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Soyinka shares ordeal of abduction, robbery overseas

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Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has shared a chilling account of how he was abducted and robbed while on a visit to Bucharest, Romania.

The globally celebrated writer and playwright had traveled to the country to participate in the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) one of the world’s largest performing arts gatherings that annually draws thousands of artists and audiences from across the globe.

Soyinka revealed that during his stay, he fell victim to criminals who abducted him and dispossessed him of his belongings.

In an interview with TheNEWS, the playwright recounted the experience, which unfolded shortly after his arrival in Romania.

Soyinka said he arrived in Bucharest at 12:10 a.m. in high spirits, looking forward to the festival, only for events to take a dramatic turn after he and the party meant to pick him up missed each other at the airport.

After missing his hosts at the airport, he boarded what appeared to be an official taxi to Novotel Hotel, where he was scheduled to lodge.

He said instead of heading for the hotel, the driver diverted to a deserted, dimly lit area, where he was coerced into surrendering his bank details.

“So I got into the taxi and the man drove and drove and finally we got to a spot. It was now close to 1 o’clock in the dead of the night. And I thought we were in the hotel. Then he brought out his POS. A conversation took place (I narrate all of that in the book),” he said.

“Anyway, the bottom line is that I was in effect abducted, robbed, and deposited in this strange place. I had to enter it without seeing the POS because this man kept hiding it. He was insisting ‘enter your pin, enter your pin.’

“That drama lasted inside the taxi between 25 and 30 minutes. I was deliberately entering the wrong pin, playing for time, hoping people would come out maybe from the hotel or be strolling around. It was one of those times when everybody refused to come out. Completely bare where I was. No sign.

“I didn’t discover it wasn’t a hotel until I finally got down. I was still playing for time, hoping somebody would come out of the hotel, maybe smoking cigarette, even a street worker or whatever. So, it became a battle of wills inside the car, which approached violence – he wondering who I was, what I was and I playing for time, hoping somebody would come along.

“And then you can imagine all sorts of imagination in my head. Why had he dropped me in this particular place? Was it a gang-infested area? Let’s just say it was a weird and not very comfortable kind of situation.

“Eventually, that night, anyway, I got to the hotel. I was picked up by a car and taken to Sibiu,” he said.

 

Dangote vs. Independent Oil Transporters: Nigerians Must Not Be Held Hostage by the Enemies of Change

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By Baba Lawan

When a group of independent oil transporters and petroleum marketers threatened to shut down distribution because Aliko Dangote dared to buy gas-powered trucks for his refinery, Nigerians shook their heads in disbelief. The audacity is stunning. Here we are, a country suffocating under fuel queues, high inflation, and broken supply chains — yet a cabal of truck owners wants to drag us backwards in the name of “protecting their business.” Let’s call it what it is: a battle of survival for a cartel that refuses to face reality.

This is not about patriotism. It is not about protecting consumers. It is not even about the economy. It is raw self-interest dressed up as collective struggle. And if history teaches us anything, it is that those who stand in the way of innovation are eventually buried under its wheels.

The Crocodile Tears of the Transporters

The unions say Dangote is “killing their livelihood” with gas-powered trucks. But let’s be honest: what they are really crying about is losing their stranglehold on petroleum logistics. For decades, they thrived on inefficiency, broken roads, and endless scarcity. They got rich while ordinary Nigerians suffered.

Now, one refinery dares to modernise distribution — cutting costs, reducing pollution, improving efficiency — and suddenly they discover their voice. Nigerians must not fall for this crocodile sympathy. These transporters are not fighting for us; they are fighting against the future.

History’s Harsh Verdict on Resistance

From the Industrial Revolution to today’s digital economy, history has always been brutal on those who resist change.

The horse-and-carriage industry collapsed when the automobile roared onto the streets. No strike could stop Henry Ford’s assembly line.

The mighty typewriter empires died when computers took over. You don’t see Olivetti or Remington leading global trade fairs anymore.

NITEL, once Nigeria’s telecommunication monopoly, crumbled because it couldn’t see past its rusting landlines while mobile phones conquered the world.

Traders who mocked online shopping now watch helplessly as Jumia, Amazon, and Alibaba dominate markets.

The lesson? Technology does not ask for permission. It sweeps aside the timid, the lazy, and the fearful.

