News
Fuel Crisis Hits Niger Republic As Military Junta Begs Nigeria For Supplies

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Niger Republic has turned to Nigeria for assistance following a crippling fuel shortage, despite recent diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring nations.
Sources revealed to The PUNCH that a high-level delegation from Niger’s military junta traveled to Abuja to engage with representatives of the Nigerian government. After deliberations, Nigeria reportedly approved the delivery of 300 trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the West African country.
A senior Nigerian government official, familiar with the development, stated that the deal was approved with strategic intentions, as Nigeria aims to use it as a “bargaining tool” in ongoing negotiations with Niger.
According to the official, Niger had been relying on fuel imports from a Chinese refinery. However, disruptions in supply led to the refinery shutting down, leaving the country in a dire situation. As the crisis worsened, the Nigerien government reached out to Nigeria for emergency fuel supply, though the specifics of the arrangement remain undisclosed.
“We do not want to blow our trumpet. Rather, we want to use it as a bargaining chip for negotiation, as we continue to engage with them to bring them back to ECOWAS.
“Let them get more from us. I am confident that gradually they will come back to ECOWAS because they do not have enough resources to import food to sustain their citizens,” the source added.
Officials from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) indicated that such a deal would likely have been brokered by the Presidency, as the national oil company now operates as a limited liability entity. Similarly, a source at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery declined to comment, citing diplomatic sensitivities.
The Presidency also remained silent on the matter.
Niger’s Fuel Crisis Worsens
The fuel shortage in Niger reached critical levels last week, with reports indicating that the price of petrol soared to N8,000 per liter in some regions.
Findings in Sokoto State, which shares a border with Niger, revealed significant price variations depending on the location.
A Nigerian businessman involved in transborder trade, Mallam Abubakar Usman, described the severity of the situation: “There is serious scarcity of fuel in the country. It depends on where one is getting the fuel.
“In Konni, the border town between Nigeria and Niger, you can get a litre at 1,200 CFA, which is about N2,500. If you go to Agadez, the same litre of fuel is 3,000 CFA, equivalent to N7,500 per litre. In Arilit, a local government under Agadez, which is the border town between Niger and Algeria, it is 3,500 CFA, which is about N8,750 when converted to our currency
He attributed the crisis to the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Niger.
An official of the Nigerian Immigration Service, speaking anonymously, confirmed that trucks carrying petrol had been spotted crossing the border into Niger.
Niger-China Oil Dispute Escalates Crisis
Niger’s fuel crisis is believed to be a result of a conflict between the country’s ruling military junta and Chinese oil companies, which have long dominated its petroleum sector.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama, in an article published on X, traced the dispute back to March 2024, when the China National Petroleum Corporation provided a $400 million advance to the Nigerien government, using future crude oil deliveries as collateral.
The funds were meant to help Niger cope with the economic sanctions imposed by ECOWAS following the July 2023 coup. However, when the repayment deadline arrived, the junta struggled to meet its financial obligations.
Rather than renegotiating, the military government responded by imposing an $80 billion tax demand on Soraz (Zinder Refinery Company), despite the state-owned Sonidep already owing the refinery a staggering $250 billion.
When China refused to grant additional loans, the junta retaliated by expelling Chinese oil executives and freezing Soraz’s bank accounts. The move backfired, leading to the collapse of Niger’s petroleum sector, which was heavily dependent on Chinese investment and expertise.
With the Soraz refinery grinding to a halt, fuel shortages spread rapidly. However, the Commercial Director of Niger’s state-owned oil company, Sonidep, Maazou Aboubacar, argued that the crisis was primarily due to the disruption of black-market fuel supplies from Nigeria.
The country’s refinery, he said, only provides Sonidep with 25 tanker trucks of petrol per day, while national consumption is nearly double that amount. Domestic demand surged further after the military government reduced fuel prices following its takeover in 2023.
Nigeria Extends a Helping Hand Despite Past Tensions
Despite strained relations, Nigeria has stepped in to supply Niger with fuel. The country’s leader, Brig. Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, previously accused Nigeria of collaborating with France to destabilize Niger through alleged support for terrorist groups.
In December 2024, Tchiani, speaking in Hausa, claimed that a terrorist training camp was being planned in Gaba Forest, near Sokoto, as part of an agreement between France and the Islamic State West Africa Province. He further alleged that Nigerian authorities were aware of the situation—an accusation Nigeria firmly denied.
In February 2025, Niger further strained relations by restricting entry for Nigerians carrying ECOWAS passports.
Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama noted that despite these hostilities, Nigeria had chosen to assist Niger in mitigating its fuel crisis.
While sharing videos of fuel trucks heading into Niger, Makama pointed out that the junta remained reluctant to acknowledge its dependence on Nigeria.
