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 Aduragbemi Omiyale
Young bloggers, online content creators and digital influencers have been charged to embrace ethical journalism, responsible storytelling and fact-based reporting as they shape public opinion in the digital age.
This task was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, during the Niger State Bloggers, Online Publishers and Content Developers Forum on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for innovation and civic engagement but must be used responsibly to promote truth, national unity and constructive public discourse.
He urged bloggers and content creators to verify information before publication, reject misinformation and disinformation, avoid sensationalism, and use their platforms to educate, inspire and promote national development.
Mr Idris also encouraged young Nigerians to see digital content creation not only as a source of income but also as a tool for civic engagement and nation-building, stressing that ethical communication is essential to strengthening democracy and public trust.
He further encouraged aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs to continue developing their skills and uphold professional standards that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s online media ecosystem.
“There is no democracy that can thrive without a responsible media. You cannot carry freedom and abandon responsibility,” he stated, adding that the government remains committed to protecting press freedom while encouraging ethical journalism.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy, describing it as a major step in promoting digital literacy and responsible online engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