The Real Victims: 200 Million Nigerians

If these transporters make good on their strike threat, who suffers? Not Dangote. Not the politicians. Not the wealthy elite. It is the ordinary Nigerian who will line up under the burning sun for petrol. It is the bus driver whose costs will soar. It is the market woman who will pay double to transport her goods. It is the student who cannot afford transportation to class.

A strike is nothing but blackmail — and the ransom is the suffering of 200 million people. How shameless.

Where Is Government?

This is where leadership matters. Government must not stand idle, wringing its hands while cartels threaten the people. The state cannot play the role of a cowardly referee in a match where the citizens are the ball. Nigerians elected leaders to protect their interests, not to act as errand boys for vested groups.

If government sides with the unions in the name of “peace,” it will only embolden every greedy cartel that holds the economy hostage. From fuel scarcity to food hoarding, Nigerians have suffered enough. This is the moment for government to show courage: protect the people, enforce the law, and ensure that progress is not strangled by selfish middlemen.

Adapt or Die

The truth is simple: modernisation is not optional. Gas-powered trucks are cheaper, cleaner, and more sustainable. They are the future of logistics, not only in Nigeria but across the globe. If transporters have sense, they will retool, invest in gas-powered fleets, and join the race forward. If they don’t, they will be remembered like the typewriter — nostalgic, irrelevant, and extinct.

Instead of blackmail, they should be negotiating partnerships with Dangote, lobbying for government support to transition to new fleets, and carving a role in Nigeria’s future energy ecosystem. But to sit on their old trucks, puffing smoke into the sky, and demand that 200 million people pause progress for their sake? That is economic terrorism, not activism.

Conclusion: Nigerians Deserve Better

We must be clear: this fight is not about Dangote alone. It is about whether Nigeria moves forward or remains stuck in the past. The Independent Oil Transporters have a choice: embrace change and grow, or resist change and die.

The government must not sit on the fence. It must side with Nigerians, not with cartels. As Karl Marx once said, history repeats itself — first as tragedy, then as farce. If these unions insist on making themselves the farce of Nigeria’s energy story, they alone will carry the shame.

Fuel price politics and the people’s pains

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By Ayo Oyoze Baje

 

Quote:

“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) felt betrayed by the federal government over the “clandestine increases” in the pump price of petrol, without any input from the workers.”

— Joe Ajaero ( NLC President, July 2023 )

In spite of the decision made by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to call off its two-day strike following a conciliation meeting with the Dangote Group and the Federal Government, over the agreement by the former to allow its employees to join a union the significant fuel supply disruptions across the country, has added to the preventable pains of the commuters. That serves as a cause for serious concern, for some citizens having to pay over N1,000 per litre, as it took place recently in Enugu, Cross River and Kaduna states. So traumatic it was that many filling stations were closed, leading to higher transport fares and panic buying.

As widely reported in the media, in Enugu commuters were stranded as most petrol stations shut down by noon. In some areas, the price of fuel from black market vendors soared to as much as N1,500 per litre.This is an anomalous yet, preventable situation fuelling anger and discontent in an oil-rich nation as Nigeria.

While it is appreciated that the agreement, was signed on September 9, 2025 stipulating that the Dangote Refinery will permit the unionization of its employees, it has become necessary for decision and policy makers in Nigeria -on both the economy and politics-to bridge the gap between them and the people at the receiving end. Such ever widening distance between the few leaders and the led majority has not only eroded the key element of Trust on the leadership pedestal but undermined the expected service delivery.

It is worthy of note that the dispute arose after NUPENG accused the Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices and attempting to stop its drivers from joining the union. The union’s president, Williams Akporeha, had insisted on the workers’ right to unionize and stated that the strike was a legitimate tool to ensure employers followed the law. With the strike’s suspension, fuel loading is expected to resume, easing the scarcity felt by Nigerians. Even after fencing the mend between Dangote Group and NUPENG some pertinent questions still remain.

For instance, why has the face-off between government/ private on the one hand and labour organizations become a recurring ugly decimal in the business ecosystem? Why must the disagreements and sqabbles degenerate into the workers’ misgivings and malcontent after which the two would still come to the roundtable for negotiation? That is after precious time, energy and resources mist have been wasted. These questions have become pertinent again because they keep repeating themselves in the socio-economic space from one perilous season to another.

It would be recalled that back in July 2023.the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) felt betrayed by the federal government over the “clandestine increases” in the pump price of petrol, without any input from the workers.The labour union in a statement by its President Joe Ajaero, revealed that organiszed labour agreed to a N70,000 minimum wage in July based on the government’s assurance that fuel prices would remain unchanged. The union said it accepted the amount despite recognizing the wage was inadequate.

