Nigerians Blast U.S. For Calling Its Experimental Drug “Nano-silver”, Pesticide.

U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suffers huge social media backlash from Nigerians yesterday, over its description of Nano Silver as a pesticide, a drug which was recently announced by the country’s Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, to be an experimental treatment of patients affected with the deadly Ebola disease.

The FDA’s warning was made on the heels of comments by Chukwu, who reportedly said on Thursday that eight Ebola patients in Lagos will receive an experimental treatment called nano-silver.

The agency said it had received consumer complaints about the Ebola claims. “Individuals promoting these unapproved and fraudulent products must take immediate action to correct or remove these claims or face potential FDA action,” the agency said. Click here for more on FDA’s warning on Nigeria’s Nano Silver

As the US FDA’s warning went viral, Nigerians erupted with outrage on social media as they mostly express the need for their country to protect lives of its citizenry after US declined giving out its’ Zimapp.

One Joseph Anthony writes, “West made a lot of mistakes on the road to there so called “state of art medicines”. We had no opportunity to scrutinize Zmapp. Let’s take a bold step to try something. Nothing is as strong as a proof.

We may try it with rodents and watch out for cultured results or patterns and if we get the gut feeling to proceed based on the results the why not! Let’s ignore everyone. For once let’s look inward for solutions we are not toilet to receive processed products by others.” He ended

Another commentator, who identifies self as Zuby expressed that when an African says he can cure AIDS or Ebola they tell him to shut up, say it’s impossible or not possible without testing it. He stressed that the drug should be offered to one person who already has Ebola and if it doesn’t work then we know for sure it’s doesn’t.

Abidemi Adekunle pleaded with America, saying they should be magnanimous enough to release the very drug that is working for them to other nations now that WHO has authorised the use of experimental drug.

“If its pesticide, we need it that’s all. How do we come about Ebola? In fact I guess they cultured the virus and send it to Africa because we rejected gay marriage. If you could remember that such has been done some years back against China through SARS” says one Anigbogu Okechukwu

From the FDA’s report, it was also revealed that Silver has been in use for centuries. FDA states that over the years, tiny silver particles known as nano-silver have controversially been incorporated into a variety of consumer products such as socks and bedding to help block odors caused by bacteria and mold over.

This is happening at a time doctors and nurses attending to victims of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, at Mainland Hospital, Lagos isolation centre, downed tools following allegation of negligence by concerned relatives and associates of the female medical doctor and health workers who contracted the EVD from the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer.

Meanwhile Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, had pleaded with the health workers on the need to get back to during a media briefing in Lagos, yesterday.

Fashola laments that Lagos State was yet to receive the experimental Ebola drug (Nano Silver) and a kobo out of the N1.9 billion Federal Government intervention fund.

“Fayose Plans To Lock Us Up Till June 1st” – APC Lawmakers Reject Peace Meeting.

The All Progressive Congress Lawmakers in Ekiti state

The All Progressive Congress Lawmakers in Ekiti state have rejected the peace meeting offered by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), stating that the Governor plans to lock them up until June 1st. The respected Lawyer convened a meeting between the Governor and the APC Lawmakers who failed to show up, giving reasons in a statement signed by Speaker Adewlae Omirin’s Special adviser on media, Wole Olujobi, they claimed was a setup to arrest them and lock them up till June 1st.

The lawmakers also gave new conditions for the peace treaty saying that the meeting should be held on a neutral ground, that even though the respected lawyer’s ways are pure cause he promised 200 Policemen would be ground to protect them, Fayose could till not be trusted.

“We cannot hold any meeting on the basis of monetary settlement in isolation of the consideration of the constitutional breaches by the governor. It is amazing that the truce terms will not include resumption of our duties‎, but just to settle us monetarily and escorting us out of Ekiti State,”

“Our Government House sources are always credible and reliable.Fayose was popping champagne in the Government House last night after supervising petrol sale at a filling station along Ilawe road. His loquacious lifestyle gave him away as he sat with his aides celebrating the end to his impeachment moves, boasting that two of the lawmakers would be arrested and kept in detention until June 1, thereby depriving APC lawmakers the needed quorum for his impeachment,”

While listing their truce terms, they demanded restoration of the constitutionally recognised Speaker (Omirin), and other principal officers that were illegally impeached back to their lawful positions. They also demanded that the G19 should be allowed unfettered access to and from the Ekiti State House of Assembly to perform their legislative duties until the expiration of their tenure on June 6, 2015.

