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Convention: APC group faults postponement, seeks Buni-led committee replacement

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Some All Progressives Congress stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Saturday under the auspices of the APC Rebirth Group said they anticipated a separate committee to prepare the national convention than the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led group as part of the arrangements for the March 26 national convention.

This came as it praised stakeholders for renewing their promises to guarantee that the APC’s long-awaited National Convention takes place on March 26, 2022, as scheduled.

‘APC Rebirth Welcomes fresh pledge to conduct national Convention, says El-Rufai has inspired confidence,’ the organization stated in a statement signed late Saturday by the group’s spokeswoman, Aliyu Audu.

It stated it isn’t astonished by the sequence of events because it believed the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee would not be willing to hold the Convention anytime soon.

It stated, “We were vindicated.”

It voiced dismay over the fact that the same Caretaker Committee that has “consistently failed” to deliver on its fundamental purpose of delivering the national Convention will be allowed to continue to supervise the proceedings of the same Convention it was unable to organize.

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“Our intention was that following the meeting of governors with the president, a new committee would be formed immediately to prepare for the revised convention date of March 26, but this was not to be,” the statement said.

“While we have nothing personal against the CECPC, our concern, as we have always indicated, is to guarantee that the party’s handlers conduct their affairs in such a way that the party is stabilized and its fortunes are preserved for the tasks ahead.” We trust that the CECPC will be transparent in this matter.

“An early commitment to deliver the Convention has been exhibited with the few activities that have immediately preceded the announcement of the new date of March 26, especially with the entry into the contest of the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.”
Unlike what was previously available, El-Rufai not only inspired confidence by communicating the decisions reached at numerous stakeholder meetings, but he also ensured that the zoning arrangement was conveyed to the public as agreed by the stakeholders, according to the report.

“Despite Elrufai’s intervention, it would have been very gratifying if he and many other party leaders had not only spoken out against the party’s dismal trajectory during the last 22 months with the CECPC at the helm, but also taken responsibility, as he has done in the last few days.”

“We believe that his protracted silence, along with that of many others, contributed significantly to the position in which the party found itself, and we hope that lessons have been learned and that future occurrences of this sort will be avoided.”

“Now that the revised date for the Convention has been agreed upon, the APC Rebirth is determined to working with other party stakeholders to ensure that we produce a convention that will be the pride of not only party members but the entire country,” the group said.

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“We beseech the leadership of Mai Mala Buni to complete his stewardship as party temporary Chairman on a good note by delivering a transparent, free, and fair Convention,” it said in a letter to the CECPC.

Plateau: PDP Candidate Defeats APC Candidate, 10 others in Jos North-Bassa bye-election

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Musa Agah of the Peoples Democratic Party was proclaimed the winner of the Jos North/Bassa federal constituency in Plateau State by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Dr. Yinka Oyerinde, INEC Returning Officer and Senior Lecturer at the University of Jos, announced the election results in Jos on Sunday.

On Saturday, February 26, 2022, a bye-election was held.

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After the prior holder, Haruna Maitala of the All Progressives Congress, died in an accident on the Abuja-Jos route last year, the seat became vacant.

According to the Returning Officer, the PDP candidate, who now represents the Plateau State House of Assembly’s Irigwe/Rukuba state seat, received 40,343 votes, defeating his nearest challenger, Muhammad Alkali of the Peoples Redemption Party, who received 37,757 votes.

Abbey Aku, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, came in third place with 26,111 votes.

The Returning Officer announced the following results from the eleven political parties that ran in the election: ADC received 1833 votes, ADP 571 votes, APM 52 votes, APP 55 votes, LP 33 votes, NNPP 136 votes, SDP 52 votes, and YPP 84 votes.

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“That Musa Agah of the PDP, having satisfied the conditions of the law, is hereby proclaimed the winner and returned elected,” the INEC Returning Officer remarked.

Keke, Okada Ban Will Worsen Crime Rate In Enugu -Mbaka

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Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Nigeria, has opposed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s decision to ban the operation of motorbikes known as Okadas, tricycles, and dump trucks in three local government areas of the state.

