By Francesca Hangeior.

President Joe Biden on Friday commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offences in what the White House called the largest single-day act of clemency in US history.

Those whose sentences were commuted were serving “disproportionately long sentences” compared to what they would receive today, Biden said in a statement.

He called the move “an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families.”

“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in US history,” Biden said, adding that he may issue further commutations or pardons before he hands over power to President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.

Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 others last month.

Among those pardoned in December was Biden’s son Hunter, who was facing a possible prison sentence after being convicted of gun and tax crimes.

Biden has meanwhile reportedly been debating whether to issue blanket pardons for some allies and former officials amid fears they could be targeted for what Trump has previously called “retribution.”

In December, Biden also commuted the death sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row.

Three men were excluded from the move: one of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers, a gunman who murdered 11 Jewish worshippers in 2018 and a white supremacist who killed nine Black churchgoers in 2015.

Trump has indicated that he will resume federal executions, which were paused while Biden was in office.

By Francesca Hangeior.

The Nigeria Police Force has recorded significant successes in its ongoing efforts to combat crime across the country, with the recent busting of an illegal weapons manufacturing factory in Benue State, the arrest of a notorious cultist in Delta State, and the apprehension of two murder suspects in Kebbi State.

In a statement released Friday, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, detailed the recent police operations.

He said in the statement that on January 11, 2025, police operatives in Benue State raided a weapons manufacturing factory in Tse Akamabe Area of Kwande LGA, arresting two suspects: Friday Aduduakambe and Iorwashima Iornyume, also known as “AK.”

“Upon a coordinated search of the factory, the following items were recovered: 9 locally fabricated pistols, 1 locally fabricated AK47 riffle (unfinished), 2 gas cylinders, 4 vise machines, 1 filing machine and numerous other weapons manufacturing tools,” the statement revealed.

In another operation, police in Delta State, acting on credible intelligence, raided the apartment of a notorious Eiye confraternity member, Prosper Akeni, in DSC. Akeni, identified as a hitman for the cult group, was arrested, and a cache of weapons was recovered from his residence, including 1 English revolver pistol, 1 berretta pistol, 2 locally made double barrel guns, 2 locally made single barrel guns, 1 locally made revolver pistol, 1 locally made single barrel pistol, and 25 rounds of ammunition.

“The suspect confessed the guns recovered belonged to his cult group and he was in custody of them as the number one man in the group,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the police in Kebbi State arrested two suspects for separate murder cases. On December 31, 2024, Yunusa Haruna was apprehended for the fatal stabbing of his elder brother, Isiyaku Haruna, in Shanga Local Government Area. In a separate incident on January 8, 2025, Abubakar Ummar was arrested in Zuru Village for the stabbing death of Mohammed Bala during an argument.

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has commended the operatives for these successful operations and has urged them to intensify efforts in ensuring the sanctity of law and order across the nation.

“The IGP further encouraged members of the public to remain vigilant at all times and share useful information to the Police in order to have a community-based policing system,” the statement concluded.

By Francesca Hangeior.

Sequel to a consistent surge in the price of Brent, the global benchmark for crude, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has communicated an upward adjustment in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, to its customers.

In an email statement obtained by our Correspondent on Friday, the refinery announced that its refined products would now be priced at N955 per litre at the loading gantry, marking an adjustment in its pricing structure.

It noted that marketers buying between 2 million – 4.99 million litres will now buy at N955 per litre while 5 million litres & above will buy at N950 per litre.

The amount marks an increase of N55.5 or 6.17 per cent from N899.50 per litre announced as a holiday discount for Nigerians last year December.

This adjustment applies to all stock balances yet to be lifted by the stated time while pending stock as of the effective time will also be repriced at the updated rates.

The statement added that the new price regime will take effect from 5:30 PM, today.

The notice titled, “Communication on PMS Price Review” read, “Dear Esteemed Customer, Trust this email finds you well.

“Kindly be advised that effective from 5:30 PM today, an upward adjustment has been implemented on the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit.

“We shall communicate with customers on their revised volumes based on the reviewed prices, in due course.”

The price increase is expected to have widespread effects on the downstream petroleum sector, particularly private depots and retail markets.

An oil and gas expert, Olatide Jeremiah, said depots are poised to increase the loading price of refined petroleum products because of the heavy influence of the refinery.

Jeremiah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of petroleum price.ng, said, “Dangote Refinery’s influence on Fuel price has become unmatched; private depots, Major marketers, and independent Marketers will compete with this new price. Therefore, Nigerians should expect an increase in Petrol Pump Price.

Brent Crude oil as of today is $81.84, highest in 2025, its one major factor for the increase.”

On Thursday, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, disclosed that the price of crude oil in the international market remains a major force in driving the fluctuations in the pump prices of petrol.

He said the downstream sector is now fully deregulated with the government no longer involved in setting prices.