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Tinubu Tasks VP Shettima with Fixing Nigeria’s Fuel Crisis Amid Price Surge
President Bola Tinubu has tasked Vice President Kashim Shettima with leading a crucial meeting to tackle the ongoing issues in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, particularly concerning pricing and scarcity.
This directive comes in response to recent challenges faced by the industry, including rising fuel prices and inconsistent availability.
In line with this mandate, Vice President Shettima convened a significant discussion on Thursday at the Presidential Villa.
The meeting brought together key figures, including Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL); and Ugbogu Ukoha, Executive Director of the Nigerian Mainstream, Downstream, and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Lokpobiri addressed reporters, confirming that President Tinubu shares concerns about the current state of the energy sector and is fully aware of the hardships Nigerians are enduring.
He emphasized that the President is calling for prompt and effective actions to stabilize fuel supply and pricing.
The Vice President’s efforts are focused on improving the distribution of petroleum products across the country, aiming to resolve the discrepancies where some regions face shortages while others encounter inflated prices.
Lokpobiri assured that measures are being implemented to enhance fuel availability nationwide, with expectations of improved accessibility by the end of the week.
While acknowledging that regional price variations might persist, Lokpobiri highlighted the government’s commitment to making fuel more accessible, which should ultimately contribute to more stable prices.
He clarified that the federal government does not control fuel prices directly, as the sector operates under market regulations.
The administration remains dedicated to resolving these challenges and ensuring a steady supply chain to meet the needs of all Nigerians shortly.
This initiative follows recent adjustments in fuel pump prices, which surged from N617 to N897 per litre.
President Tinubu is currently attending the FOCAC summit in China, focusing on international engagements as part of his official trip.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
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