According to the Catholic priest, the governor made the decision without considering the ban’s ramifications or its impact on the impoverished.

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After an emergency security meeting on Thursday, Ugwuanyi signed Executive Order No.1: 2022, prohibiting tricycle (Keke), motorcycle (Okada), and tipper-truck operations in the entire Nkanu East, Nkanu West, and other communities in the Enugu South Local Government Area.

However, in a video message acquired by our correspondent on Sunday, Mbaka urged the governor to lift the restriction, warning of the catastrophic consequences that could result.

“I have been pleading and requesting that they free Nnamdi Kanu,” Mbaka stated. It looked that once Nnamdi Kanu was captured, the banditry, turmoil, and killings would end; yet, things worsened after he was jailed. The situation is deteriorating by the day, demonstrating that detaining him will not solve the problem.

“Anyone who enacts a legislation that should not be enacted should expect to suffer the consequences.” The unfortunate people should not be made to suffer indefinitely. And I’m pleading with Enugu State’s leaders, “There is no job.”

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“Some people’s parents, wives, and children will not eat if they don’t go out with their Keke. Their sickly mothers refuse to take any medication. If you catch a Keke individual committing a crime, you must punish them. You can’t apply the sin of one person to everyone. No.”

General Gboh says Nigerian officers possess academic and strategic knowledge

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Retired Major General John Gboh, the Founder of Patriotic Action Nigeria, has remarked that the quality and capacity of a military officer in performing tasks is highly dependent on how much has been impressed into such an officer.

This was said by General Gboh during an exclusive interview in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Apart from increasing individual capability, the combination of education and strategic understanding, according to the Retired Military Officer who hailed from the Nigerian Army Education Corps, gives an edge in presenting holistic answers to problems.

He stated that, contrary to popular belief, the Nigerian Army takes education and strategic knowledge very seriously because they are a vital aspect of military operations.

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He claims that many military officers have not just high-quality combat training, but also high-quality strategic and academic knowledge, which is translated into the field when an officer is assigned to ensure that he succeeds in his tasks.

General Gboh, on the other hand, asks for greater civil-military cooperation in securing Nigeria, arguing that the military alone cannot solve the problem because the perpetrators are people who live in society and communities.

“When we talk about banditry, kidnappings, and rape, these are issues that happen outside of the military; where the military comes in is that it is called upon to tackle these problems, which is why I said a military officer’s capacity is determined by how much has been invested in him or her.”

“The problem is primarily civil; it is not military officers who are kidnapped or terrorists, but civil society. When the government sends the military to operate, it must also cooperate with the military to ensure that they have the necessary capacity to achieve what they are sent to do.”

The military’s success or failure is determined by who they operate under and those around them, as well as whether or not they are allowed to go all out to do what they need to do.”

The government, according to General Gboh, is the primary point of intelligence collection and is well informed, as the government of any nation is God on Earth.

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“The God on Earth has police intelligence, Secret Service intelligence, and Military Intelligence coming to it,” General Gboh said, “therefore the government should not withhold anything when sending out the armed forces to operate.”

VP Yemi Osinbajo Will Speak At African Court Opening In Arusha, Tanzania

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will leave Abuja on Sunday for Arusha, Tanzania, to attend the African Court for Human and Peoples’ Rights’ ceremonial start of the 2022 Judicial Year.

Laolu Akande, the Vice President’s spokesman, stated this in an early Sunday press statement.

According to Akande, the court decided last year at its 15th anniversary to “convene a solemn ceremony at the commencement of the first of its four sessions each year to mark the official opening of the judicial year as a means of enhancing its visibility and engaging as many stakeholders as possible.”

Prof. Osinbajo has been named as the Guest Speaker at this inaugural event, which will be attended by leaders from across Africa and beyond, according to him.

“The Vice President will speak on the subject of “The African Court and the Africa We Want.”