Also in their demand is the immediate removal of all illegal structures that aid the activities of thugs and miscreants in and around the Ekiti State House of Assembly premises, they stated that the governor should facilitate these demands between now and May 4, 2015.

However, Governor Ayo Fayose, who was at the meeting promised to shift ground on contentious issues if that would return peace to the state.

The governor, who said his gesture should not be taken for cowardice, also debunked allegations by the lawmakers that he had connived with security agencies to arrest them if they appeared for the meeting.

“Within the ambit of the laws, I will respect the views of all of them. If there is anybody who should be evasive, it should be me because their time has almost expired. The guilty are afraid.

“They said I sent police to arrest them, where will I keep them after arresting them? We should stop playing to the gallery in a matter like this. I’m ready to shift ground. I’m ready to ensure they depart and finish their tenure successfully and whatever is due to them, I’m ready to pay. That is not an act of cowardice.

“I’m prepared to make peace and work in the overall interest of the state. I’m ready to submit myself to this meeting as many times as possible.”

The lawmakers proposed that the meeting be moved to Ibadan office of the senior lawyer while members on the committee must be non-partisan‎ elders.‎

Lion Escapes From Nekede Zoo in Owerri.

Nekede Zoo in Owerri

There are reports that a lion escaped from the Nekede Zoo in Owerri, the Imo State capital last night. The State’s local radio station Orient FM made the broadcast.

It is said the police command and the management of the zoo are doing their best to track down the lion as the public is also advised to be on the lookout and be safety conscious.


A resident says she took her child to school only to be told no school cos of the lion’s cage break.

Fuel Scarcity: Lifting Of Fuel Has Commenced.

Stakeholders in petroleum sector, at a public hearing by the Joint Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), on Monday resolved to mobilise their members for the immediate distribution of fuel across the country.

Senator Magnus Abe, who read a communique signed by the stakeholders after the session, explained that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and other stakeholders, who attended the meeting, unanimously agreed to the peace deal, in the interest of the nation.

He said, “We have agreed on the following: first is that the Minister of Finance will give an undertaking to the Major Marketers and Depot Managers that the work of the committee being headed by CBN and PPPR, on the outstanding claims, would be concluded and be reflected in the hand over notes to the incoming administration.”

The Senator said the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria had agreed to begin lifting of petroleum products nationwide within the next six hours and to also pay the National Association of Road Transport Owners, the transport cost that would be determined by them.

He added that the Depot Managers had agreed to open all their depots nationwide so that lifting would commence and had agreed with the DPR to withdraw the operational licence of any depot which was not opened for fuel lifting.

Abe said the NNPC had directed all relevant staff, working in the various depots across the country, to work 24 hours, including Saturday and Sunday, for the next two weeks until normalcy returns to the sector.

He also explained that following the intervention of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the strike embarked upon by several labour unions had been called off.

Federal Government Declares May 29th Public Holiday.

Gen. Buhari

Ahead of the Inauguration Ceremony for the Buhari-led Government, the Federal government has declared Friday May 29th a public holiday.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro in a statement released and signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abubakar Magaji.

Prof. Osinbanjo

Soldiers Take Over Capital Oil, Load Hundreds of Drums With Fuel

CEO of Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Ubah made an announcement on Sunday that his company would release 13 million liters of fuel to help out with the fuel scarcity situation in the country since then officials of the Nigerian Army have taken over the Ojodu Berger outlet of Capital Oil, buying petroleum products in drums, after they had scared away thousands of prospective consumers.

The armed personnel came pretending to maintain peace and order, but they soon abandoned their primary responsibility and started buying fuel in drums.

They shoved, maltreated and chased off those who were on queue to tend to themselves.

The military officials who were fully dressed had taken over the only two pumps that dispensed the Premium Motor Spirit.

There was an unregistered white Isuzu truck the soldiers had been using for the ‘deal’ and this truck had visited the filling station for the fourth time and each time bought fuel.

