• Fuel scarcity may worsen in Lagos, others as NUPENG issues Nov 6 strike notice
• ISWAP commander captured, fighters killed attempting to liberate terrorists from Army base
• ‘Those with illicit money buried under soil will have problem’ – Buhari backs CBN
• Another association of lawyers emerges in Nigeria
• Afenifere endorses Tinubu

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

Fuel scarcity may worsen in Lagos, others as NUPENG issues Nov 6 strike notice

The ongoing fuel shortage across the nation may worsen in Lagos and neighboring states, as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has threatened to shut down fuel supplies to the state due to alleged violent attacks, intimidation, harassment, and extortion of members by hoodlums.

In particular, NUPENG asserted that thugs along Lekki Free Trade Zone Route, Eleko, Ibeju Lekki, posing as community youths under the name Indigenous Unity Forum, have been harassing, intimidating, and extorting money from all Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, members using the road.

In a letter to the state governor titled “Industrial Peace And Harmony In Lagos State: Demand For Urgent Action” dated October 28, 2022, NUPENG’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, lamented that the union had denounced the activities of these elements on numerous occasions and written to several authorities, including security agencies, but to no avail.

The letter read: “We are deeply constrained to bring to your urgent attention, the unwholesome activities of some criminal elements parading themselves along Lekki Free Trade Zone Road, Eleko Ibeju, Lekki, as community youths under the name of Indigenous Unity Forum, harassing, intimidating, and extorting money from every Petroleum Truck Drivers, who are NUPENG/PTD members plying the road.

“As a responsible and peace loving organization, with no control or knowledge of weapons of violence, coupled with the fact, that our members, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, are only out to serve Lagos State and the nation in general, through effective and efficient distribution of petroleum products for industrial and domestic uses as well as to search for sources of livelihood for themselves and their families.

” We have no other obligation than to demand that your Excellency, as a matter of urgency, put a final stop to the unwholesome activities of these criminals and similar elements across the state, otherwise we would have no other option than to direct our members, for the sake of safety of their lives and property, to stay off the entire Lagos State until sanity, law and order are restored.

“The criminal tendencies of this group extend as far as impersonating and forging NUPENG/PTD official emblem, logo, identity cards, and tickets to commit atrocities, including forcible extortion of money from our genuine members, assaulting and threatening anyone that questions, resists them or the source of their authority to perpetrate these criminal and illegal activities along the Lekki Free Trade Zone Road, Eleko, Ibeju Lekki.

“We have severally denounced these impersonators and have as well written to several authorities, including security agencies but this group appears to be operating above the laws of the state and the country.

”They also appear to be working for some powerful individuals and personalities in the state as all directives and instructions from Police authority are treated with disdain.

“All our efforts to resist them have been met with stiff resistance and they have continued unabatedly to assault and inflict bodily injuries on our members and damage their petrol trucks as well.

”With a deep sense of responsibility and duty, we are constrained to notify you, sir, that if this matter is not finally resolved and sanity restored to this route by midnight of Sunday, November 6, 2022, we shall have no other option than to direct our members (Petroleum Tanker Drivers) to stay off the roads of Lagos State to protect their lives and property.”

ISWAP commander captured, fighters killed attempting to liberate terrorists from Army base

Some members of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) died on Sunday in Niger State.

They were obliterated while attempting to free their leaders incarcerated in a Nigerian Army base.

A defence intelligence officer told PRNigeria that the military had expected the terrorists who met an ambush.

“Though the incident happened in the night, the troops had been anticipating such daring moves and had been on high alert.

“They came into our trap. While at least seven bodies were counted, troops arrested one of the commanders who led the fighters”, the source said.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) 401 Air Combat Training Group (ACTG) supported troops from Wawa Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area.

In Borgu LGA is a NAF facility which houses Alpha jets and the A-29 Super Tucanos purchased from America.

Wawa Cantonment, home to the 221 Light Tank Battalion, is located in New Bussa, near the border with Benin Republic.

The Army base accommodates hundreds of terrorism suspects undergoing trial.

In 2017, the Federal Government announced that around 2,500 suspects were being held at the formation.

In 2018, a special Federal High Court established to try terrorism-related cases sentenced 113 Boko Haram members to prison.

The latest attempt to free those in government custody occurred months after the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja.

With a video, ISWAP claimed responsibility for the breach which allowed scores of convicted insurgents to escape.

‘Those with illicit money buried under soil will have problem’ – Buhari backs CBN

In the midst of issues surrounding the attitude of the Finance Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, regarding the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to redesign Naira banknotes, President Muhammadu Buhari stated yesterday that he supports the CBN’s initiative.

Ahmed announced over the weekend that the CBN did not include her Ministry in the new Naira note plan, saying that the new notes could have disastrous effects on the Naira’s value.

In contrast, in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari expressed his conviction that the nation would benefit much from such a move.

In a Hausa radio interview with Halilu Ahmed Getso and Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, Buhari stated that the CBN’s arguments convinced him that a reduction in inflation, currency counterfeiting, and surplus cash in circulation would improve the economy.

He said he did not consider the period of three months for the change to the new notes as being short.

According to him, “people with illicit money buried under the soil will have a challenge with this, but, workers, businesses with legitimate incomes will face no difficulties at all.”

Another association of lawyers emerges in Nigeria

Another professional association of lawyers different from the Nigeria Bar Association has been established.

The association, known as the Law Society of Nigeria, is led by Mr. Kunle Ogunba, SAN.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary of the LSN, Mr. Douglas Ogbankwa.

The legal practitioners in Nigeria had been hitherto regulated solely under the umbrella of the Nigerian Bar Association founded in 1933.

Ogbankwa said in the statement that the LSN emerged in a bid to redefine the ideas of the founding fathers of legal profession.

Ogbankwa referred to the LSN as a “new sheriff in town”.

He described the legal profession in Nigeria as having a chequered history spanning from “the sublime to the ridiculous”.

Ogbankwa said the LSN was established to keep legal practice in Nigeria in line with international best practices.

“In redefining the ideas of the founding fathers of the legal profession in Nigeria, the Law Society of Nigeria, a new professional association of lawyers called to the Nigerian Bar, has been established.

“This is in keeping with international best practices, which allow for an alternative to ensure that lawyers thrive within the realm of those they have shared values with,” he said.

Afenifere endorses Tinubu

Leaders of the Pan Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, have endorsed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate.

Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the group’s national leader, and other group leaders were visited by Tinubu at their country home in Akure, the capital of the Ondo state.

Leaders of organizations from the six South West states, including Kwara and Kogi, were present at the gathering.

Tinubu went to the group’s leader to deliver the 80-page Action Plan, which outlines his strategy for addressing the nation’s economic situation as well as other issues.

Fasoranti stated that Tinubu had previously sought his blessings in April of this year, but that he had advised him to first obtain a party ticket before coming for his blessings.

He said, “I’m glad you’re here today after winning your party’s presidential nomination.”

Then Fasoranti prayed that the candidate would win and that he would survive to see his inauguration in May of the following year.

Pa Fasoranti was joined by other group leaders in praying for Tinubu’s electoral success, including the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Chief Olu Falae, and the former Secretary General of the organisation, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa.

Later, during a gathering for the candidate, Pa Fasoranti praised Tinubu for being a true Nigerian and not just a Yoruba man.

Fasoranti was certain that the candidate would carry on and go above and beyond what he accomplished while serving as the governor of Lagos state.