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“According to the Court, the overall goal of the ceremony is to provide a venue for engagement with Member States, key judicial authorities, inter-governmental, semi-governmental, and non-state actors, as well as an opportunity for exchange of ideas and reflection on the Court’s work for the year.”

According to a statement from the Court, the event would eventually lead to a “improved knowledge of the Court’s work by stakeholders,” as well as “greater interaction with major judicial authorities on the continent and key stakeholders.”

“The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was created on June 9, 1998, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, pursuant to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”

“On January 25, 2004, the Protocol entered into force. The Court was established in 2006 and began operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before moving to its current location in Arusha, Tanzania.

The Court’s mission is to strengthen the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ protective mandate by strengthening the continent’s human rights protection system and ensuring, through judicial decisions, respect for and compliance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as other international human rights instruments.

“The Court is made up of justices elected from around the continent, and its present President is Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud. She is a Tanzanian woman. Justice Blaise Tchikaya (Vice President) – Republic of Congo; Justice Ben Kioko – Kenya; Justice Rafaâ Ben Achour – Tunisia; Lady Justice Ntyam Ondo Mengue – Cameroon; Lady Justice Marie Thérèse Mukamulisa – Rwanda; Lady Justice Tujilane Rose Chizumila – Malawi; Lady Justice Bensaoula Chafika – Algeria; Lady Justice Stella Isibhakhome

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While in Tanzania, Vice President Akande will hold bilateral talks with his Tanzanian counterpart, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, according to Akande.

The Vice President is scheduled to return to Abuja on March 1, 2022.

NDLEA Intercepts Drugs, Cash Consignments From Pakistan, Austria, Italy

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA captured at least 649,300 Tramadol capsules and 809,850 Euros in cash from consignments from Pakistan, Austria, and Italy at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

Various quantities of Heroin and other illegal substances were also seized, with the intent of being exported to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Mr Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, made the announcement in a press statement on Sunday.

“At the Skyway Aviation Handling Company cargo warehouse at the airport, anti-narcotic officers seized 649,300 Tramadol 225mg capsules weighing 460.95kg imported from Pakistan via Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airline on Wednesday 16th February,” according to the statement. In conjunction with the seizure, Nwadu Ekene Christian, a suspect, was arrested.”

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“A female traveller, Ms. Ayeki Happy, who came at the airport from Italy on Turkish Airline was detained with 69,850 Euros cash disguised in her luggage on the same day,” according to the report. According to the statement.

“This occurred four days after another lady, Precious Idahagbon, was apprehended with 740,000 Euros in cash stashed in her luggage and undeclared upon her arrival at the airport from Vienna, Austria via Istanbul, Turkey. Both cash seizures are currently being investigated to see if they are drug-related earnings.”

“Operators seized a shipment of 131 packs of Cannabis camouflaged in packages of black soap (Dudu-Osun) during outward clearance of goods travelling to the UK” at the airport’s NAHCO export facility.

30 sachets of cannabis hidden in cartons of cornflakes were discovered in the shipment, which was presented for export to Dubai, UAE at SAHCO shed.

Moreover, officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations, DOGI, seized “not less than 6.5kg of Heroin, Khat, and Oxycodone packaged for export to the United States and Canada” at a prominent courier firm in Lagos. The narcotics were hidden in shoes and the sides of cartons.” The statement clarified the situation.

Other countries:

“On Friday, February 25th, a 34-year-old Nasiru Abdulrahman was detained with 476kg of Cannabis at Kwanar Dan Gora, Kiru local government area of Kano.”

“4,000 Tramadol 225mg pills were recovered from Abdulmuminu Abubakar, 24, who was apprehended at Gidan Madara, Mubi North LGA on Tuesday 22nd February while traveling on a motorcycle to distribute the drugs in Bukula, Cameroon Republic,” according to the report.

“Two consignments comprising 12kg of cannabis and 356kg of the same substance were intercepted from transport vehicles in Abaji region of the FCT,” according to Abuja.

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The Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Adamawa, and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures, and charged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the offensive action against all drug cartels in every part of Nigeria.