The fourth truck was loaded at 8:50pm on Monday night.

The vehicle, on each visit, left with at least 14 drums and dozens of gallons filled with fuel.

Helpless consumers, some of who slept at the filling station, suspected the soldiers were buying fuel to sell to sell in Lagos black market.

Those who complained about what was going on were severely beaten

By 9pm on Monday, not more than a hundred cars left the station with fuel.

Nigerian Students Warn South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma To Stay Away From Nigeria on Buhari’s Inauguration Day.

The South Africa President, Jacob Zuma, 

Nigerian students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students has warned Jacob Zuma, The South Africa President not to come to Nigeria for the Inauguration of President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari following what they described as his poor handling of the xenophobic attacks on some Africans including Nigerians in his country in April.

According to the student body, the failure of the South African President to apologize to Nigerians after the attacks is distasteful. The students expressed their anger in a statement signed by its President, Tijani Usman.

The statement in part reads:

“We wish to advise the South African President (Jacob Zuma) to rather stay at home and address burning issues, rather than embarking on a visit that is the least desirable. The South African President’s failure to apologise to Nigeria for the losses the country and our citizens incurred during the xenophobic attacks on foreigners leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. There is therefore, no point felicitating with a people who clearly do not matter much to you. President Zuma’s visit will only amount to pretence.”

Peter Okoye looking dapper in new photos.

Peter Okoye showed off his swag in these new photos which he posted recently..He captioned them…

” Shhhh! I knw…. #tastethemoney..I work hard and I play harder! #tastethemoney #testimony”

Hilarious Reactions to Toolz and Tunde Demuren Engagement.

Beat FM On Air Personality (OAP), Tolu Oniru popularly known as ‘Toolz‘ is the Latest ‘Bride-to-be’ in town as she got engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Tunde Demuren on Monday, May 25, 2015.

However majority of their fans are not pleased with the news with some accusing Tunde of being greedy for wanting the all ‘Endowed‘ Toolz all to himself.

See more photo here;

“I’m Amazing” – Halima Abubakar Hypes Herself As She Shares Hot New Photos.

Stunning Nollywood Actress, Halima Abubakar denounces negativity as she releases some Kinky hot new photos which she reveals are from her soon to be released Bio book/look book.

She said:

“This are pics i love from my bio book/look book coming soon ,with my movies under my production company modehouz I wont address any more negativity again.This is me”

“I dont like to hide my flaws,cos dem plenty…But regardless of how any1 feels,am super confident, happy in my thick skin and at peace This my tummy,i show u all,so the tummy jokes shld stop…Am amazing,and if u dont see dat,well check ur eyes and stop judging�������������������������� i appreciate all my critics muahhh Oh an my hand is finally healing.. It took 2years to heal”

Omotola Jalade, Genevieve Nnaji Fight Dirty Again.

 Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade.

Read this interesting piece from NigeriaFilms as they report an exclusive fight between two Nollywood queens Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade.

Read Below:

In most spheres of life, rivalry is a common phenomenon, which cannot be ruled out for anything. Talk about sports, business, and every other sector, it abounds everywhere.

But when envy starts to creep in, that is when it becomes deadly and unhealthy.


In the world of soccer today, it is an obvious truth that Lionel Messi and Christano Ronaldo are rivals, who also play for rival clubs in Spain.

As some pundits say, one of them must have been questioning God why he created the other in his own generation. But to lovers of the football game, the rivalry between the two soccer stars has made the game very interesting today.

Both of them try to outshine the other when they are both on the field of play. This is evident in the records each of them tries to break, especially if the other person is the holder of the record.

When it comes to mobile technology, it is no doubt that Samsung has given Apple a run for its money. Even Tecno, which hitherto was seen by Nigerians as a new kid in bloc, and fondly mocked as ‘China Phone’, is now rubbing shoulders with the big guys in the mobile phone business, especially with their smart phones.

In Nollywood, one of the rivalries that have stayed for a very long time is that between Omotola Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji.

For a long time, these two screen divas never saw eyeball-to-eyeball until recently, when the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabo Fiberesima intervened and brought them together again.

You will recall that it was reported how Ibinabo strived hard to bring these two important personalities in the movie industry in Nigeria together.

