Ciro Reports

Who Will Be The Next First Lady Of Nigeria In 2027?

A)Oluremi Tinubu
(B)Amina Titilayo Atiku-Abubakar
(C)Margaret Ob

Group Accuses NMDPRA Of Allowing Continued Importation, Sale Of Adulterated Fuel

Group Accuses NMDPRA of Allowing Continued Importation, Sale of Adulterated Fuel in Nigeria

The Nigeria Energy Consumers Watch Initiative has accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of failing to halt the continued importation of adulterated and substandard petroleum products into Nigeria.

The group said the alleged influx of blended fuel from Dubai and other countries had become a serious threat to consumers and the economy, accusing the regulator of failing to take decisive action against major marketers involved in the importation of such products.

In a statement issued on Friday, Alhaji Abdulrahman Sani Ibrahim, President of the group, said the continued presence of questionable petroleum products in the Nigerian market was unacceptable, particularly after the regulator had previously acknowledged concerns over the quality of imported fuel.

The group said the NMDPRA had previously warned that it could stop supplying petrol to marketers found to be involved in importing or dealing in substandard products.

The consumer group, however, questioned why the regulator had not taken stronger action despite what it described as the continued mass influx of blended products into the country.

“This is no longer a matter that can be treated with regulatory caution or empty threats. The NMDPRA knows the concerns that have been raised about the continuous importation of blended products from Dubai and other countries, and it has even warned that marketers involved in such practices could be denied petroleum supplies. If the regulator is aware of these activities and still allows them to continue, then it is failing in its fundamental responsibility to protect Nigerian consumers,” the group said.

The organisation described the alleged continued importation of adulterated fuel as an economic crime, saying its consequences extend beyond individual consumers to businesses and the wider economy.

It said poor-quality petroleum products could damage vehicles and machinery, increase operating costs and impose additional financial burdens on Nigerians already struggling with high energy and transportation costs.

The group called on the NMDPRA to immediately intensify surveillance and testing of imported petroleum products at ports, depots and retail outlets.

It also demanded that marketers found to have imported or distributed products that failed regulatory standards should face sanctions.

“The regulator cannot continue to issue warnings while the same practices it is warning against persist in the market. If a marketer deliberately imports or distributes adulterated fuel, the appropriate response should be immediate investigation, prosecution where necessary and sanctions that will deter others. Anything less gives the impression that the rules exist only on paper,” the group said.

The group further urged the federal government to investigate the activities of major petroleum marketers involved in the importation of blended products and determine whether regulatory officials had failed to perform their duties.

It said the issue should be treated as a matter of national economic security because of the potential impact on consumers, businesses and Nigeria’s reputation in the petroleum market.

According to the group, Nigerians should not be forced to pay for the consequences of regulatory failures through damaged engines, higher transportation costs or reduced business productivity.

“Nigerians are already paying heavily for fuel, and they should not also be made to bear the cost of poor regulation. Every litre of fuel that enters this country must meet the required quality standard, regardless of who imported it or how influential the marketer is. NMDPRA must stop protecting the interests of operators at the expense of consumers and begin enforcing the law without fear or favour,” it said.

The organisation also called for greater transparency in petroleum-product testing, urging NMDPRA to regularly publish test results and disclose the identity of marketers whose products fail quality requirements.

It warned that failure to act decisively could further undermine public confidence in the downstream petroleum sector and frustrate efforts to establish a transparent and competitive market.

The group said the regulator’s responsibility was not only to facilitate petroleum supply but also to ensure that products reaching consumers were safe and compliant with national standards.

It urged the federal government to compel NMDPRA to provide a clear account of measures being taken to prevent the entry and distribution of adulterated fuel.

The group also warned petroleum marketers against exploiting regulatory loopholes, saying commercial interests should not be allowed to override consumer safety and national economic interests.

FBI Releases List Of 13 Aliases Used By Nigerian Man On Its Wanted Lists.

The FBI added Olumide Adebiyi Adediran, a Nigerian man born in 1968, to its Most Wanted list over a string of fraud-related charges.

Adediran allegedly operated under at least 13 different names, including Kevin Olumide Adediran and Moxo Alexandre.

The FBI offered a $10,000 reward for any information leading to his arrest and conviction.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has placed a Nigerian man on its Most Wanted list, publishing a lengthy list of aliases he allegedly used while evading authorities.

Olumide Adebiyi Adediran, born on October 11, 1968, is wanted by the FBI's Springfield Field Office on multiple charges, including bank fraud, violation of conditions of release, fraud related to identification documents and authentication features, and fraudulent credit card transactions carried out through unauthorised access devices.