Ghanaian Students Survive Train Attack in Russia-Ukraine

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A train carrying Ghanaian students through Ukraine was purportedly attacked by Russians, but the students were unharmed.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu seat, revealed.

Mr Ablakwa, who is also a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, was commenting about the government’s plans to evacuate Ghanaian students from Ukraine.

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Ghanaian students in Ukraine have petitioned the Ghanaian government to evacuate them from the nation, which is under Russian attack.

Due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the Ghanaian government has finally decided to evacuate Ghanaian students from Ukraine to neighboring nations Moldova, Belarus, Slovakia, and Hungary, according to the Member of Parliament.

“Through their leaders, the Ministry communicates with Ghanaian students in Ukraine through its Mission in Berne, Switzerland, and the Honourary Consulate in Ukraine.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said in a statement on Friday, February 25, that “a list of students has been developed to facilitate an evacuation exercise.”

The administration had initially encouraged stranded citizens in Ukraine to seek shelter because it was a dangerous situation. In the last few days, Russia has invaded Ukraine with gunfire exchanges between its and Ukraine’s militaries, as well as heavy explosives strikes on critical military and security sites.

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Vladimir Putin’s government has sent armed forces into its neighboring countries in an attempt to seize control of the country.

The attack has been widely condemned and viewed as unjustified.

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PDP Responds To Impeachment Of Zamfara’s Deputy Governor, Says Will Take Legal Action

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THE PEOPLE’S Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the impeachment of Zamfara Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, calling it unconstitutional and illegitimate.

Gusau was impeached by the Zamfara State House of Assembly on February 23 after 20 out of 24 members voted in favor of his removal.

Following the impeachment, the report of the judicial panel of investigation established by the state’s Chief Judge, Kulu Aliyu, declared Gusau guilty of the allegations leveled against him.

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However, he has been replaced by Muhammad Nasiha, a serving senator from Zamfara’s Central Senatorial District.

In a statement published by PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba in response to the news, the party termed the impeachment process as one that will be opposed in court.

“It is instructive to state that, pursuant to the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021 and section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Zamfara State House of Assembly as currently constituted has no constitutional standing to undertake any legislative action, let alone claim to have impeached the State’s Deputy Governor on any ground whatsoever.”

“The case’s implication is that, under Section 109(1)(g), members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly lost their seats constitutionally when they foolishly cross-carpeted to the All Progressives Congress (APC) when the PDP was not divided.”

The impeachment, according to Ologunagba, was not only futile but also an affront to the rule of law by the APC and Governor Matawalle.

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“In any event, the PDP and the people of Zamfara State will not stand by while impunity is imposed on the state, and necessary legal action is being taken.”

“The PDP urges His Excellency Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, the Deputy Governor, not to be distracted by the illegality, but to remain focused at this vital moment.”

He did, however, urge PDP supporters in the state to be calm.

Aisha Buhari Urges PTF To Waive COVID-19 Test For Nigerians Returning From Ukraine

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Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the wife of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has petitioned the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to waive COVID-19 testing for Nigerians returning from Ukraine.

She made the call on her verified Facebook Page on Sunday morning.

The First Lady also urged the Federal Government to eliminate comparable payments for other home-bound children and lower the prices for all Nigerians taking the tests.

“I am encouraged to learn of our ambassadors’ efforts to ensure the safe return of our thronging citizens from Ukraine.

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Mrs. Buhari said, “I beg the leadership of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to waive their Covid test payment in lieu of their arrival, eliminate comparable payments for other home-bound children, and lower the rates charged for the tests to all Nigerians.”

She made the statement in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has drawn worldwide condemnation.

The invasion has traumatized children, other dependents, and thousands of Ukraine inhabitants, resulting in heavy devastation in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and parts of the country’s suburbs. The Ukrainians, on the other hand, are fighting back, destroying numerous Russian tanks and capturing and killing Russian servicemen.

According to reports, around 12,000 Nigerian students and other citizens are stranded in the country.