In his words, he revealed that:
“We recall vividly when President Tinubu gave us the devil’s alternative to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) or N70,000 (at old PMS rates); we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians. Unfortunately, a month after that gentleman ‘s agreement there was unexpected delay with the payment of the minimum wage,as agreed. That was back in August 2023..But this is now.

Over the past two years it has been one freaky issue with the pump price of premium motor spirit,( PMS ) or another between the Dangote Group and the NNPCL That was despite the union urging the government to reverse the pump price of petrol across the country and retract the 250 per cent tariff hike in electricity. That we as Nigerians are currently battling with survival to feed, to get to and fro work and navigating through the thorny paths of inflation says a lot about the lack of empathy on the part of government with regards to the consequences of economic policies on the pauperized people. And that is because
as fuel prices soar beyond the reach of the common man so does the cost of goods and services, contributing to overall excruciating inflation. Also, Nigeria’s dependence on imports for many essential goods means that higher transportation costs has inadvertently had a spin-off effect across a broad spectrum of goods and services.

Worthy of note is that the ICRI reported that the minister of state for petroleum resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL) must sell petrol above the landing cost – at N1,117 per litre – to curb the smuggling of the products to neighbouring countries.
According to Lokpobiri, unless the NNPCL imports and sells petrol above the landing cost, smugglers would continue to move petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
Funny enough, Lokpobiri claimed that fuel smuggling from Nigeria to neighbouring countries was an issue that could not be entirely eradicated. Yet, some reports claimed that NNPCL had increased the price of petrol across its retail outlets nationwide. This scandalous situation triggers the flaming questions.

For instance, how would one explain the statement that smuggling of fuel to the neighboring countries cannot be stopped? What then is the duty of security personnel across the army, navy and the air force? Is it not because the fuel smugglers have some sponsors in high places who have become the untouchables that the crime goes on unabated? Is it not because of impunity that ordinary Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of the greed of the insatiable gods of political and economic powers?

The pain really lies with the fact that Nigeria is an oil-producing country ranking amongst the top ten in the world. So, how do we explain that a farmer blessed with plenty yams allows his four wives ( refineries )to remain idle while he sends his yams to the neighbours to be made into pounded yam and buys such back at high costs? It does not make any economic sense, does it? Not at all.

To lift the huge cost burden off the lean shoulders of the common man our political helmsmen who have personal interest in the oil and gas industry should consider the plights of the poor masses. This should serve as a moment for sober reflection for them to eschew the gargantuan greed for personal gains. Such politicians and their acolytes in the oil business sector should climb down from their high horses and wear the tattered shoes of the average Nigerian. They should also muster the political will to identify the masterminds behind fuel smuggling, prosecute them and bring them to speedy justice.

The question the average Nigerian is asking is that we are not at war with any neighbouring county, so why this current hardship, if not because of the unfettered greed of a favoured few. Now is therefore, the time for the leaders to deal ruthlessly with the economic saboteurs and show empathy with the long-suffering messes. We need new policies to scale down the high costs of fuel here in an oil-producing country. As one keeps warning, the personalization of political power is telling much on the economically conquered Nigerians. It is destroying the very fabric of nationhood that binds us together.

Oil sector cabal waging baseless war against NNPCL boss, Ojulari – Group

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A pro-democracy organisation, the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG), has urged President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to disregard what it described as a smear campaign against the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari.

The group said its findings show the attacks are not rooted in facts or performance but are driven by “vested interests seeking to reclaim the corridors of unchecked power and patronage within the oil and gas sector.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Olaniyi Olawale, the group maintained that the progress and modernization initiatives being pursued under Mr. Ojulari must not be derailed by what it called cabal-sponsored propaganda.

It urged President Tinubu to stand firm in his support for the NNPCL boss as he continues with the reforms aimed at transforming the corporation into a globally competitive, transparent, and investor-friendly national oil company.

The statement stressed that although opponents of reform “may roar loudly, truth, performance, and service to nation will ultimately prevail.”

“By targeting Mr. Ojulari with fabrications, half-truths, and manufactured associations, these actors seek to undermine his reforms and derail the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” the group said.

Since assuming office, Mr. Ojulari has, according to CGG, displayed “visionary and results-oriented leadership in line with the President’s energy sector reform blueprint,” citing achievements in operational efficiency, transparency, investor confidence, and alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The group described Ojulari as “one of the best-performing appointments in this administration — a professional committed to service delivery, not politics.”

