General
NMDPRA Seals 19 Unsafe, Illegal Cooking Gas Outlets in Delta
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 19 illegal Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State.
According to the NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, Mr Victor Ohwodiasa, the illegal gas outlets were sealed within the past two weeks in Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Warri and its environs.
The category D class of LPG operators were the ones within localities that refill gas from licenced gas plants for customers to pick up from them.
Mr Ohwodiasa, said the illegal gas outlets were shut over offences ranging from lack of prerequisite approvals to operate such facilities and unsafe locations.
“During the operations, about 28 illegal outlets were spotted by the authority. We tried to see if it is possible to have them regularised as they were wrongly sited.
“The outlet that was sealed in Ogwashi-Ukwu was a five metric tonnes refilling plant constructed on a roadside closed to a high tension cable.
“The authority looked at the environment, it was wrongly sited, on a right of way and has no approval. It was sealed and a relocation order issued immediately,” he said.
Mr Owhodiasa disclosed that other offenders were the ones doing what he called, “decanting,” meaning bottle-to-bottle transfer, which he said the NMDPRA does not allow that.
“What they are expected to do is “bottle swap”, bring your empty cylinder and go with a filled one,” he said.
The coordinator said the essence of the exercise was not to frustrate the small-scale gas business owners but to ensure they operate in a safe and secure environment.
Mr Ohwodiasa appealed to landlords not to allocate portions of their land to the LPG category D operators who want to do illegal business in their premises or properties.
According to him, the essence was to prevent possible fire outbreaks that could destroy lives and properties of the operators and the neighbours.
He said the NMDPRA was committed to ensuring lives and properties were adequately protected.
“Imaging someone storing cooking gas close to where welding operation is taking place or where a woman is frying beans cake or roasting corn. Once there is leakage, the resultant effect will be catastrophic.
“If the operator of the illegal outlet does not appreciate his life, we must ensure he does not kill himself and others by illegally operating such facility,” he said.
The NMDPRA Coordinator said the regulatory authority would continue to sustain the exercise in the state and assured that anybody found wanting would face the full wrath of the law.
He also said any offender who refuses to relocate his facility would be handed over to the relevant security agencies for prosecution.
The coordinator appealed to the public to report anyone transferring cooking gas from one cylinder to another to the NMDPRA for prompt action.
Mr Ohwodiasa assured that the regulatory body would continue to sensitise the operators, adding that the authority had annual stakeholders’ engagement with the gas plant owners and the category D operators.
He also said that the regulatory authority organise jingles on radios and televisions stations to educate people on the best ways to handle cooking gas because of its volatility.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has filed a three-count charge against former governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, over an alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu.
Last week, Mr El-Rufai claimed in an interview that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mr Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.
However, the federal government, through the Department of State Services (DSS), filed charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The government stated that Mr El-Rufai admitted that he and his cohorts allegedly intercepted the NSA’s phone conversations.
In count one, the accused was alleged to have disclosed on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, which is an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The second charge alleged that the accused knowingly maintained a relationship with an individual who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of Mr Ribadu, without reporting such individual to the appropriate security agencies, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
In the last charge, Mr El Rufai, together with others presently at large, is also alleged to have, sometime in 2026 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Court, utilised technical equipment or systems in a manner that compromised public safety and national security, thereby instilling reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians through the unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The charge further relies on his admission during the February 13 interview. These acts are alleged to constitute an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has reaffirmed its determination to bridge the gap between education and employability in the country by sustaining its flagship Youth Empowered (YE) programme.
This initiative provides hands-on learning, real-world insights, and access to career-shaping opportunities to young Nigerians.
The 2026 edition of the scheme commenced on February 2 at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with participants mainly young people between the ages of 16 and 35.
A statement from the organisation said this year’s rollout will expand to more tertiary institutions, including the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). This follows a successful 2025 tour that reached seven cities across the country, including Makurdi, Jos, Benin, Kaduna, Asaba, Akure, and Port Harcourt.
Participants in the 2026 programme will receive training across key modules designed to support personal, professional, and business growth, including Business Life Skills, Adaptability and Resilience, Financial Literacy, Customer Service and Communication, Sales and Negotiation Skills, and Workplace Ethics.
The sessions will also feature breakout workshops on Business Planning, Project Management, and Time Management, alongside the Director’s Grant Pitch Competition, where participants can pitch their ideas for a chance to win business funding.
In addition to skills development, NBC’s People and Culture team will be present throughout the programme to identify outstanding talent for future opportunities within the organisation, further strengthening the connection between learning, employment, and long-term career growth.
One of the participants at the UNILAG training, Waliat Adedogun, who received a cash grant through the Director’s Grant Pitch Competition to support her small business, said: “Youth Empowered gave me more than training; it gave me clarity and confidence. Winning the grant means I can finally take my business idea from a dream into something real. I now feel prepared to build, grow, and create opportunities not just for myself, but for others too.”
Since its launch in 2017, the scheme has impacted more than 70,000 young Nigerians, equipping participants with practical skills, confidence, and exposure needed to succeed in today’s dynamic workplace and entrepreneurial landscape.
This year’s programme is being delivered in collaboration with Fate Foundation as the implementing partner, with funding support from The Coca-Cola HBC Foundation.
Last year, 10 beneficiaries were selected for six-month paid internships across NBC locations in Lagos, Ibadan, Asejire, and Challawa, gaining direct industry exposure.
Additionally, three outstanding participants received sponsorship for an all-expenses-paid intensive culinary training programme and were awarded N1 million each to support the launch of their businesses.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 20, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed.
In a notice for the 2027 general polls issued on Friday, the electoral umpire also disclosed that the governorship and state assembly elections for next year would be on Saturday, March 6.
Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja today, the chairman of INEC, Mr Joash Amupitan, expressed the readiness of the commission to conduct the polls next year, which is 12 months away.
The timetable issued by the organisation for the polls comes when the federal parliament has yet to transmit the amended electoral bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
This week, the Senate passed the electoral bill, reducing the notice of elections from 360 days to 180 days, while the transmission of results was mandated with a proviso.
Recall that on February 4, INEC said it was ready to go ahead with preparations for the elections despite the delay in the passage of the amended electoral law of 2022.
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