As crude oil futures fell in response to the US President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend another planned military strike on Iran, he has insisted that oil companies should lower prices pronto.

Trump issued the directive on Monday, according to a post on his Truth Social platform, that oil producers reduce selling prices. “Get your consumer (retail) oil prices DOWN, NOW!” Trump wrote.

According to Oilprice.com, crude prices dropped to $83.62 on Monday. They had earlier jumped to $100 at the height of the renewed crisis between Iran and the United States.

On Monday, Trump called out Chevron Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth after the executive appeared on television discussing the company’s business.

He accused Wirth of failing to acknowledge the administration’s role in restoring Chevron’s position in Venezuela.

“They threw Mike and Chevron out of Venezuela, but now they’re back, far bigger and stronger than ever before, expecting to make a fortune,” Trump pointed out.

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Oilprice.com reported that Chevron resumed operations in Venezuela after the Trump administration reopened access to the country’s oil sector and placed exports under US control.

American refiners have since become some of the largest buyers of Venezuelan crude, restoring a market that had largely disappeared under previous sanctions.

In the United States, the national average price of regular petrol reportedly stood at about $3.29 per gallon on Monday, according to AAA, down only modestly from last week’s highs despite crude prices falling by more than six per cent in a single session.

Retail petrol prices typically lag movements in oil markets because filling stations continue to sell inventories purchased at earlier wholesale prices.

Trump’s latest demand followed two earlier interventions on petrol prices. In June, he called on the Justice Department to investigate petrol prices after crude oil retreated from earlier highs.

Days later, he urged fuel retailers to lower pump prices towards $2.50 per gallon, warning companies that failed to respond would face “big problems”.

West Texas Intermediate crude fell by more than six per cent on Monday, while Brent crude lost more than five per cent after Trump announced a new round of negotiations with Iran and cancelled what he described as a planned “massive” military strike.

Retail petrol prices generally adjust more slowly because refiners, wholesalers and retailers continue selling fuel purchased when crude prices were higher.

Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Valero Energy and Marathon Petroleum all reported sharply higher second-quarter profits last week as the Iran conflict lifted crude prices and refining margins.

Trump’s latest demand comes as those higher earnings coincide with falling oil prices, with his administration pushing the industry to pass lower crude costs on to consumers.

In Nigeria, petrol prices range between N1,250 and N1,300 per litre, depending on the location. They stood at about N830 per litre before the US-Iran crisis began on February 28.

The Nigeria Police Force has summoned Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Moshood Jimoh for questioning and invited social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over allegations made against the senior police officer.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, who said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, had formally invited AIG Jimoh as part of an internal investigation.

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According to the statement, the FCID also issued a letter of invitation to VeryDarkMan on July 30, 2026, requesting him to appear before the department and substantiate the claims he made publicly.

The Police said the actions underscore the Force’s commitment to accountability and transparency, stressing that every credible allegation of misconduct would be investigated regardless of the rank of the officer involved or the status of the complainant.

The statement followed recent public comments by VeryDarkMan concerning the AIG in charge of Zone 2, Lagos, and an ongoing criminal matter.

The Force, however, clarified that the criminal case referenced by the activist had already been investigated and filed before a court of competent jurisdiction based on legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Describing the matter as sub judice, the Police maintained that the case would not be determined through media campaigns or public commentary.

“The Force will not try this case in the media, nor will it allow its outcome to be shaped by public campaigns or commentary seeking to prejudge the officers or parties involved,” the statement read.

The Police reaffirmed that its disciplinary procedures are guided by the Constitution, the Police Act 2020, Police Regulations, Force Orders and other established administrative processes, adding that the rules apply equally to all officers irrespective of rank.

While recognising citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of expression and to demand accountability from public institutions, the Force cautioned that such rights do not extend to defamation or the publication of unverified allegations.

It urged VeryDarkMan to honour the invitation by the Force CID and cooperate with investigators while allowing the courts to determine the separate criminal matter already before them.

The Police further assured Nigerians that any officer found culpable after investigation would face appropriate sanctions, while individuals found to have deliberately made false allegations aimed at damaging the reputation of an officer or the institution could also face legal action.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains an institution founded on law, discipline and accountability. No officer is above the law, and no genuine complaint is ignored; nor will any officer be sanctioned outside the procedures the law prescribes,” the statement added.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned nationwide strike following a high-level meeting with the Federal Government at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The breakthrough came after a three-hour meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and attended by key government officials, including the Ministers of Labour and Employment, Health and Social Welfare, Finance, as well as senior officials from the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant-General, and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

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Speaking to journalists after the meeting, NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, said the discussions resulted in firm commitments from the Federal Government to address the association’s longstanding grievances.

“Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved,” Suleiman declared.

He explained that both parties agreed on clear timelines for resolving outstanding salary, promotion and allowance issues that had prompted the association to threaten industrial action.

According to him, the government also committed to implementing agreed measures on meal allowances at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) within a week.

On the issue of delayed salaries for house officers, Suleiman disclosed that the Presidency had issued a standing directive to ensure prompt payment.

“In fact, he has given a standing order that before the 10th of every month, salaries of house officers must be paid,” he said.

The NARD president also revealed that the Federal Government had directed the Ministries of Labour and Health to fast-track negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement so that any agreed terms can be reflected in the 2027 budget.

Beyond welfare concerns, the meeting also addressed the growing incidents of violence against healthcare workers. Suleiman disclosed that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted in the past 10 months.

To tackle the trend, he said the Ministry of Health would strengthen security in hospitals and launch public awareness campaigns against attacks on health personnel.

He further disclosed that the Chief of Staff had pledged to champion legislation that would classify assaults on health workers as an aggravated offence.

“The Chief of Staff has taken it upon himself to introduce legislation so that the National Assembly can come in with something that will make assault on health workers an aggravated offence. We are very glad with that. We think it will send the right signal that health workers should not be assaulted,” Suleiman said.

Addressing the long-running dispute over unpaid hazard and specialist allowances, Suleiman explained that although the Federal Government corrected payment shortfalls in February 2026, a 19-month backlog dating back to July 2024 remains unresolved.

Despite expressing confidence in the outcome of the meeting, Suleiman said the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) would take the final decision on formally calling off the planned strike.

“I have National Executive Council members. I will have a conversation. I have to report all of this back. We sit down. We take a decision.
“The point is, the person that called us for this conversation has never failed resident doctors. That is what I am emphasising.”

NARD had earlier threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from August 10 if the Federal Government failed to address outstanding salary arrears, welfare concerns and other unresolved issues affecting its members.