It further warned against false narratives aimed at creating political distractions.

“The falsehoods being circulated, ranging from alleged political collusion to frivolous retreats and baseless business ties are nothing but tools of blackmail. They are intended to pressure the Presidency into making hasty, ill-advised decisions that would embolden corrupt actors and reverse hard-earned progress,” it said.

The CGG cautioned that yielding to such pressures could undermine investor confidence, discourage international oil companies from engaging with Nigeria, and cast doubt on the credibility of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

More governors set to join our party – APC chairman

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has predicted that more state governors will switch allegiance to the ruling party in the build-up to the 2027 general election, bolstering President Bola Tinubu’s re-election chances.

Yilwatda made the remarks on Tuesday at the 12th Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting of the APC in Bayelsa State, where party leaders officially endorsed Tinubu as their sole presidential flagbearer for 2027.

Speaking through the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, Yilwatda said Tinubu’s governance record was drawing prominent political figures, including governors and senators, from opposition parties.

“More governors and lawmakers are still on their way to our party because of the calibre, integrity, and achievements of the president. Our doors are wide open to accommodate those willing to join hands with us to move Nigeria forward,” he said.

The APC chair pointed to the recent defections of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno as evidence of Tinubu’s growing influence across the political landscape.

He urged party members in Bayelsa to maintain unity, stressing that victory in 2027 required a collective effort.

“Other parties may make noise, but when you have a lion, it does not bother about barking dogs—it focuses on its mission. That is what President Tinubu is doing: taking the bull by the horns where others lacked the political will,” Yilwatda declared.

According to him, the South-South had demonstrated “political maturity” by aligning with the APC, while leaders in both the South-South and South-East were making “realistic decisions” by leaving opposition parties to rally behind the president.

“From the South-South to the South-East, leaders are making realistic decisions. They are leaving their parties to back the president because they have seen his determination to take Nigeria to greater heights,” he added.

Atiku talks tough over Borno killings, says Nigerians must collectively fight Boko Haram

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent Boko Haram attack in Borno State, describing the killings as a tragic reminder of the cost of insecurity in Nigeria.

In a message shared on his social media pages, Atiku said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives, including soldiers, in the assault on Darajamal community.

Atiku said, “This senseless violence is a painful reminder of the heavy price our people continue to pay in the face of terror.”

The former Vice President added that the sacrifices of both troops and civilians should inspire stronger community vigilance, enhanced collaboration, and an unyielding commitment to peace.

He urged Nigerians to stand together, stressing that, “as a nation, we must rise to confront this menace with unity and renewed resolve.”

Extending condolences to the people of Borno and Governor Babagana Zulum, Atiku praised the governor’s swift visit to the affected area. “My heartfelt condolences go to the bereaved families, the resilient people of Borno, and Governor Zulum, whose swift compassion in visiting the affected community is commendable. May Almighty Allah grant the departed Al-Jannah Firdaus and comfort their loved ones.”

Atiku reiterated that, “the sacrifices of our soldiers and civilians must inspire stronger community security, deeper collaboration, and unwavering commitment to peace.”

Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFUND), Sonny Echono, making remarks at the send-off reception hosted in honour of the immediate past President of the African Development Bank, (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, in Abidjan, recently. Echono was Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture when Adesina was Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

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2027: INEC Should Adopt Electronic Voting, Transmission of Results – El-Rufai

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The erstwhile governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deploy electronic voting and real-time transmission of results for the 2027 general elections, stressing that persistent electoral malpractices have worsened citizens’ apathy towards exercising their constitutional rights.

El-Rufai, who spoke on Saturday as Special Guest at the Odenigbo Lectures organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Imo State, argued that INEC has sufficient time to acquire and deploy electronic voting infrastructure nationwide.

“Can we not agree to say farewell to electoral malfeasance and any appearance of it by adopting electronic voting and real-time transmission of results to collation points without interference?
I do not see any compelling argument or unbridgeable barrier to adopting electronic voting and transmission of results for the 2027 elections,” he said.

The former governor recalled that Kaduna State successfully adopted electronic voting in its local government elections in 2018 and 2021, stressing that the system reduced manipulation and ensured fairness, even when the ruling party lost in some councils.

He lamented that voter turnout in presidential elections has been in steady decline since 2007, with less than 30 percent participation recorded in 2023, compared to over 60 percent in 2003. According to him, this consistent apathy signals alienation and fragility in Nigeria’s democracy.

El-Rufai also recommended that INEC adopt machines capable of:

  • Integrating simultaneous voter identification and verification.

  • Providing a paper trail of votes at polling units.

  • Automatically shutting down at the close of voting.

  • Printing polling unit results for party agents, presiding officers, media, and security agencies.

  • Seamlessly transmitting results to central collation points.

He stressed that Nigeria’s political culture must shift from mere “arithmetic for power” to a genuine commitment to governance and problem-solving.

“There is an urgent need for our current and prospective office holders to focus not just on an arithmetic of power, but on a national programme that addresses and solves societal problems,” El-Rufai concluded.

Rivers Crisis: 3 Things Fubara Must Do When He Returns to Office – Top Lawyer Explains

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A political analyst and lawyer, Anyakweh Miracle Amadi, has outlined three crucial steps suspended Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, should take once he resumes office.

Fubara, who was suspended for six months by President Bola Tinubu following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, is expected to return on September 18, 2025. Amadi emphasized that the governor must immediately return to governance and concentrate on fulfilling his campaign promises to Rivers people.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Amadi explained that the state of emergency provided an opportunity for change, including the conduct of fresh local government elections in compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment. These elections, he noted, were overseen by a National Assembly committee supervising the activities of the Sole Administrator, and therefore were constitutional.

On his return, Amadi advised Fubara to:

  1. Consolidate on ongoing projects.

  2. Deliver his campaign promises.

  3. Resist the temptation of politicking and focus solely on governance.

He warned that Fubara should avoid distractions from political battles and instead ensure he leaves a “clean slate” by completing pending projects.

Meanwhile, Rivers APC chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, has pledged the party’s readiness to work with Fubara upon his return. The APC, which recently won 20 of 23 local government areas, sees this as a boost ahead of the 2027 elections. The party also revealed plans to recruit more members, including ex-governor Nyesom Wike and lawmakers, to expand its support base.

Earlier reports noted that Fubara and his loyalists boycotted the local government elections during the emergency period, despite his reconciliation with Wike.

Falana Backs NUPENG, Tells FG To Call Dangote To Order

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the Federal Government to step in and address Dangote Refinery owner Aliko Dangote’s alleged plan to compel newly hired drivers to sign contracts that bar them from joining established unions within the oil and gas sector.

On Friday, NUPENG announced that its members would cease work and begin seeking alternative employment starting September 8.

The union stated that this action is a direct response to Dangote Refinery’s alleged efforts to bar its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from affiliating with labor unions.

Both the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have declared their refusal to participate in the strike organized by NUPENG.

Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) declared its intention to halt the lifting and dispensing of petroleum products for three days starting September 9, in solidarity with NUPENG’s strike.

Despite opposition from the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), NUPENG reaffirmed its commitment to proceed with the planned industrial action.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Sunday, Falana asserted that the Dangote Group’s policy violates Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, Section 12 of the Trade Union Act, and Article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

He added that the policy breaches several international agreements Nigeria has ratified, including the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948, No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949, No. 98) of the International Labour Organization, as well as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The statement reads, “The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers has directed its large members in the oil and gas industry to embark on indefinite strike on Monday, September 9, 2025. The strike is a protest against the plan of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to force newly recruited drivers to sign an undertaking not to belong to any existing union in the oil and gas industry in the country.

“The policy of the Dangote Group contravenes section 40 of the Constitution, section 12 of the Trade Union Act as well as article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

“Furthermore, the policy is a breach of the provisions of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention 1949 (No. 98) of the International Labour Organisation as well as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which have been ratified by Nigeria.

“In view of the legal obligation imposed on the Federal Government of Nigeria by the Constitution, Trade Union Act and international law to respect the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and the right of trade unions to organise them, the Registrar of Trade Unions should call the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to order without any delay. At the same time, the Federal Competition and Consumer Commission should halt the monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group forthwith as they violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.

“Even though powerful trade unions exist in all capitalist countries including the United Kingdom and United States of America, the Dangote Group is determined to obliterate trade unions in Nigeria because it has been allowed to operate outside the ambit of the law.

“However, the Dangote Group ought to be reminded that the struggle of Nigerian workers to unionise was fought and won under the British colonial regime. To that extent, we support the strike of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers against the policy of the Dangote Group to erode the rights of Nigerian workers to unionise.”