“While fuel shipments from Nigeria have already started alleviating the crisis, Niger’s state media has deliberately avoided reporting where the fuel is coming from. Instead, the government has attempted to portray the fuel availability as a result of its own internal measures, a claim that many Nigeriens are beginning to question,” he stated.
Nigeria Supplies 13.5 Million Litres of Petrol
Reacting to the development, oil marketers estimated that the approved 300 trucks of PMS amounted to approximately 13.5 million liters of petrol.
With each truck carrying an average of 45,000 liters, the total supply to Niger is expected to help ease the crisis significantly.
However, the marketers reassured that Nigeria has enough fuel reserves to sustain domestic demand while extending support to its neighbors.
The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Hammed Fashola, confirmed awareness of the fuel crisis in Niger and expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to supply fuel without any domestic disruptions.
“I will not say we don’t have that capacity with the refineries we have in the country. I think we have enough to supply Niger Republic,” he stated.
Similarly, Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), affirmed that Nigeria could provide fuel to Niger for diplomatic reasons without compromising its own supply.
“If we have a diplomatic reason for that, it is doable,” he said.
News
SAD! Police inspector shoots self to death while on duty

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Police Command in Ogun State has confirmed a police officer, Insp Ajele Oloyede, allegedly shot himself in the Igbesa area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, confirmed this in a statement issued to journalists in Ota, Ogun state, on Sunday.
He said before the tragic incident at about 1:20 p.m. on Friday, the deceased officer was on special duty at Goodwill Ceramic Company,
“According to preliminary reports, Tolorunloju Stephen, an officer attached to the Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos,who was also on special duty at the company.
“He had just returned from Ikeja when he entered the security office.
“He found Oloyede resting his head on a table. After exchanging pleasantries and briefly inquiring about his well-being, Oloyede responded positively.
“Shortly after, Stephen proceeded to the restroom but moments later heard a gunshot.
“Rushing back, he found Inspector Oloyede lying in a pool of blood.”
Odutola said that with the assistance of private security personnel, the injured officer was immediately rushed to Ota General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by the attending doctor.
She added that the firearm used in the incident had been recovered, and the officer’s body had been deposited at the hospital for an autopsy.
“The Ogun state police command has launched an investigation into the tragic death of Inspector Oloyede, who was reported to have shot himself while on special duty at Goodwill Ceramic Company, Igbesa,” Odutola said.
She noted that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a full-scale investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the possibility of foul play or mental health concerns.
Odutola assured that the police swiftly contacted the deceased officer’s family.
According to her, the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, for a thorough investigation.
She extended the Nigeria Police Force’s deepest condolences to the officer’s family, colleagues, and loved ones.
“The command remains committed to the well-being of its officers and will ensure all necessary support is provided during this difficult time,” she added.
News
Budget: We’re yet to see Fubara’s letter -Rivers lawmakers

Rivers State House of Assembly has said Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s letter on 2025 budget has not been sighted.
Fubara was accused of frustrating the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgement especially the aspect requiring him to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers.
In line with the principles of horizontal separation of powers as expressed in Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information and Spokesperson of the House, Dr. Enemi Alabo George, who spoke on Sunday in Port Harcourt, challenged the governor to produce the acknowledged copy of the letter he said he sent to the House.
George said: ” Last week, we were told that on his way to Ogoni for a programme, the governor made a stopover at the gate of the House of Assembly Quarters to grant an interview to the press.
“In that interview, he claimed that he had sent a letter to the House of Assembly indicating his intention to visit and present the appropriation bill, a claim we found rather astonishing as no such letter was received by the House of Assembly.
“His aides later alleged that they forwarded a letter through whatsapp to some members of the House, which was also awkward, unprofessional and embarrassing.
“As I speak, the social media space is awash with stories about a purported letter from the Governor to the House of Assembly expressing his intention to visit the house to present the appropriation bill for the year 2025.
“Nothing can be farther from the truth. We want to state categorically that there is no such letter before the House of Assembly nor any of its staff. We challenge the Governor and his aides to produce an acknowledgement copy of such a letter or any evidence that such a letter was sent or received by the House of Assembly. It is absolutely untrue and unfortunate. The general public must as a matter of importance ignore such claim.
“It is now very obvious that if at all there was such a letter, the intended recipient was not the legislature, but the public, and the clear intention was to play to the gallery, whip up public sentiment, demonize the House of Assembly and set the public against us. This is demeaning, denigrating and perilously unfortunate.”
“It is in responding to the attitude that the supreme court said in its judgement:
‘A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of the state under the 1999 constitution. In this case, the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him govern without the legislature as a despot.
As it is, there is no Government in Rivers State’.”
