President of the United States, Donald Trump, says a record 19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

According to Trump on Tuesday, oil prices are tumbling as a result of the oil flow through Hormuz.

“19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Hormuz Strait yesterday, an all-time record. Oil prices are tumbling down, and the world is a much safer place,” Trump said in a post on his social media handles.

According to oilprice.com, Brent crude fell to $76.75 per barrel on Tuesday, down from $77 per barrel on Monday.

The decline in oil prices came after US Vice President JD Vance said progress had been made in discussions with Iran and confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remained open, reducing fears of a major supply shock in the global oil market.

The benchmark had earlier risen as high as $82.30 per barrel over the weekend amid renewed tensions following threats by US President Donald Trump to restart military action against Iran and Tehran’s announcement that it had again closed the strategic waterway.

High-level officials from the US and Iran concluded their first round of talks in Switzerland on Monday, according to mediators. The discussions began on Sunday under a memorandum of understanding reached last week to extend a fragile ceasefire from April for at least another 60 days.

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In a move expected to boost oil supply, the US Treasury Department on Monday authorised Iranian oil sales through a general licence that permits the sale of crude oil and petrochemical products of Iranian origin until August 21.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to meet with Gulf allies.

Addressing newsmen, Rubio said no country would be allowed to charge tolls for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as he sought to reassure US allies in the Gulf that Washington would take a firm line in peace negotiations with Iran.

Rubio is to meet Gulf allies on Tuesday and Wednesday in an attempt to reassure them that the US remains committed to their security and that the 60-day ceasefire deal struck with Iran last week will not embolden Tehran.

Arriving in Abu Dhabi, Rubio said the US would provide for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and that no country would be allowed to charge a toll there, which Iran has said it has a right to do.

“It’s an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here,” he said.

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged Nigeria’s security agencies to stop the arrest and detention of activist and presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and instead channel their energy toward tackling bandits and terrorists across the country.

Frank made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday, describing the arrest of Sowore as a “national disgrace” and accusing the State Security Service (SSS) of misplaced priorities amid worsening insecurity in Nigeria.

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He said it was alarming that security operatives were focusing on political figures while violent groups continue to unleash terror on innocent citizens in several parts of the country.

“It is unfortunate that the SSS seems more interested in going after opposition figures than confronting the bandits and terrorists terrorising innocent Nigerians. This arrest is clearly politically motivated,” Frank said.

He argued that while security agencies expend resources tracking government critics, armed groups responsible for killings, kidnappings, and displacement continue to operate with little resistance.

Frank, who also serves as Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to East Africa and the Middle East, warned that such actions could erode public trust in security institutions and further deepen tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He called on security agencies to redirect their attention to real threats facing citizens, stressing that national security should not be politicised.

Meanwhile, Timi Frank maintained that Nigeria’s priority should be restoring safety and stability rather than targeting dissenting voices.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (National Youth Service Corps), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members to steer clear of partisan political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing the need to preserve the scheme’s long-standing neutrality.

Nafiu gave the warning on Tuesday during a town hall meeting with 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members at the temporary NYSC orientation camp in Amada, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

He cautioned corps members against attending political campaign rallies or engaging in any activity that could suggest alignment with any political party, noting that such actions could damage the credibility of the NYSC.

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According to him, the reputation of the scheme has been built over decades of political neutrality, which has made corps members trusted participants in national elections under the Independent National Electoral Commission (Independent National Electoral Commission).

“And since 1999, we have continued to strengthen our democratic process season after season. We are going into another electioneering season, and campaigns will soon begin. Don’t go to campaign grounds as a corps member,” he said.

The NYSC boss further warned corps members against wearing official uniforms or insignia to political gatherings, saying such appearances could easily be misinterpreted by the public.

“If I grab you with this face cap, this crested vest, this white-on-white and this khaki at a campaign ground and they capture you, the headline will be: ‘NYSC aligns with XYZ party,’” he cautioned.

Nafiu stressed that Nigerians and the international community have continued to trust corps members during elections because of their neutrality, adding that this trust must not be compromised.

He also urged corps members to become agents of positive change in society rather than passive critics, encouraging them to embrace discipline, hard work, and meaningful engagement.

In addition, he advised them to reduce excessive use of social media and focus on productive activities such as entrepreneurship and networking.

In a lighter moment, the DG announced the donation of a cow to the orientation camp community, which drew cheers from corps members.

Earlier, the Gombe State NYSC Coordinator, Chinwe Nwachukwu, disclosed that 1,349 corps members—comprising 649 males and 700 females—had been registered for the orientation exercise.

She noted that the corps members had adapted well to camp life and were actively participating in skills acquisition programmes, while also highlighting security measures, including aerial drone surveillance by the Nigerian Air Force 109 Combat Reconnaissance Group.

However, she listed challenges affecting the camp, including erratic electricity supply, heavy dependence on generators, and lack of a multipurpose hall.