Passengers traveling to Nigeria from any nation should take a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours of departure and test negative, according to the Nigerian PTF.

Such travelers must register and pay for a repeat PCR test after arriving in Nigeria using the Nigeria International Travel Portal (NITP).

According to the government, travelers pay between N36,000 and N50,000.

On day two after arriving in Nigeria, fully vaccinated travelers should take a COVID-19 PCR test.

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Passengers who do not follow the protocol are penalized by the authorities.

On Thursday, the ICIR reported on how Russia invaded Ukraine in violation of international law.

In a previous report, our publication explained what the world should know about the battle.

The Nigerian embassy in Ukraine warned citizens on Thursday to take responsibility for their own safety.

However, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, published a list of possible pathways to safety for Nigerians in the war-torn country on Saturday.

Meanwhile, African leaders have remained mute, while Western leaders have condemned the assault, including US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Among those who have condemned obstinate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hostility are NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Pope Francis.

The North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO), which includes the United States, most European Union nations, the United Kingdom, and Canada, has deployed weaponry and troops along Ukraine’s borders to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s calls for troops and munitions.

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Some countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, New Zealand, and the European Union, have imposed sanctions on Russia as a result of the invasion.

Fuel scarcity: NUPENG would penalize marketers who sell above N165 pricing limit

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Marketers who have taken advantage of the current fuel scarcity and long lines caused by an influx of contaminated fuel have been told to return to the official depot price within the next 24 hours, according to the petroleum union.

Unscrupulous marketers were selling PMS from depots at prices well above the official rate, according to NUPENG, in order to force illegal rises in the pump price, worsening the woes of the populace in the midst of fuel scarcity.

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The union’s President and General Secretary, Prince William Akporeha, and Afolabi Olawale, released a statement threatening to name and disgrace the impacted marketers if they continued to engage in illegal behavior.

“Our attention and empathy have been drawn to the harrowing experiences and pains of the general public as a result of the exploitative and unscrupulous activities and tendencies of Petroleum Products Marketers who are profiting from the apparent gaps and teething challenges in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act at the expense of the country and its people.”

“It’s evident that Premium Motor Spirit, or PMS, is still subsidized, and we find it upsetting and concerning that unscrupulous Marketers are selling PMS at prices well over the official rate from depots.”

“With effect from midnight on Sunday, February 27, 2022, we are giving these Marketers twenty-four (24) hours to return to the official rate, or we will name and disgrace them as public enemies, in addition to additional consequences.”

“We have it on good information that one Marketer sets and fixes the prices of these products for other Marketers to follow, leaving all consumers (domestic and industrial) at their mercy.”

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“The complaints of airline operators, road transport operators, factory owners, and individual houses and offices clearly demonstrate this uncomfortable condition.” The Union cannot stand by and watch as some cabals continue to exploit the people and the country.

“We encourage the general people to bear with us as we take whatever steps are necessary to combat these exploiters.”

“Unfortunately, we recognized the NNPC’s ineptitude in this in light of the Act’s implementation, and we also noted that these Marketers are taking advantage of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority’s newness to rip off Nigerians.”

“The nation and the people are suffering, and in the absence of any meaningful institutional intervention, NUPENG has resolved to defend the people, the nation, and the industry once more.”

“Through this press release, we are also asking all of our authorities in all of our zones to begin gathering lists of gas stations that are known for stockpiling products during the day and selling them at high prices at night in order to face possible sanctions.”

“This includes Petroleum Supplies depots that may seek to stockpile products as a result of our decision.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited announced on Wednesday that it has supplied 387.59 million litres of petrol in the last week to fill the void left by the removal of methanol-blended products from the market.

Although the lines have thinned marginally in the Federal Capital Territory, conditions in portions of Lagos have remained mostly unchanged. Things have gotten worse in other sections of the South West.

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Nigeria continues to subsidize gasoline and plans to spend N2.6 trillion on it in 2022.

The NNPC and its partners recently imported filthy fuel into the country, exacerbating the country’s present petrol shortage.