George said the House had hoped that such strong words from the Supreme Court would help “purge the governor of such despotic ways”.
He said as an Assembly, the lawmakers were severely solicitous of progress of the state adding that one man should not be allowed to hold everybody in the state to ransom because of his ego.
George called on everybody to collectively call on the governor to do the right thing in the right and lawful way to allow the state make progress.
He said the Assembly was the worst hit in the ongoing crisis lamenting that the lawmakers had suffered untold hardship insisting that the governor must be stopped from extending such punishment to Rivers people.
George said: “This Assembly has borne the brunt of this crisis. We have endured immense hardship.
We have been battered almost beyond our carrying capacity. We have been punished unduly and unfairly for trying to perform our constitutional duties. Our governor must not extend this punishment to Rivers people. No, please no. We must not allow it.
“We have seen hell:
Our hallowed chamber was burnt down by the governor. The House of Assembly Complex was brought down by the Governor, totally demolished alongside our personal effect and belongings…
Our Speaker’s residence was brutally attacked. Our residential quarters was brutally invaded by the governor
“Our allowances have been seized for about a year and six months. we still continue to suffer. Yet we have resolved to put all of these behind us in the interest of our state, so that our state can move forward. We cannot afford to punish our people because of our ego and personal interests.
“We have our aged pensioners who must receive their pensions. We have our teachers in public schools who we depend on for our children to be educated, they must be paid their salaries. We have government hospitals and health centers which our people depend on for discounted and affordable medical services.
“We have public schools which depend on public funds for their daily running.
The governor is toying with the lives and livelihoods of Rivers people. Let us please all call on him to do the right thing in the interest of our dear state and its people”.
News
Govt is planning to arrest me– Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleges

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has alleged that Nigerian security operatives are planning to arrest her upon her return to Nigeria.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed the move is linked to her participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York on 11 March, where she raised concerns about her suspension from the Senate and sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
She disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Sunday.
“I’m aware there are plans underway to have me arrested as soon as I arrive Abuja,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is still in the US after the IPU meeting, said.
The senator did not, however, say which of the security agencies was plotting her arrest.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that Nigeria’s internal and external intelligence agencies have launched a probe into how she gained access to the meeting without an official nomination.
A high-ranking administration official and two top security officials involved in the inquiry confided in PREMIUM TIMES that the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) are working to determine how Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the international meeting without approval, who facilitated her trip and accreditation, and whether interest groups orchestrated her participation to embarrass Nigeria, its government and its people.
*The IPU meeting*
On 11 March, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the IPU meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where she narrated the circumstances surrounding her suspension from the Senate.
She alleged that the suspension was politically motivated to silence her for speaking out against misconduct in the legislative chamber and thereafter sought international intervention.
In response, IPU President ,Tulia Ackson, said the parliamentary body would investigate the matter but would also allow the Nigerian Senate to present its side of the story.
However, a Nigerian delegate to the IPU meeting, Kafilat Ogbara, countered Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims when she (Ogbara) addressed journalists at the UN secretariat a day after the former ’s attendance at the IPU meeting.
Mrs Ogbara, the chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, read a letter from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, stating that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to violations of Senate Standing Rules during plenary sessions and not because of her allegations against Mr Akpabio.
*Alleged attempt to remove her from the UN premises*
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that shortly after her speech at the IPU meeting, the senate president sent three officials led by the Chargé d’affairs of the Nigerian Embassy in New York to forcibly remove her from the United Nations premises during the IPU meeting.
“The Senate President Akpabio sent three staff headed by the Chargè D’Affairs of the Nigerian embassy in New York to evacuate me from the United Nations premises right after my speech. I was rescued by parliamentarians from other countries and the security,” she alleged.
The senate president could not be reached for comment. His spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, did not pick up PREMIUM TIMES’ calls to his mobile telephone or respond to a text message.
Similarly, the Senate’s Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, could not be reached as his mobile telephone did not connect..
Premium Times
-
News17 hours ago
Akpabio plans to temporarily step aside for Senate Committee to officially evaluate his case, recommend indefinite suspension’ for Senator Natasha
-
News17 hours ago
Current Prices of Dangote, BUA, Other Cement Brands This Week
-
News17 hours ago
We’ll lose a lot if Niger Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso remain under military – CDS
-
News9 hours ago
NDLEA busts DTOs desperate bids to move hard drugs to US, Saudi Arabia, Poland(Photos)
-
News6 hours ago
Why FG Must Stop Harasing Nigerians For Criticising Govt – Amnesty Int’l
-
News6 hours ago
NSITF wants promotion of consistent safety culture at workplace
-
News6 hours ago
Travel guide: Lagos To Seal Independence, Marina-CMS Bridge For Two Months
-
News2 hours ago
Govt is planning to arrest me– Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleges