• Meta deleted 63,000 accounts connected to cybercrime
• Dangote and local refineries set to end petrol importation
• Governors and Ministers meet to stop the hunger protest
• Nigerian Customs Service auctions 26,625 litres of seized fuel in Cross River
• Foreign scholars protest as FG cuts down 56% allowance fees

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

Meta deleted 63,000 accounts connected to cybercrime

Meta Platform Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, revealed in its Q1 report that it had allegedly deleted 63,000 accounts linked to cybercriminals (Yahoo Boys).

According to the Q1 2024 Adversarial Threat Report, the accounts deleted over the past few weeks were used for financial sextortion scams, distribution of blackmail templates and more.

Meta stated that it also discovered and disabled about 2,500 accounts linked to 20 individuals and mainly targeted older men in the US using fake identities.

Dangote and local refineries set to end petrol importation

The owners of local refineries in Nigeria, along with Dangote Petroleum Refinery, have ascertained that they are capable of bringing an end to the importation of fuel in 18 months if the federal government is on par with their schemes.

The Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) Publicity Secretary, Eche Idoko, revealed that Dangote and the other refiners are capable of satisfying Nigeria’s need for fuel as the FG could not begin to tackle inflation without working with the oil refiners and Dangote on putting a stop to fuel importation.

“You can’t tackle inflation if you don’t address the pump price of petroleum products. You cannot say you have a plan to step down inflation and you are not involving the key sectors like the refineries; you have to involve us; let’s work together,” he said.

Governors and Ministers meet to stop the hunger protest

Governors and Ministers will be meeting on July 25 (today) to discuss how to end the hunger protest, which is set to begin from August 1 – 10 against Nigeria’s rising cost of living and its economic downturn.

The Federal Government claimed that it was open to having any dialogue with leaders of the planned nationwide protest.

However, a meeting slated for today, comprising a few select ministers and state governors, will discuss how to prevent the #EndBadGovernance protest, which will begin in less than a week and will likely be held across all 36 states.

Nigerian Customs Service auctions 26,625 litres of seized fuel in Cross River 

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) auctioned about 26,625 litres of seized petrol in Cross River at the rate of ₦9,000 per 25kg.

The NCS had sought to reduce the network of cartels and smugglers by launching an operation and seizing the petrol from these criminals in the riverine areas.

The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Controller HK Ejibunu, had displayed his massive capture of thousands of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), promising that there would be fewer cartels and smugglers daring to smuggle petrol within the state again.

Foreign scholars protest as FG cuts down 56% allowance fees

Nigerian students on foreign scholarships provided by the Nigerian government have lamented the FG’s reduced allowances.

The affected students and parents have complained about the possible expulsion of the students since the FG had cut down 56% of its allowance fees for the scholars.

The scholars also mentioned that the Federal Government was ignorant of their plight as they had been denied their allowances for 13 months, leaving them to source for survival in a foreign country.