Headlines
Gunmen Welcome Southeast Security Outfit with Attack on Ebonyi Community
The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Aliyu Garba, confirmed on Monday that gunmen attacked another community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state on Sunday hours after South-east governors met to deliberate on rising insecurity in the region.
Mr Garba told reporters the gunmen attacked Ebele village, Umuogodo Akpu, Mgbo in the LGA.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gunmen attacked five communities in the state – Egedege, Obegu, Amazu, Nkalagu and Umuhuali on March 29.
Some persons were reportedly killed in that attack.
Mr Garba said: “on the effects of Sunday attack, it is yet to be ascertained. We are yet to get any report from there and I have not been around. I am waiting for the report.’’
Meanwhile, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, also said he was yet to get details of the attack.
“They said it was communal crisis, while others said it was herdsmen who carried out the attack, but we do not know the people behind the attack yet.
“We cannot say exactly what happened although we heard about the attack this morning (Monday). Nobody has called to say somebody died or property destroyed, but we shall find out. Right now, we do not know who is responsible,’’ Mr Emegha said.
Governors in the South-east rose from a meeting in Owerri on Sunday where they deliberated on rising wave of insecurity in the region.
At the end of the meeting, they jointly endorsed the formation of a region-wide security organisation tagged “Ebube Agu” (fear of a lion).
The governors and heads of security agencies in the region signed a communiqué to maintain the joint security outfit.
The communique read: “after discussions on the current security challenges in the southeast and with valuable contributions from participants at the security summit in Owerri, it was resolved as follows:
“To strongly and unequivocally condemn terrorism and banditry in any part of Nigeria, particularly in the South-east.
“The meeting strongly condemned the burning of police stations, violent attacks on custodial centres with the unlawful release of inmates, and the killings including security personnel, natives/farmers and herdsmen.
“That the political leadership in the South-east has resolved to bring together all the arsenals at their command, as one united zone, to fight and flush out criminals and terrorist from the zone.
“That the heads of all the security agencies in the southeast have resolved to exchange intelligence in a seamless, effective new order that will help to checkmate crime in the zone.
“That to fast track crime-busting in the southeast, the heads of security agencies have been mandated to draw up a comprehensive list of their logistics and material needs for sustainable success in the fight against criminality, for the immediate provision by the leadership of the southeast.
“That a committee made up of security personnel, government officials and relevant stakeholders be set up to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the southeast joint security platform.
“The meeting resolved to maintain a joint security vigilante for the southeast, otherwise known as Ebube Agu.”
In attendance were governors of Abia, Okezuo Ikpeazu; Anambra, Willie Obiano; Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Ebonyi, Dave Umahi; and the host governor, Hope Uzodimma.
Also in attendance at the security summit was the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, George Obiozor as well as top security chiefs in the zone.
(NAN)
Pope Francis showed further improvement on Wednesday, the Vatican said, although it cautioned that “the prognosis remains reserved” for the 88-year-old fighting pneumonia.
“The clinical conditions of the Holy Father in the last 24 hours have shown a further, slight improvement,” said the Vatican in its nightly bulletin on the health of the pontiff, who has been in hospital since February 14.
“Although a slight improvement is being recorded, the prognosis remains reserved,” it said.
The Argentine pope was originally admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital with breathing difficulties and bronchitis, but his condition subsequently deteriorated, sparking widespread concern among Catholics.
Respiratory attacks he suffered at the weekend that required high levels of oxygen and blood transfusions have not been repeated, according to the Vatican, although he continues to receive oxygen and do breathing exercises.
On Wednesday, the Vatican said a CT scan performed Tuesday showed “normal progression of the pulmonary inflammatory condition” while blood tests on Wednesday confirmed the improvement.
It also said that a mild renal insufficiency detected at the weekend “had resolved.”
As Catholics across the globe pray for Francis, doctors have warned the path to recovery could be long, with the Jesuit pontiff likely staying in hospital beyond this week.
Despite his critical condition, the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics has kept up with Church matters from his hospital suite, according to the Vatican.
Now on his 13th day in the hospital, the Pope Wednesday was “sitting in a chair, and continuing with the treatment as normal”, a Vatican source said.
The Vatican said he received the Eucharist in the morning and spent his afternoon working.The current hospitalisation is Francis’s fourth and longest.
The pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has suffered increasing health problems in recent years.
He is prone to bronchitis and suffers from hip and knee pain, which has made him reliant on a wheelchair.
Pilgrims and faithful have been flocking to the Vatican and the Gemelli to pray for Francis, with a fresh round of prayers held in St Peter’s Square later Wednesday evening.
US President, Donald Trump, has unveiled plans to sell new “gold card” residency permits for a price of $5 million each, saying Russian oligarchs may be eligible.
Trump said sales of the new visa, a high-price version of the traditional green card, would bring in job creators and could be used to reduce the US national deficit.
“We’re going to be selling a gold card. You have a green card, this is a gold card. We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The Republican president, who has made the deportation of millions of undocumented migrants a priority of his second term, said the new card would be a route to highly prized US citizenship.
“A lot of people are going to want to be in this country, and they’ll be able to work and provide jobs and build companies,” Trump said.
“It’ll be people with money.”Sales of the cards would start in about two weeks, Trump added.
“We’ll be able to sell maybe a million of these cards. We have it all worked out from a legal standpoint,” Trump added.
The billionaire former real estate tycoon said that all applicants for the new gold cards would be carefully vetted.
But asked if wealthy Russians would also be able to apply, Trump said it is a possibility.
“Possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people. It’s possible,” Trump said.
“They’re not as wealthy as they used to be. I think they can. I think they can afford $5 million.”
A number of Russian oligarchs have been hit by western sanctions since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
Trump has caused shock in European capitals by suddenly opening negotiations with Russia to end the war, amid fears that he could be willing to sell Ukraine short.
The US president told reporters that lifting sanctions on Russia was possible “at some point” but was not currently on the table.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, standing at Trump’s side in the Oval Office, said of the gold cards that “we can use that money to reduce our deficit.”
Trump, who has branded a series of hotels and casinos in a long business career, even suggested the new cards could also be named after him.
“Somebody said, ‘Can we call it the Trump gold card?’ I said, ‘If it helps, use the name Trump,’” he said.
AFP
The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, from N890 to N825 per litre, effective from February 27, 2025.
The slash in price by N65.00 was announced in a statement on Wednesday by the refinery.
According to the statement, buyers in Lagos would purchase fuel at N860 per litre at MRS outlets under the new arrangement.
“For MRS Holdings stations, it will sell for N860 per litre in Lagos, N870 per litre in the South-West, N880 per litre in the North, and N890 per litre in the South-South and South-East respectively,” the management said.
“The same product will also be available at the following prices in AP (Ardova Petroleum) and Heyden stations: ₦865 per litre in Lagos, ₦875 per litre in the South-West, ₦885 per litre in the North, and ₦895 per litre in the South-South and South-East.”
The company assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand, as well as a surplus for export to enhance the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
It urged marketers to support this initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of this effort.
To the refinery, the price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in anticipation of the upcoming Ramadan season and also support the economic recovery policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
Africa’s richest man Dangote has severally reduced the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products.
The latest move is the second price reduction of PMS in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60.00 earlier in the month.
In December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season.
