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Aviation fuel price : AON wants FG to intervene

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Aviation fuel price : AON wants FG to intervene

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the increasing  price of  Aviation Jet A1 fuel .

The association made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at an emergency meeting with the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, in his office.

The AON President, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Sarina,  said the aviation fuel crises began from N180 per litre to N1, 000 per litre.

According to him, the foreign exchange (Forex) crises is a huge burden on the aviation industry.

“The rate at which the dollar is escalating now is very alarming. Every day, a difference between N10 to N15 is added at the apparel market.

“ Last week Monday, it was N610 but today, it is N670 to one dollar. We want the Federal Government to intervene,” he appealed.

Speaking, Mr Allen Oyeama, the AON Vice President, said the association was satisfied with the approach of the government intervention in the industry.

“We, airline operators, are satisfied with the approach of the government is bringing to the table. I told Mr President in order to alleviate our sufferings. He approved 10,000MT of fuel. Another 5,000 has come in.

“ We are about to start accessing that. We are pleased with the approach for the long run. The solution is not in the short term.

“It is not easy to give a timeline to issues like this because the challenge is global. Even the American airlines are threatened too, it is not only Nigeria. But we are pleased so far,” he said.

In his remarks, the minister of aviation  said there were no immediate solutions to the crises rocking Nigeria’s aviation sector.

According to him, the variables impacting the crises in the aviation sector are beyond the industry’s control. Thus, the variables involved especially a global problem.

“Energy crises is real and it is global. Today there is aviation fuel problem all over the world. From America to New Zealand. It is aggravating in Nigeria because we do not produce the product.

“ It is aggravated also because the foreign exchange is scarce in Nigeria because the source of earning the foreign exchange also has dwindled, ” Sirika explained.

The minister, who said that the Federal Government had in the past sourced 10,000 metric tonnes of Aviation Fuel for the airlines, added that the government was willing to do more.

READ ALSO: NATO Baltic Jets Intercept Russian Airplanes for Third Day

Sirika assured the association that the government was in the process of finding a permanent solution to the challenges in the aviation sector.

“By importation of the product at appropriate price, accelerating the refurbishment of our refineries and also wait for the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery to boost supply of the product. Thus, it cannot immediate.

“So, when you ask how soon, I will not know when Dangote will come on stream, I will not know how soon the refineries will be filled. I will not know when imports will become sufficient.

“But the government is working towards all these to happen” he guaranteed.

Sirika promised to meet with relevant stakeholders including the Central Bank of Nigeria in order for the airlines to access dollars at the official market rate rather than the black market rate.

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NEWS

Outrage as Police Officer Who Threatened Nigerians Over Recording Breaks Silence

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A Nigerian police officer identified as Newton Isokpehi has sparked widespread reactions online after publicly apologising for threatening Nigerians who film police officers while on duty.

The officer came under heavy criticism after a viral video showed him warning that he would “clear everybody down,” including bystanders near anyone recording him during official duty.

Following the backlash, Isokpehi released a video on Thursday pleading with Nigerians and rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu for forgiveness, saying his earlier comments were made out of anger and frustration.

SEE ALSO: Six Arrested as Police Expose Inside Network Behind Oyo School Abduction

“Please forgive me. If I offended you as a brother, forgive me. That statement was just out of annoyance because of the things that are happening,” he said.

Speaking in Pidgin English, the officer clarified that he was not against citizens filming police officers, noting that Nigerians have the right to record security personnel while carrying out their duties.

“Actually, you can video us. You are allowed to video a policeman. But it’s not right for just anybody to come from anywhere and start videoing officers on duty,” he stated.

Isokpehi, who disclosed that he hails from Edo State and was raised in a police barracks in Kaduna, described himself as a committed officer who has spent over 12 years serving in the Mobile Police unit.

The officer also displayed several scars and gunshot wounds on his body, claiming they were sustained during dangerous operations while serving the country.

“Out of 17 of us, only two survived that operation. We have suffered in this work,” he said emotionally.

Attempting to walk back his earlier remarks, Isokpehi insisted he never intended to harm civilians.

“How can I be saying I will kill my own people? We don’t do that. I spoke out of annoyance. That one was just verbal talk,” he added.

He further appealed directly to Gwamnishu and Nigerians, admitting that the controversy had escalated beyond what he expected.
“Harrison, forgive me. I beg the whole of Nigeria, please forgive me. This one has reached too far,” he pleaded.

The apology has continued to generate mixed reactions online, with many Nigerians condemning the officer’s initial comments while others expressed sympathy over the harsh conditions faced by security personnel.

 

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Cubana Chief Priest Explains Why He Dumped Peter Obi for Bola Ahmed Tinubu

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Nigerian socialite and businessman, Cubana Chief Priest, has explained why he shifted his political support from former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the 2023 general elections.

Speaking during a livestream session with popular streamer Peller, the celebrity businessman said his decision was motivated by a desire to avoid repeated political disappointment.

SEE ALSO: Plateau 2027: “I’m Not in the Race to Fill Numbers” — Bida Declares War on Mutfwang

He stated that he no longer wanted to back a candidate who might lose, saying he made the switch after the last election experience.
“Because I don’t want to lose again because they say first fool no be fool na the second fool be proper fool,” he said.

Cubana Chief Priest also claimed that President Tinubu remains cautious about him due to his past political alignment with Peter Obi and his ethnic background.

According to him, the President does not fully trust him because of his previous support for the opposition during the 2023 polls.

“President Bola Tinubu no really trust me as an Igbo man that I am. He look me with one eye because he believes that this one that worked for Peter Obi, before at the last election,” he added.

He further dismissed the chances of Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, describing him as “not serious” and insisting that only “serious people” would emerge victorious.

The comments have since generated widespread reactions on social media, with critics accusing him of political opportunism, while others argue that his position reflects the realities of Nigeria’s winner-takes-all political system.

Cubana Chief Priest was a vocal supporter of Peter Obi and the Labour Party during the 2023 elections but later aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He currently serves as the Imo State Coordinator of the Pro-Tinubu City Boys Movement and has become more active within APC circles.

He had also obtained an APC House of Representatives nomination form but later withdrew from the primary election on the day of the exercise.

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Yobe Hospital Makes Medical History With First-Ever Lower Jaw Surgery

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The Yobe State Specialist Hospital has recorded a major medical breakthrough after successfully performing its first-ever lower jaw surgery, a development described as the first of its kind in North-Eastern Nigeria.

The complex procedure, known as a segmental mandibulectomy with reconstruction, was carried out on a 40-year-old female patient suffering from mandibular ameloblastoma, a tumour affecting the jawbone.

Speaking on the achievement, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Usman Abba Giedam, said the surgery marked a significant milestone in the state’s healthcare sector.

SEE MORE: Ex-IGP Usman Alkali Baba Joins Yobe Governorship Race, Vows to End Insurgency

According to him, the operation involved the removal of a diseased section of the patient’s lower jaw and a sophisticated reconstruction using reconstruction plates and an iliac crest bone graft.

The surgery was led by Dr. Muhammad Ayuba Fusami with support from Dr. Peter Umejiego.

Giedam revealed that the patient is currently recovering well and responding positively to treatment following the successful operation.

He noted that the achievement reflects the growing capacity of the hospital to handle highly specialized medical procedures that previously required referrals outside the state.

The CMD also credited the administration of Mai Mala Buni for investing in healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment, and skilled manpower development across the state.

He added that the hospital remains committed to advancing specialized healthcare services and improving access to quality medical care for residents of Yobe State and the North-East region.

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