One of the most striking elements of the FBI's wanted listing for Adediran is the sheer number of false identities he allegedly adopted. The bureau published 13 names it says were used by the suspect, listed as follows:

Kevin Olumide Adediran
Eric D. Williams
Stephen Dediyi
Moxo Alexandre
Kevin Adediran
Olumide Adediran
Kevin O. Adediran
Olumide A. Adediran
Kevin Williams
Eric Williams
Steve Dediyi
Stephen Dediyi Williams
Olu Adediran

Adediran is described as a Black male standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 (N13,452,100) for information that directly leads to his arrest and conviction. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts is urged to contact the bureau through official channels.

Uber Exit & Tinubunomics: "Why LagRide Must Retire Uber In Lagos" (Throwback)

This is a throwback to how the exit of Uber was predicted and it serves the misinformation being peddled that Tinubunomics did not work as posted on the frontpage.

Tinubunomics actually worked and provided smart initiative that out-competed Uber.
Other ride-hailing companies like Bolt will need to shape up or ship out because LagRide is coming for them too.

Why Lagride must immediately retire Uber and Bolt in Lagos
by Tope Fasua
May 20, 2023

Say what you like, Lagos is changing and in a good way. I personally find not much for which to condemn that great city-state each time I visit. No city-state is perfect. So many people rushing in one direction on a daily basis could result in huge snarl-ups. In fact, the traffic snarls in Lagos are nowhere near what is seen in many cities in China, Japan, UK or US. And the deployment of entities like LASTMA means that we have thinking people in government there that are ready to solve local problems using local solutions.

I often wonder about the big ‘agbero’ problem of which guber contestants complained just a few months ago during the campaign. Lagos became a ping pong in the hands of politicians nationwide. It wasn’t Doherty, Jandor, and Gbadebo that spoke about Lagos’ agbero problem. Everybody in opposition parties railed on end about agberos in Lagos, I was worried that they had developed the ability to sn**ch bags from flying airplanes. For me, I don’t come across these agberos that much. But that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I believe that statistically, Lagos is much safer than it was before. We don’t hear of daredevil armed robbers that much. Even kidnappers have taken their trades elsewhere. Indeed, many Nigerians relocate to Lagos from troubled parts of Nigeria, for safety. I don’t take it likely with anyone who tries to run down our own best attempt at modern society. Those who administer Abuja – a city established on a clear template and built from scratch – have proven consistently to be deficient in vision and grossly lacking in capacity.

Lagos is changing. Lagos has changed, It’s the only city in Nigeria where you are likely to find some functioning traffic lights. In fact, Lagos is the first city that returned to the idea of traffic lights after they had been abandoned nationwide. With the surging crowds in Lagos, the administrators work hard daily to ensure things do not break down entirely. Development has spread in Lagos, with new cities opening up in the Lekki-Epe axis, while old areas such as Agege – Alakuko, and of late, Mile 2 towards Badagry, getting a new lease of life.

But what concerns me today is LagRide. This is the rideshare idea put together by the government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Without as much as advertisements, this idea promises to tell a different story of that city. When I discussed this with someone, he said Lagos might be heading towards being a Dubai with the LagRide idea. So, LagRide are these white-and-blue taxis that operate under some public-private partnership with the Lagos state government. The state government does not own any taxi but enables the car manufacturer – which are Chinese I think – to sell to investors and drivers under some lease agreement. The idea leans on the examples of Uber and Bolt, in deploying technology to ensure the fidelity of all transactions. But LagRide is holding up better than the now-tired Uber and Bolt in terms of standards, at least in Nigeria.

Uber and Bolt seem to have totally lost the whole idea of why they were a revolution when they appeared in our environment. The cars listed are increasingly dilapidated, and their drivers seem to be getting lesser training or none at all. They no longer clean their cars before picking up passengers and are now going back to being like their Lagos yellow taxi fathers and grandpas, even in terms of attitude. It is now most likely that your next ride driver is rude, uncouth, unwashed, abusive, and even criminal. On social media presently circulates a short clip of what appeared to be one of those drivers who openly battled with a hard-on maybe because his rider showed too much thighs.

Uber and Bolt drivers in Nigeria now get up to all sorts of pranks – they show up with cars totally different from what is listed, and what is worse, in the Lagos local airport (MMA2M precisely), they routinely frustrate riders by picking and canceling your ride simply to obtain your phone number and names through the app and then negotiate much higher prices with you after having taken you off the radar. I had written about this very recently here and exactly nothing happened. Uber and Bolt do not really care about the business in Nigeria anymore. I guess we are as usual, too troublesome. I also think they will not mind losing the business.

