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IPMAN To Shutdown 30,000 Filling Stations Over N200bn Debt

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Oil dealers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, declared that it would shut down the 30,000 stations operated by IPMAN members across the country if the Federal Government fails to pay the N200bn that is being owed marketers.

IPMAN specifically said the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, an agency of the Federal Government, had refused to clear the debt, which had continued to accrue since September 2022.

It disclosed this in a communique issued in Abuja by the Chairman of IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhassan, over the non-payment of marketers’ bridging claims. IPMAN controls over 30,000 filling stations in Nigeria.

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Bridging claims are payments made by the government to oil marketers for the transportation of petroleum products loaded from depots to various states across the country.

Alhassan said the consequences of the failure by NMDPRA to pay the N200bn “will be terrible, as every marketer’s outlet across Nigeria, from the North to the South, and from the East to the West, will be shut down.”

He added, “As IPMAN, we have taken every step in the past to salvage this unfortunate and looming situation, which we know will not augur well for Nigerians, but we are presently left with no option than to go all out in the next few days to address this ugly trend in our own way, which will portend great hardship and danger for Nigerians.”

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The IPMAN official pointed out that at a stakeholders meeting held on February 20, 2024, with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, was mandated by Lokpobiri to clear the entire debt in 40 days.

READ ALSO: LASTMA, Viju Officials Clash Leaves 10 Injured

“However, today we have crossed the 40 day time-lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13bn has been paid, thus going the whole length to ignore our plight without remorse and without recourse to the minister’s directive.

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“Before now, we had taken the honourable path to continually seek an explanation from the NMDPRA on why it has blatantly refused to offset the remaining debt, but we have ceaselessly met brick walls,” Alhassan stated.

He said IPMAN was extremely distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the leadership of NMDPRA towards the survival of its members’ businesses, arising from NMDPRA’s deliberate delay and refusal to offset the debt of over N200bn.

“This has consequently led to the deaths of many of our members and the unfortunate collapse of their businesses. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down their businesses and retrenched their employees as we are no longer able to pay salaries.

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READ ALSO: Suspend Implementation Of New Electricity Tariff, Reps Tell NERC

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians.

“However, it is demoralising to know that many of our members have gone bankrupt and have become financially insolvent as a result of their inability to meet their financial obligations to their banks, arising wholly from their inability to get their monies from the NMDPRA,” Alhassan stated.

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Consequently, according to the IPMAN official, the banks have taken over the business premises of many of our members.

He said, “NMDPRA have illegally taken our monies and this is the highest level of fraud. Sequel to this, we are appealing to Mr President to please intervene in this quagmire that we have been subjected to by the NMDPRA.

“We repeat, if our demands are not met within the shortest period of time, we have already put our members on standby across the nation, as law-abiding citizens, we are collectively prepared to withdraw our services, close every single outlet, and suspend lifting of products forthwith till our demands are fully met.”

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READ ALSO: 10 Killed As two Military Helicopters Collide

When contacted, the NMDPRA said the payment process was ongoing. “Not everyone is paid at the same time, rather the payment process is an ongoing thing,” a spokesperson for the agency, Seiyefa Osanebi stated.

Meanwhile, commenting on the scarcity of fuel across the country, Alhassan said the problem was because the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited was not supplying enough petrol to dealers.

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“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products across the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

“We would like to categorically state that the scarcity of PMS is wholly triggered by the NNPC and not by IPMAN or her members. Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding PMS products, we make bold to say that NNPC is the sole importer of PMS and therefore the sole cause of the present scarcity in Nigeria,” he stated.

IPMAN also stated that NNPC was supplying petrol to private depots, adding that these depots raise the cost of the commodity to as high as N850/litre, which often leads to higher pump prices nationwide.

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NNPC, however, assured Nigerians that the ongoing fuel scarcity and queues would be cleared out by Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Its Chief Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, reportedly stated this on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said the company currently has availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days and blamed problems of logistics for the scarcity of petrol nationwide.

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[JUST IN] Trump’s Threat: Nigeria Ready To Work With US, Other Countries To Wipe Out Terrorists – FG

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The Federal Government has said Nigeria is willing to work with the United States and other countries to wipe out remnants of terrorists and criminal elements in Nigeria.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this during a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

While acknowledging that Nigeria is faced with insecurity challenges, he clarified that it is not targeted at any religion or group, as peddled by faulty data.

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He saud in the last two years, President Bola Tinubu has deepened his commitment to dealing with insecurity, evident in the country’s improved standing on the Global Terrorism Index and recent change of security service chiefs.

READ ALSO:Ex-US Mayor, Sultan Clash Over Alleged Christian Genocide

He called on the United States and other nations to support President Tinubu in ridding the menace of criminals and terrorists making life unbearable for Nigerians.

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“The Nigerian government is willing to work with other international bodies, including the United States, to ensure that criminals are permanently wiped out.

“We welcome support from international partners, including the US, to deal with its security challenges.

“President Tinubu is taking the lead to resolve all challenges with the US, including other countries.

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READ ALSO:Ex-US Mayor, Sultan Clash Over Alleged Christian Genocide

“Nigeria is not running away from the fact that we have a big insecurity situation.

“The government and people of Nigeria have taken note of the US stance over the alleged violation of human rights.

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“President Tinubu is determined to confront and end security challenges,” he said.

Recall that last week, US President Donald Trump threatened military action in Nigeria if nothing is done about alleged killings of Christians.

This comes after Trump designated Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’.

