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Petroleum, Solid Mineral Marketer’s Task Force Move Against Looting, Vandalism
Noble Minds Initiative for the Discouragement of Vandalisation of Public Equipment, a non-political organisation, has condemned vandalisation of government properties in the country.
The organisation stated that efforts should be put in place by individuals, corporate organisations and non-governmental organisations across the country to ensure that the issue of vandalisation of public equipment comes to an end.
The Chairman of the organisation, Comrade Ikechukwu Chukwu at a press conference on Tuesday, 21 May, 2024 in Abuja, said for Nigeria to attain the desired development, vandalisation of government properties should stop henceforth.
He disclosed that Noble Minds Initiative will be involved in the advocacy of refiners and miners of minerals, Oil and Gas, through which he said, will boost the economy of the country.
Chukwu asserted that the need to eliminate looting and vandalism, bunkering, exploitation, hoarding, dubious middlemen, sharp business practices, artificial scarcity and adulteration of fuel products in the chain of distribution, while offering efficient effective services, cannot be overemphasized.
The Chairman of the organisation also stated that a commissioner will be appointed to represent in every state of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.
Chukwu announced that all the 37 Commissioners that will carry out the activities of the organisation will be inaugurated on 11th June, 2024 at NICON Luxury, Abuja.
He assured that the organisation, if commence operation fully, will protect and encourage youths in the country to engage in minerals mining, oil and gas business in all the states and Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
According to him, “The organisation will assist and support non-profit organizations to utilize their goals by transforming the social sector landscape in Nigeria through the use of practical training and capacity building.
“We will also recommend to the members towards building more minerals mining sites, to build modular refineries, filling stations, gas plants, renewable/alternative energy products and consumer shops to meet the increasing demand of goods/services and to stabilize price fluctuations.”
The Secretary of the organisation, Engr. Innocent Ogu, expressed displeasure over artificial scarcity of petroleum products from time to time in the country, saying their organisation will ensure continuous availability, easy access and supply of unadulterated kerosene, cooking gas and fuel.
Ogu, while answering questions from newsmen at the press conference on the source of their income of the organisation, he explained that free will donations, levy from members and grants from international organisations would be the major source of their funding.
On the disbursement and application of funds, he assured that the funds acquired would be used for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives of the association.
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.
Violent clashes between pastoralist groups and settled farming communities have long been a challenge in South Sudan.
However, the recent outbreak of violence in the northern Ruweng Administrative Area has further heightened concerns over the nation’s fragile peace. At least 30 people lost their lives after an armed youth group launched a brutal attack on a northern South Sudanese town, according to local officials.
The incident, linked to an escalating cattle raid, saw the town briefly fall under the control of the attackers before security forces regained control.
The violence began when a group of armed youth stole lambs earlier in the week. Security forces quickly intervened, forcing the raiders to retreat. However, instead of dispersing, the group reorganised and launched a more aggressive attack on Abiemnom the following day.
Local Minister of Information, Simon Chol Mialith, confirmed that despite resistance from local youth and security personnel, the town was overrun by the Mayom armed youth. The attack led to significant casualties and destruction before security forces were able to reclaim the town.
On Wednesday, the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) successfully pushed the attackers out, restoring a semblance of calm. However, the scale of the destruction was already severe, with over 40 individuals injured in addition to the fatalities.
Although reports suggest that some of the deceased were members of the armed groups, official confirmation remains pending.
The attack comes at a time of growing instability in South Sudan, with tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar intensifying. This political rivalry threatens to unravel the delicate 2018 peace agreement that ended the nation’s five-year civil war.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with continuous unrest. Despite its vast oil resources, the country remains impoverished, with conflicts like these exacerbating economic and social difficulties.