Port Harcourt

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Seven private depots were closed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for selling gasoline above the N148 per litre permitted by the federal government.

Independent petroleum marketers had complained in recent months that they were purchasing the product from private depots for more than N200 per litre, making it impossible for them to sell the commodity at the government-approved price.

The Authority’s Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, said the depots would be closed until a decision was made on how to proceed while speaking to journalists on New Year’s Eve in Abuja.

Among the companies, he identified were Ardova, Rainoil, TCL, Bluefin, and NEPAL.

According to Engr. Ahmed, two of the depots are in Lagos, two are in Warri, one is each in Oghara, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.

He reassured customers that the closure would not affect the availability of petrol around the nation, stating that there would be enough fuel for about 30 days.

He said that in an effort to lessen fuel shortages, the authority had many discussions with marketers on how to address supply issues that operators were having.

He also noted that certain privately operated depots were found to continue loading the commodity above the government-approved price, despite having obtained the cargo under favourable circumstances.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Four brothels along Azikiwe Street, Mile 2 Diobu in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State have been ordered to be sealed down by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

After the federal government sued Cool Breeze Hotel and Royale Hotel, who were named as defendants, the court issued the order.

In order to execute the court order, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons was in Azikiwe Street on Friday with assistance from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and court representatives.

Before the brothels were sealed off, their residents were evicted.

While granting an ex parte application from NAPTIP, the court also ordered that the brothels stay closed for 30 days while NAPTIP’s investigation is still ongoing.

The case was postponed until December 5, 2022, to allow for the investigative report.

On October 29, 2022, a team from the Nigerian Navy, NSCDC, and NAPTIP raided the Cool Breeze and Royale brothels. During the raid, some girls were rescued, including young girls who had been “forced” into prostitution. Suspected traffickers were also detained.

Nwamaka Ikediashi, the NAPTIP Commander in Rivers State, promised that after the investigation was finished, the accused would be brought before a judge.

By Muhammad Aminu

A lecturer with Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Zoe Solomon Tamunotonye, has become a commercial bus conductor to feed his family.

Tamunotonye’s video surfaced on social media platforms earlier today, where he was busy in his newfound endeavour. He’s seen beckoning passengers to enter a commercial bus along Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt.

He was suspended by the Management of the Polytechnic after a committee of inquiry indicted him for randy behaviour with a female student of the institution.

The academic was also accused of influencing the female student’s detention at the Sani Abacha Road Police Station in Port Harcourt.

The Polytechnic Management stopped his salary in January 2022, which reportedly made his life unbearable.

He was said to have turned around to accuse the female student of diverting the sum of N250,000 he gave her for her personnel business and holding on to his office key and other property.

It can be recalled that before Tamunotonye’s incident, the University of Abuja and Obafemi Awolowo University expelled academic staff that had sexually abused female students of their respective institutions.

Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Operatives of the Port Harcourt’s Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, have commenced an investigation of 13 suspected oil thieves handed over to it by the Nigerian Navy.

The suspects were handed over Wednesday, May 4, 2022, by the Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS Pathfinder, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licences.

The suspects are Goodnews Wilfred, Gabriel Awadis, Monday Anja, Sylvanus Benson, Timothy Rufus, Appolos Awajis, Tombari Lede, Ebirene Ebirene, Friday Aaron, Ataije Ebirene, Ibrahiim Attah, Shuaibu Magaji and Odeon Emmanuel.