NEWS
Queues Return to Ibadan Filling Stations as Petrol Price Surges Past N1,000
Motorists and commuters in Ibadan, Oyo State, are once again facing long queues at filling stations as the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, has surged beyond N1,000 per litre.
The development has triggered frustration among residents, many of whom now spend hours searching for fuel across the city and nearby communities.
Checks at several petrol stations revealed that the product now sells between N1,020 and N1,080 per litre, forcing transport operators to increase fares in order to cope with the rising cost of fuel.
SEE ALSO: Dangote Refinery Assures on Capacity for Sufficient Daily Supply of PMS, Diesel, Jet Fuel
The impact is already being felt in the transportation sector. For instance, commuters travelling from Mokola to Ojoo now pay about N600, up from the previous N500.
Similarly, passengers heading from Dugbe to Moniya have seen fares rise from N600 to about N900.
Many motorists were also seen moving around the city with jerry cans in search of petrol, while several filling stations that initially dispensed fuel in the early hours of the day later shut their gates after running out of supply.
A commercial driver, Sulaiman Adeyemi, said the rising fuel price has made operations extremely difficult for transport operators.
According to him, drivers are often blamed for increasing fares without considering the cost of fuel.
“We are the ones people accuse of raising fares, but they don’t understand the situation. If we buy petrol at more than N1,000 per litre, we have no choice but to adjust transport fares,” he said.
Another motorist, Funke Oladipo, lamented that she had spent several hours searching for fuel without success.
“I have been driving around since morning with my jerry can looking for petrol. Some stations opened earlier but later closed their gates. It is very frustrating,” she said.
A private car owner, Kola Akinyemi, warned that the persistent rise in petrol prices would continue to put pressure on household budgets, as transportation costs and prices of goods are likely to increase.
Residents fear that if the situation persists, the cost of living in the city may worsen as higher fuel prices typically trigger increases in transport fares and commodity prices.
The latest increase in petrol prices is believed to be linked to the recent rise in global crude oil prices, which climbed to about $84 per barrel, up from below $70 earlier, amid escalating tensions and airstrikes involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and other countries.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
SEE MORE: Spain, Portugal Plunge Into Darkness Amid Widespread Power Outage
“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
ALSO READ: NNPC, Dangote Team Up to Power Nigeria’s Energy Future
A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
African Club Football Gets Major Financial Boost as CAF Hikes Prize Money
Abramovich Clashes with UK Gov’t Over £2.35bn Chelsea Sale Funds
Global Crisis: Attacks on Schools Skyrocket 166% – UN Sounds Alarm on Children’s Safety
Appeal Court Deals Major Blow to Aiyedatiwa’s Re-election Hopes in Ondo
After Turbulent Elections, Portugal Swears In Seguro as President
JUST IN: Nigerians Reeling as Dangote Sparks Another Spike in Fuel Prices
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Things To Know About Threads, Zuckerberg’s Twitter-like App