Those who were aware of the cold war between Omotola and Genevieve before Ibinabo’s peace move would confirm that Genevieve always avoided any event or function Omotola is invited into.

In fact, both parties always asked organisers of shows if the other person would also be coming and if the answer was in the affirmative, the person concerned would avoid the event.

“I pity myself”, Buhari says as he picks nomination form.

Less than 24 hours after he formally declared to run for president, a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, has picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to run for the nation’s highest office on the platform of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Buhari, who is running for the fourth time, shortly after picking the forms at the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja, said that the N27.5million levy for the forms were exorbitant but that he was helpless in getting it reduced.

“It’s a pity I couldn’t influence this amount to be put down ‎as in the case of ladies and the disable that intend to participate. I always look left and right in our meetings but I could not read sympathy, so I kept my trap.

“But I felt heavily sorry for myself because I don’t want to go and ask somebody to pay for my nomination forms, because I always try to pay myself, at least for the nomination.

“N27 million is a big sum, thankfully I have personal relationship with the manager of my bank in Kaduna and I told him that very soon the forms are coming, so, whether I am on red, or green or even black please honour it otherwise I may lose the nomination.

“I was about to go to Kaduna this morning and I told the Chairman but he said in that case, you better pick your form and keep a straight face that means there is no excuse,” Mr. Buhari said.

In a short remark, the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, told Mr. Buhari and his entourage that the party decided to make the nomination fees high “in order to separate the men from the boys”.

APC reveals guideline for Senate Presidency/Speaker.

 John Oyegun,

The All Progressives Congress has said it has not discarded the principle of zoning in determining the leadership of the National Assembly, but assured it will not impose anybody for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The National Chairman of the party, John Oyegun, stated this while clarifying the position of the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on the choice of the presiding officers of both chambers of the National Assembly.

Mr. Oyegun said the party would merely guide the Senators and the House of Representatives on where to choose their leaders from, but would not be involved in the process of who deciding who becomes what.

Mr. Buhari had in a statement on Wednesday, said he was ready to work with anybody who emerges as the senate president or the speaker of the House of Representatives.

The remarks fuelled speculations the party may be discarding the zoning principle, to allow the lawmakers choose from any part of the country.

“What General Muhammadu Buhari said does not contradict our position on the zoning of the offices,” Mr. Oyegun told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview Thursday.

“What is certain is that members of the Senate and the House of Representations are the only one who can choose their leaders. We are going to advise them on where they will choose their leaders for obvious reasons. Then it is for them to choose their leaders.

“The party cannot name people for them, but for the sake of balancing we will advise them on where they should choose their leaders.”

Speaking against the background of Kano State Governor and Senator-elect, Rabiu Kwankwanso’s expressed fear that APC may lose the leadership of the National Assembly to the Peoples Democratic Party as it continues to dilly-dally over the subject, Mr. Oyegun said there it would be impossible for PDP take over the legislative arm of government.

APC will not allow it, he assured.

Also speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, the APC spokesperson, Lai Mohammed, said the party has not made any decision on zoning as far as positions of National Assembly leaders are concerned.

“As of now, I am telling you officially that we (APC) have no position on zoning,” Mr. Mohammed said.

Also, one of the leading contenders for the position of speaker who asked that he should not be mentioned, told this newspaper that he was confident the leadership of the party would conclude on zoning next Monday or Tuesday, thereby confirming Mr. Mohammed’s position that the party has no decision on zoning yet.

Meanwhile, different individuals in the party hierarchy said the party had concluded on its decision concerning zoning.

They, however, differed in terms of which zone takes what.

A member of the APC National Executive Committee, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the party had concluded on zoning.

According to this source, the positions of the Senate President and the House Speaker go to the North Central and North East respectively and that “those promoting the propaganda that South-West has the speaker are Gbajabiamila people.”

On the contrary, two members of the House of Representatives, Abdullahi Garba and Aliyu Madaki, said that with the information they had but which had not been made public yet, the party had concluded on zoning.

While Mr. Madaki only said the South-West had been given the position of speaker, Mr. Garba said the position of speaker and senate president had been zoned to the South-West and North-East respectively.