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Edo Twin Babies Died Of Natural Causes — Autopsy Report

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An autopsy report regarding the death of twin babies who were referred to a medical facility in Benin has revealed that the babies died naturally.

The twin babies were referred to Med-Vical Medical Centre, Benin, on August 2025 in a severely ill condition and extremely premature.

The babies died in the hospital which led to family members and friends accusing the hospital of masterminding the death of the twins through negligence.

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The widespread of allegations prompted the Edo State Police Command to initiate an investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of the babies.

READ ALSO:I Apologise For Mutilating You, Let’s Reconcile, Former FGM Tells Estranged Daughter

In the autopsy report conducted by a team of pathologists —Dr. Ducan Iyawe, Dr. D.E Imasogie, Dr. K.O Abinokhauno, and Dr Ijomone, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday, it was revealed that the baby died of natural causes.

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The final report was read in the presence of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, the state Ministry of Health, and the Nigerian Medical Association (Edo State Chapter) on Wednesday.

The findings listed the cause of death as foetal squames in the lungs leading to respiratory distress, acute foetal asphyxia, neonatal sepsis and bronchopneumonia

The autopsy has shown clearly that the baby died of natural causes and there was in fact no case of negligence, secrecy, or any form of malpractice as alleged,” the report stated.

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The medical team emphasized that all the babies’ organs were intact, adding that death resulted from complications associated with extreme prematurity and severe illness.

The twin babies were originally delivered prematurely in another hospital, referred to another private facility before subsequent referral to Med-Vical Medical Centre for advanced neonatal intensive care and life support.

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“Despite the hospital’s intervention, the infants could not survive the severe complications linked to their early birth and critical conditions,” the report stated.

Reacting to the report, Ms. Onyedikachi Nwizu of Med-Vical Medical Centre’s Management, expressed relief at the findings, but described the allegations as “false, malicious, and devilish.”

READ ALSO:US Revokes Visas Of Foreigners Who Mocked Kirk’s Assassination

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She disclosed that though pained by the loss of the babies, the hospital had instructed its legal team to take steps to redeem its reputation, which had been “seriously dented” by the false accusations.

Recall that parents of the babies, Mr Jerry Sylvester and Mrs. Edwina Jerry had earlier petitioned the Edo State Commissioner of Police, accusing Med-Vical of professional misconduct and concealment.

Their allegations circulated widely on social media and were reported by several news outlets, prompting the police to order a formal autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.

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Ex-IYC President Demands Toru-Ebe, Oil River States Creation, 33 LGs In Bayelsa

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Pioneer president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),
Dr Felix Tuodolo, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to create Toru-Ebe and Oil River states.

The former commissioner for Ijaw Affairs in Bayelsa State also urged the government at the centre to create 33 Thirty-three (33) additional Local Government Councils for Bayelsa State.

Tuodolo, who said Bayelsa is one of the largest oil and gas producing states in Nigeria, added that the state accounts for a substantial portion of the country’s oil production, estimated to be around 35-45%.

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He noted that despite the state’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, land and river mass and huge potentials for steady growth and development, the state currently had only eight (8) Local Government Areas, emphasising that Thirty-three LGAs were proposed for creation to make Bayelsa a constitutional state since the 1999 Constitution stipulates that every state must have a minimum of ten LGAs.

READ ALSO:IYC Urges Tinubu To Sack NCDMB Boss

The statement read, “Importantly, the three major tribes in Nigeria all have their own states. The Yorubas have six states, the Hausa- Fulani has 19 northern states and the Igbo has five, and now seven with the resolutions to create a sixth state for them and an extra state in each Geo-political zone, which Ijaws strongly supports. But the Ijaws do not have a single state because the only Ijaw state, namely, Bayelsa, does not even meet the requirement of a state with only eight LGAs. The proposed new thirty-three LGAs for Bayelsa must be created for the Ijaws to accept that they have a state. Nigeria should take seriously the creation of 33 additional LGAs in Bayelsa State. This 33 LGs creation was as old as the creation of Bayelsa State.

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“These including other demands made by the INC Global in the envisaged new constitution include: (d) Protection and remediation of the Ijaw environment (6) Federal resource contribution through resource control and payment of tax (1) True federal Constitution (with no unitary colouration) (g) Reintegration of own vide the wholesale prosecution of the Ijaw struggle for self-determination, which had lasted centuries (h) Improve the quality and quantity of representation in the Ijaw region”, he added.

Dr Tuodolo also threw his weight behind the call by the INC Global the creation of Toru Ebe State out of the present Ondo, Edo and Delta States.

READ ALSO:Tompolo, Otuaro: Call Your Subjects To Order, IYC Tells Itsekiri Monarch

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He argued that the oil revenue from the Ijaw areas in the three states accounts for the largest revenue accruing to the National Economy, stressing that despite the receipt of the 13% Derivation Revenue by the 3 states (Delta, Edo and Ondo), the Ijaw areas which are mineral producing had been denied of any meaningful development.

“The proposed state with a population of 2.7million people has natural landscapes with beautiful beaches and lengthy coastline which can be annexed into a blue economy and tourism that will make the State economically viable”, he noted.

The INC Global also demanded the creation of the oil river state.

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We proposed Oil Rivers State that will comprise Ijaws in Rivers and Akwa ibom States. These areas remain the most naturally blessed but environmentally degraded in the entire world with massive oil (exploration) and gas flaring threatening the very survival of the People”, he emphasised.

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