal defamation. Critics say the case reflects a pattern of state harassment against dissenting voices.

Instead of probing the alleged brutality, sources told SaharaReporters that police authorities are more concerned about a leaked photo showing Sowore’s bandaged hand. The activist has reportedly been denied medical treatment, while the CSP who led the assault was brought back to meet him during an interview with one of his lawyers.

Background information reveals that Sowore was moved from the FID to an undisclosed location before being returned to detention at the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office in Abuja. The petitions against him were reportedly handled by DCP Akin Fakorede, a controversial former SARS officer, with one allegedly filed by ACP Bukola Yemisi Kuti, said to have close ties to the IGP.

Since his detention, several organisations and activist groups have demanded his immediate release, accusing the police of abuse of power and disregard for due process.

08/08/2025

UK-Based Nigerian Man, 33, Jailed for R**e

A 33-year-old Nigerian man, Segun “Michael” Ogundipe, has been sentenced to five years in prison by Gloucester Crown Court for ra**ng and sexually assaulting a woman in 2022.

In a statement read to the court, the victim urged other survivors of sexual assault to come forward, assuring them they would be “believed and supported.” She told Ogundipe: “What you did was vile and one of the worst things you could do to someone… you had no right to the rights of my body.”

The court heard that Ogundipe met the woman at her workplace and later invited her out for drinks. During the evening, he made sexual remarks that made her uncomfortable. He then drove her to his home under the pretext of picking something up, where he sexually assaulted and r***d her.

After the attack, Ogundipe drove towards Cheltenham but was stopped by police for erratic driving. The victim managed to tell officers she had been r***d, leading to his arrest and subsequent charges of r**e, assault by pe*******on, and two counts of sexual assault.

Ogundipe denied the offences but was found guilty at trial. Born in Nigeria and in the UK since 2021 as a student, he faces a deportation order upon completing his sentence.

08/08/2025

Dozens Killed as NAF Airstrikes Hit Bandits’ Wedding in Zamfara

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reportedly carried out an airstrike on a gathering of suspected bandits during a wedding ceremony at Asaula Hills in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

According to counter insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the precision strike took place around 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, under the air component of Operation Fansar Yan Bindiga, Sector 2 Command.

Sources said dozens of armed bandits, some riding over 100 motorcycles, had assembled at Asaula Hills in Yankuzo ward for a mass wedding. Field reports confirmed their presence at 2:44 p.m., prompting the deployment of a fighter jet that struck the target two hours later, catching the suspects off guard.

The gathering reportedly drew fighters from multiple enclaves, including Faskari and Kankara LGAs in Katsina State. At least 10 bodies were recovered as of Tuesday evening, while several others were burnt beyond recognition. Local informants said no fewer than 33 injured bandits were receiving treatment in Yankuzo and nearby hamlets.

“Dozens were neutralised instantly, while many others sustained serious injuries. The survivors were seen evacuating the wounded to Yankuzo village for treatment,” one source told Zagazola Makama. Some of the injured are reportedly being treated secretly by unqualified health workers.

The source recommended ground troops conduct mop up operations at the site and suspected recovery points. Operation Fansar Yan Bindiga, launched earlier this year, targets terrorist enclaves, logistics hubs, and command centres across Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto States.

08/08/2025

Gunmen Kill 2, Abduct 3 in Kwara

Two travellers have been killed and three others abducted by armed men in Ganmu village, near Babanla, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The attack occurred when the victims, travelling from Lagos to Babanla, suffered a flat tyre near the community. While attempting to fix it, they were ambushed by five gunmen who opened fire.

Those killed were identified as Alhaji Abdulrazak Ewenla, a native of Ajia village, and Jimoh Audu from Ganmu. The abducted victims are Kazeem Ajide, Wahidi, and Mufutau, with the surnames of the latter two yet to be confirmed.

Following the incident, police operatives, military personnel, and local vigilantes were deployed to the area to restore order and launch a search operation.

Kwara State Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident but dismissed a viral video suggesting that residents had fled the community, insisting that the area remains occupied and under security watch.

She added that a full investigation is underway, with efforts ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims unharmed and bring the perpetrators to justice.