They argued that it is not possible for the North to have the positions of the President of the country, president of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Buhari lambasts APC Governors over workers’ salary, ministerial list

General Muhammadu Buhari

An early minute brow between President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari and governors elected on the platform on the All Progressives Congress may be in the offing as Buhari has asked the governors to steer clear of his ministerial list.

Vanguard gathered that Buhari is contemplating a system operated in the second republic during the era of National Party of Nigeria, NPN, where appointment of ministers was done by the national secretariat of the party and not by the governors.

A source at the National Headquarters of the APC yesterday said that Buhari had directed the leadership of the party to pass the message of non interference to the governors.

According to the source, Buhari could not find any justification for the state governors to choose Ministers for him after they had chosen their own commissioners without unnecessary interferences from the federal government.

It was learnt that there had been a list of Ministers submitted by the governors which was rejected.

The source also hinted that the president-elect was not happy with the governors on their inability to pay workers’ salaries after collecting their states allocation from the federal government.

It will be recalled that APC governors had recently met with Buhari in Abuja where they requested his intervention to pay salaries of workers, noting the dwindling state of the economy.

But Buhari reportedly asked them to pay salaries having collected their allocation.

GEJ's Trekker Blasts Omotola.

Omotola And Oladele Niyi 

The young man who is embarking on a trek from Abuja to Otueke, Bayelsa State, the hometown of President Goodluck Jonathan, Oladele John Nihi, has responded to Omotola Jolade’s tweet to trekkers.

Omotola, Described the exercise as misplaced priority, wondered why youths are not using the opportunity to create awareness for better plights.

Niyi Oladele who is obviously angry at the comment has blasted back with several tweets which had sparked up reaction from his followers on twitter.

Hashimu Suleiman trekked from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate the victory of Mohammadu Buhari 

Shehu, an aide to the president-elect advised the youths to channel their energies towards more productive ways of showing solidarity to the incoming administration.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he cautioned youths against embarking on dangerous journeys for a president-elect who needed prayers instead.

While acknowledging the excitement Buhari’s victory may have generated, he said the numerous challenges facing Nigeria made the need for prayers more expedient than trekking.

Some of these challenges he said were light, unemployment, insecurity, to mention a few.

The aid pleaded with youths to stay at home and put their energies to good use instead of putting their lives at risk by trekking through dangerous terrains.

Shortly after Muhammadu Buhari was announced as the winner of the March 28 presidential election, 33 year old Hashimu Suleiman trekked from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate the victory of the president elect.

Since then, several Nigerian youths have followed suit in such solidarity walks across the country.

These solidarity trek however assumed a new dimension when five residents of Bauchi State revealed their plans to embark on a three-month trekking from Bauchi to Saudi Arabia

PHOTOS: Couple Treks For GEJ With Their New Born Baby.

Just when we thought the season of trekking for politicians was over a new one has hit us!

A couple, Michael and Edna Ayibaemi, have decided to join the people trekking for one politician or another. This couple have decided to trek from Warri to Otuoke in Bayelsa state with their 25-day-old baby. They are trekking just to honour the outgoing president, Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Linda Ikeji, the husband Michael revealed that he had been due to go on the trekking adventure alone, but his wife, who gave birth just 25 days ago, decided to join him with their baby. According to the couple, the trekking was necessary because president Jonathan is a true hero for conceding defeat and allowing peace in Nigeria after the presidential elections despite the brewing political war.

See photos below:

A young Nigerian, Nihi John Oladele, who is trekking from Abuja to Otuoke, Bayelsa state, for President Goodluck Jonathan, arrived in Bayelsa state on May 20, Wednesday, but not without a fair share of ‘bruises’. This trekking issue has got a lot of top celebs worried as they think Nigerians are overdoing it.

Oladele had blasted the Nollywood star, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, for condemning his ambition to trek for Jonathan and had continued with his walk nonetheless, reaching his destination a few days ago amidst cheers from President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen.

What do you think about this couple trekking with their 25-day-old baby?

God Heard My Prayers For Nigeria - Jonathan.

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday during the 2015 Presidential Inauguration service for the Nigerian Christian community said the peace that the country is currently enjoying is an answer to his prayers to God.

