The controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate has taken a new dimension as the embattled lawmaker brings her case to the international stage.

On Tuesday, the suspended senator from Kogi Central addressed the Women in Parliament session at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

In her speech, she called for justice and the intervention of global democratic institutions, describing her suspension as “illegal” and an act of injustice.

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Senator Natasha’s suspension followed allegations she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a development that has continued to generate public discourse.

While speaking at the UN event, she reaffirmed her stance and expressed concerns over what she perceives as attempts to silence her.

Beyond seeking redress, the senator also raised alarm over her personal security. She alleged that there are indications she might be restrained against her will in New York for speaking out on the issue.

According to her, “the powers that be” in Nigeria could attempt to prevent her return.

More to follow………. 

There was tension in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Tuesday, as market women staged a protest over the recent abduction of nine surveyors at Owode Ilu-Abo in Akure South Local Government Area.

The protesters, carrying placards, decried the rising insecurity in the state.

They blocked the entrance to the governor’s office and disrupted traffic in the city for hours, demanding swift action from security agencies to rescue the victims.

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Reports indicate that the surveyors were on assignment at Owode Ilu-Abo when they were seized by gunmen.

A market leader, Toyin Arowosafe, disclosed that the kidnappers had made contact and were demanding a ransom of N100 million. “We pleaded with them to reduce it to N50 million, but they refused,” she said.

Another protester, Comfort Afolabi, whose brother is among the abducted victims, confirmed the ransom demand, expressing fears over the safety of those in captivity.

In response, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters, Bola Taiwo, appealed for calm, assuring the women that efforts were being made to secure the victims’ release.

“The state government is on top of the security situation,” he said.

The incident has further fueled concerns about the growing insecurity in Ondo State, with residents urging authorities to take decisive action against kidnappers.

Oil marketers in Nigeria are raising concerns over the instability of petrol prices, warning that the constant fluctuations are threatening the survival of their businesses.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning on Tuesday, the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gilly-Harris, lamented the losses being incurred by retailers due to unpredictable price movements.

He highlighted the ongoing price competition between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a major factor affecting the market. Dangote Refinery recently reduced its ex-depot price by N65, bringing pump prices at its affiliated stations down to N860 per litre from N925-N930.

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In response, NNPCL also slashed its prices, intensifying competition and further disrupting pricing stability.

Gilly-Harris expressed frustration over the impact of these sudden changes on retailers, noting that businesses are struggling to remain profitable.

“In our consistently weekly reviews, we discovered that the size of loss, and the possibility of most of us getting out of business is glaring at us in the face,” he said.

“We buy products at a price today, and before the close of business, the price has reduced. We thought there should be a mechanism by which prices are analyzed to ensure it doesn’t impact negatively on the industry.”

He explained that while global crude oil prices have seen some reductions, the erratic adjustments in local petrol prices make it difficult for marketers to recover their costs.

“We are fully aware that the international prices of crude oil and other related expenses are also being reduced. But when we invest to buy products at, say, N880 per litre, and the price suddenly drops to N840, N850, N860, or even N870 per litre, it becomes challenging for us to recover our costs,” he stated.

Beyond the price fluctuations, Gilly-Harris also raised concerns about the lack of consultation with industry stakeholders before major pricing decisions are made.

According to him, PETROAN members have the capacity to either import petrol or buy from local refineries, but without a stable pricing structure, it becomes increasingly difficult to operate.

“We have the capacity to import our products. We also have the capacity to buy locally refined products. But we see that prices consistently shift up or down, and there is no clear business consultation on how this should be done,” he said.

He called on regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Consumer Protection Agency, to take urgent steps to address the instability.