On Wednesday, motorists and commuters on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal highway faced severe disruptions after a female truck driver transporting cement from Calabar blocked the road to protest harassment by local touts.

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The incident occurred just past the second gate of the Umuahia Building Material Market, Isieke, near Umudike.

The driver’s action halted traffic for several hours, trapping numerous vehicles attempting to enter or leave Umuahia.

Familiar with the route, some drivers sought alternative local paths to reach their destinations, especially those traveling to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

The female driver was not present at the scene, but her husband had been contacted by authorities.

Security personnel, including soldiers and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), arrived to restore order.

They pleaded with the driver’s husband to contact his wife to remove the truck and ease the traffic. Despite his efforts, her phone remained unreachable.

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Sympathizers expressed frustration and anger towards the touts, accusing them of detaining the driver at the spot since Tuesday night.

By Wednesday morning, in an act of defiance, she blocked the highway to voice her grievances.

A traffic officer at the scene reported that one of the touts had been arrested and taken to the police station.

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Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, confirmed that the Head of the Joint Taskforce had dispatched personnel to investigate the incident.

He emphasized the need to arrest and prosecute the touts and clear the blocked truck to prevent further inconvenience to commuters.

Kanu reiterated the state government’s commitment to eradicating touts and illegal revenue collectors from Abia roads to ensure the safety and convenience of road users.

An Enugu State High Court in Nsukka has awarded N20 million in damages against the University of Nigeria and Viagem Property and Investment Limited for environmental degradation affecting the Ajuona Obukpa community.

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In a ruling delivered by Justice Hyacenthia Ezugwu on Tuesday, the court also ordered both defendants to halt further construction on a hostel project until adequate erosion control measures are implemented in the affected community.

The case, brought by Hon. Nnaemeka Aleke on behalf of the Ajuona Obukpa community, was filed under suit No N/86/2020.

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Aleke sought to prevent the university and the property company from continuing with the development of an 11,900-room hostel, citing environmental damage caused by flooding from the construction site.

Barrister Ikechukwu Odo, the plaintiff’s lead counsel, reported that in addition to the N20 million damages, the court imposed a N500,000 cost of action on the defendants. Odo noted that the court recognized the significant nuisance caused by inadequate erosion control measures from the project.

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“The court’s final judgment resolved all issues in favor of Hon. Nnaemeka Aleke and the Ajuona Obukpa community. It confirmed the environmental harm caused by the lack of erosion control and mandated a halt to further development until corrective measures are undertaken,” Odo said.

He praised the court for its commitment to justice despite attempts by the defendants to obstruct the legal process.

Reacting to the verdict, Hon. Aleke expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision and praised the judge’s handling of the case.

“I am convinced of the court’s competence and the judge’s fair administration of justice. I urge other courts to follow this example, as the judiciary is the last hope for ordinary citizens,” Aleke stated.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported significant price increases for various food items, including beans, tomatoes, Irish potatoes, garri, and yam, in June 2024.

This information was detailed in the NBS’s Selected Food Prices Watch report for June 2024, released on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the report, the average price of 1kg of brown beans surged by 252.13% from N651.12 in June 2023 to N2,292.76 in June 2024.

Month-on-month, the price of 1kg of brown beans rose by 14.11% from N2,009.23 in May 2024.

The average price of 1kg of tomatoes increased by 320.67% year-on-year, from N547.28 in June 2023 to N2,302.26 in June 2024.

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On a monthly basis, the price jumped by 55.97% from N1,479.69 in May 2024.

Irish potatoes also saw a significant price hike, with the average price of 1kg increasing by 288.50% from N623.75 in June 2023 to N2,423.27 in June 2024.

Similarly, the average price of 1kg of white garri rose by 181.66% year-on-year, from N403.15 in June 2023 to N1,135.51 in June 2024, with a month-on-month increase of 1.86% from N1,114.72 in May 2024.

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Additionally, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber increased by 295.79% from N510.77 in June 2023 to N2,021.55 in June 2024.

The report also provided a state-by-state analysis of food prices.

In June 2024, Kogi recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N3,006.43, while Adamawa had the lowest at N1,336.11.

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Abuja had the highest average price of 1kg of tomatoes at N3,992.61, with Kebbi recording the lowest at N1,200.

Lagos had the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N3,376.54, while Adamawa recorded the lowest at N1,100.

Gombe reported the highest average price of 1kg of white garri at N1,619.27, with Taraba having the lowest at N900.

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By region, the North-Central zone recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N2,923.45, followed by the South-South at N2,630.03.

The South-West and South-East had the highest average prices of 1kg of tomatoes at N3,261.84 and N2,852.59, respectively, while the North-West had the lowest at N1,411.16.

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The South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N2,745.80, followed by the North-Central at N2,440.35, with the North-West having the lowest at N1,238.49.

The South-West and North-East recorded the highest average prices of 1kg of white garri at N1,199.62 and N1,155.63, respectively.

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In response to the rising food prices and to ensure food security, the Federal Government recently granted a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities.

This suspension of duty tariffs and taxes applies to the importation of certain food items, including maize, cowpeas, wheat, and husked brown rice, across land and sea borders.

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However, experts have suggested that more sustainable measures are needed to address the soaring food prices, such as tackling issues related to insecurity, foreign exchange, and transportation costs.

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called for an independent audit to investigate why the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) capped its investment in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery at 7.2% instead of the planned 20%.

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This call came as NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, denied owning a blending plant outside Nigeria amid ongoing controversies surrounding the Dangote refinery.

Ezekwesili, speaking through her official X handle, emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the Dangote refinery-NNPC saga.

She expressed concerns over the murky details emerging from both parties and urged for a full investigation.

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“How can a project that by all definitions attained the stature of a ‘national interest project’ be marred in this depth of embarrassing controversy that is playing out in the full glare of the local and international investing community?” Ezekwesili questioned.

She recalled that the Nigerian government had previously announced borrowing $3.3 billion from Afriexim-Bank to acquire a stake in the Dangote refinery.

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Ezekwesili also highlighted the long-standing opacity of the NNPC, which led to the establishment of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) during her tenure as Minister of Education.

She urged President Bola Tinubu to use NEITI to launch an independent audit of the Dangote refinery-NNPC transaction to provide clarity to the public.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, recently revealed that NNPC’s investment in his refinery was only 7.2%, not the speculated 20%.

Dangote explained that although an agreement for 20% was made, NNPC did not pay the balance, leading to their reduced stake.

In a related development, Mele Kyari denied allegations that he owns a blending plant outside Nigeria.

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These allegations arose from Dangote’s claim that some NNPC officials own blending plants in Malta, which Dangote suggested were undermining the local production of petroleum products.

Kyari clarified on his X handle that he does not own or operate any business outside Nigeria, except for a local mini-agric venture.

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He also stated he is unaware of any NNPC employees owning such blending plants.

Kyari assured the public that any NNPC official found to be involved in such activities would face sanctions.

The controversy deepened following allegations by the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, who claimed that diesel produced by the Dangote refinery had higher sulphur content than imported.