The president who urged all Nigerians to always pray for the success of the incoming administration, also solicited support for President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to ensure good governance in the country.

Jonathan added that since the amalgamation Nigeria has been from one problem to the other, even through all that Nigerians had reasons to be grateful.
He noted that when he was about to take over in 2007, he prayed God to guide him in all his decisions, to avoid plunging the entire nation in to chaos.

He said, “We are quite please today, in 2007 when I was here, I can remembered what one thing I can remember is that, I asked God that any decision that I am going to take that will affect this nation, that He should guide me in whatever I do.
“And today, we are here not celebrate the breaking of this nation, we here to celebrate the unity of this country, we here not having mass service for mass burial. We are here to inaugurate an incoming government.

“I call on you to pray for us, because probably today is last day I will speak to you here as a president of Nigeria, if I have reason to speak here again, I will be referred to as former president.”

The President of the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor presented an award of outstanding christian community in public service to President Jonathan and his wife during the service.

Meanwhile Femi Fani-Kayode, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson, has claimed that some PDP chieftains serially betrayed President Goodluck Jonathan stating that some PDP leaders worked secretly for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Offa community raises N13m to rebuild market.

*Saraki sends delegation to monarch

Offa community in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State has raised N13 million to rebuild its burnt Owode Market, which was razed last week.

Offa monarch, Oba Mufutau Gbadamo, spoke on the raised fund when he hosted a delegation from Senator Bukola Saraki, led by the Director-General of his ABS Constituency Office, Musa Ayinla Yeketi.

The monarch expressed appreciation to Saraki for sending the high-powered team.

He said: "Our community is deeply touched and we believe that all of us must stand up in our usual communal collaboration to come to the aid of the victims because there is no compound that does not have a person among them.

"Besides it's painful that people who fend for themselves now sit at home doing nothing."

The monarch added: "I had to quickly rush home from Umrah (lesser Hajj) to personally oversee the repair works and bring succour to the people.

"We are aware that due to the economic downturn, the government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility. Therefore, we call on all and sundry to assist us. In fact, I have also decided not to go on Umrah during Ramadan because I cannot see myself out of the community when my people are in pains."

Oba Gbadamosi assured that Offa residents were praying for Saraki to emerge the next Senate President �because we are absolutely convinced that his choice will benefit the state and other part of Nigeria".

Yeketi's team visited the victims and inspected the damage to the market.

The team leader said Saraki was deeply touched because he considers himself a son of the town because of the love the people have always shown to him.

Fuel crisis worsens in Ilorin... petrol stations shut, litre sells for N200, passengers resort to trekking.

The ravaging fuel crisis in Ilorin took a new twist yesterday as several petrol stations within the metropolis remained shut to consumers.

At few stations where the commodity was dispensed, motorists and other users scrambled to buy at N200 per litre.

The crisis, it was learnt, was not unconnected with the ongoing strike by National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). Findings showed that of about eight stations on New Yidi road Ilorin, only one was selling amidst crowded queues around 2pm when The Herald visited the area.

On Asa-Dam road that hosts six petrol stations, including major and independent stations, none of them opened to customers for business. A filling station (name withheld) around University of Ilorin main campus gate sold a litre of the commodity for N180 with users forming long queues.

The situation was the same in almost every station in Ilorin and its environs as commercial motorists, especially taxi-cab drivers, abandoned their vehicles in search of the scarce commodity.

The Herald observed that the untoward development also manifested among private vehicle owners as many of them parked their cars and opted for commercial vehicles that charged astronomical fare.

Many passengers were stranded at bus stops on account of the situation. Bikers took advantage of the crisis to hike the price of a drop, which was N50, to N100, an increase of 100 per cent.

A passenger, Mr Olatunji Jimoh, who spoke to The Herald on the fuel crisis, expressed concern that government was not doing enough to address the issue.

He stated that the ongoing industrial action by members of NUPENG and PENGASSAN had worsened the situation.

He said, "This situation is worsening every day. We have not seen this government doing anything to tackle it (fuel scarcity).

"Ordinarily, if the government is serious about our welfare, something would have been done to curtail the excesses of fuel dealers. You can see that the fuel price has increased indiscriminately and we cannt even get at petrol stations to buy", he added.