And this is where LagRide comes in. Unlike Uber and Bolt, I think for now there is still the fear of officialdom. These are taxis emblazoned with Lagos state colors, so the drivers seem to be behaving themselves. They hardly cancel on you once they accept your request. They have no reason to. The arrangements ensure that they are incentivized to pick rides and record their movements officially. The cars are (still) fairly new. There is at least one camera installed in the car to record every ride and it captures even the conversation in the car. This is referred to in any eventuality and gives both rider and driver a lot of confidence. There hasn’t been any untoward even recorded about LagRide even though I understand just 1,000 cars were deployed in the first phase, with many a ‘big man’ having bought the N7 – N8 million Chinese cars and parked them at home. One driver said he took someone to Redeemed Camp and found more than 100 of the LagRide cars parked there. LagRide cars are often neat and their drivers appear well-trained and cautious. I reckon they are required to bring guarantors. In spite of the fact that most of them work for the car owners, an average driver takes home at least N150,000 per month. The arrangement for now is that two statutory payments are made daily – N6,000 for the app company, and N9,000 for the finance company who bankrolled the car. Whatever is left is for fuel and the driver, except where there is an owner, who would collect between 20% and 40% of daily takings (before fueling). The only complaint gathered from drivers is that the state government should step in and reduce exploitation (which does not occur often).

This writeup is therefore aimed at urging the Lagos state government to double down on this idea which will have a very salutary impact on the image of the state apart from providing jobs for thousands of young drivers.

Whether detractors like it or not, Lagos is rapidly changing for the better, and even better days are coming. Lagos may be approaching the level of a UAE if these branded taxis are more available. The fact that they are branded lends brand equity to Lagos. More tourists and businesspeople will go to Lagos just for that added confidence and the idea that Lagos is more organised. I am writing this because one may not assume that those in government are aware of the advantages that they sit upon. A third eye like mine may be the needed impetus for more investment. I understand there are some 3,000 new cars which had been promised. Lagos cannot wait for this great initiative that benefits from technology as well. The global positioning systems on the LagRide cars are working perfectly.

Perhaps like Singapore and Kigali, Lagos does not need Uber or Bolt. Governor Sanwoolu should ensure that this advantage is taken right now and that this idea does not die out. We don’t get this lucky very often.

PDP Condemns And Warns Rufai Oseni, Arise TV Over Derogatory Remark - Politics -

PDP CONDEMNS AND WARNS RUFAI OSENI, ARISE TV OVER DEROGATORY REMARK AGAINST ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

1. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken serious exception to and condemns in the strongest terms the reckless and derogatory description of its Presidential Candidate, Distinguished Senator, Professor Sandy Onor, by Arise Television presenter, Mr. Rufai Oseni, during the September 3, 2026 edition of The Morning Show on Arise TV.

2. Indeed, the fact that Mr. Oseni’s own co-presenter, Dr. Reuben Abati, immediately cautioned him about the potentially defamatory nature of the remark speaks volumes about the seriousness of what was said on air.

3. The PDP will not sit idly by while its Presidential Candidate is subjected to ridicule or deliberate characterisation designed to diminish his person and standing before millions of Nigerians.

4. While journalists are entitled to interrogate political actors, express opinions and subject candidates to robust scrutiny, such freedom does not confer a licence to insult, ridicule or maliciously disparage political candidates, particularly a Presidential Candidate of the standing of Senator Professor Sandy Onor, a distinguished former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a Professor.

5. Mr. Oseni’s utterance was completely unacceptable and falls far below the standards expected of responsible journalism and broadcasting.

6. The PDP therefore demands the immediate withdrawal of the offensive remark and an unreserved public apology to our Presidential Candidate, Distinguished Senator Professor Sandy Onor.

7. We equally caution the management of Arise TV against allowing its platforms to be used for ridiculing, insulting or deliberately disparaging our Presidential Candidate under the guise of political commentary.

8. We further warn that political commentary must not cross the line into defamation or character assassination. Freedom of expression is not a licence for reckless abuse, and the PDP will not hesitate to take all appropriate measures available under the law to protect the dignity, integrity and reputation of its Presidential Candidate.

9. No journalist, regardless of his platform or perceived influence, is above the law.

10. Rufai Oseni and Arise TV should take this warning seriously. Responsible journalism is not optional; it is an obligation.

Signed:

Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary.