The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reacted to recent reports circulating on social media regarding the alleged unilateral termination of the crude oil sales agreement in Naira between with Dangote Refinery.
Clarifying the situation in a statement on Monday, the NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, said the contract for the sale of crude oil in Naira was structured as a six-month agreement, subject to availability, and expires at the end of March 2025.
He said that discussions are currently ongoing towards emplacing a new contract.
READ ALSO:  , NNPCL Eyes Production Increase Of 550, 000bpd By 2027
According to Soneye, NNPCL has made over 48 million barrels of crude oil available to Dangote Refinery since October 2024 under this arrangement.
He added that in aggregate, the NNPCL has made over 84 million barrels of crude oil available to the Refinery since its commencement of operations in 2023.
He said that NNPCL remains committed to supplying crude oil for local refining based on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in July 2024, directed the NNPCL to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in naira and not in United States greenback.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured 4, 111 convictions in 2024, the highest in any year since the establishment of the agency in 2002.
The Commission also recovered a whooping N364 billion alongside several million in foreign currencies, luxury duplexes and apartments, vehicles, cryptocurrencies and other valuable assets from various convicts, institutions and their collaborators, making it the single largest asset recovery in its history.
The anti-graft agency in its 2024 report detailed a breakdown of the sums recovered to include N364.5bn, $214.5m, £54, 318.64, €31, 265, and smaller amounts in various currencies including CAD $2, 990, AUD $740.00, and CFA7, 821, 375,
Others are UAE Dirham 170, RIYALS 5, 115, W73, 000, 105 Yen, GH¢225 and RAND 50.
The commission identified advance fee fraud (commonly known as ‘ 419 ‘ in local parlance), money laundering, and cybercrime as the most common offences in 2024.
Other recovered assets in 2024 included the forfeiture to the Federal Government of over 750 duplexes and other apartments in late 2024, the largest recovery by the Commission since its inception.
A summary of the assets included 173 vehicles, cash sums of N9, 477, 977, 318.78, and $2, 605, 858.30. Others included cryptocurrencies of 13.37BTC worth about $572, 992.86.
The monetary recoveries also included 5.97886094 ETHEREUM worth $13, 353.06.298.4770071 GREEN SATOSHI token worth $6 1, 002.547631. USDT ($1, 0022.22), the sum of N2, 699, 233. USDT in form TETHER COIN (USDT TRC-20).
Others were 378 electronics, one factory, one hotel, two gold chains, 14 parcels of land, petroleum products, and 70 tons of unidentified solid minerals.
The EFCC further revealed in the report that it received 15, 724 petitions from Nigerians reporting suspected financial crimes.
Out of these, the agency investigated 12, 928 cases across its zonal commands and filed 5, 083 cases in various courts nationwide, showcasing its determination to bring offenders to justice.
The EFCC’s zonal commands reported varying levels of success with Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, leading with 685 convictions, reflecting the city’s fast-paced economy and high incidence of financial crimes.
Enugu State in the South-East followed with 516 convictions, while Ibadan in the South-West recorded 501.
Benin had 412, the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, 290, Kaduna, 273, Ilorin, 230, Uyo, 220, Port Harcourt, 185, Makurdi, 161, Kano, 236, Gombe, 217, Sokoto, 140, and Maiduguri, 64.
The convictions often involved jail terms, fines, or asset seizures, all aimed at sending a strong message to fraudsters and corrupt officials alike.
The Commission also stated in the report that some of the monetary recoveries have been reinvested by the Federal Government in initiatives that provide significant benefits to the Nigerian people.
It cited the example of the N50bn granted by the Federal Government to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a programme launched in 2024 to provide interest-free loans to students in tertiary institutions.
The EFCC reported that other recovered funds were being invested in development projects —such as improved roads, hospitals, and power supply—to elevate standards and support Nigeria’s long-term growth.
The EFCC attributed its success to the dedication of its officers, strong leadership, and collaboration with local and international partners, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Interpol, who assist in tracing assets hidden overseas.
The Commission also admitted that it is still grappling with the challenges of slow court processes, weak laws, and a cash-based economy.
French starlet Ludmilla Makowski is captivating UK audiences as she takes on a lead role in Channel 5’s spine-tingling new series, The Au Pair.
Playing a mysterious figure who sends ripples through an idyllic family home, Makowski’s character Sandrine brings unease to seamstress Zoe’s content life with her successful spouse Chris (Kenny Doughty) and their two stepchildren, Amber and Noah, in the English countryside.
As the au pair hired by the family, the young French actress delivers a performance that promises to leave their happy household—and viewers ‘ expectations—irreversibly altered.
The drama, which unfolds over four consecutive nights, kicks off at 9pm on Monday (March 10).
Beyond the small screen, what’s known about Makowski’s journey as an actress?
Early life and career of Ludmilla Makowski
Sandrine (Ludmilla Makowski) listens in on Chris and Zoe in The Au Pair
Her early ventures into acting have made her a recognisable face on French television, and at 27, she’s graced productions such as Bardot, Anthracite, and Les Siffleurs.
The multi-talented Makowski also stepped behind the camera in 2022, directing the short film Où les marguerites poussent (“Where Daisies Grow”) in Thouars, Western France.
The Au Pair on Channel 5 marks Ludmilla Makowski’s first appearance in a British TV show.
Ludmilla Makowski’s Netflix debut
Ludmilla Makowski appeared in Netflix hit Lupin in 2021 (Emmanuel Guimier/Netflix Media Center)
The Express reports her most well-known role so far might be from Netflix’s internationally acclaimed series Lupin, released in 2021.
Makowski shone in her Netflix debut as a younger Claire Laurent and provides background to her relationship with Assane. Claire is Assane’s estranged wife and the mother of his child, whom she is raising alone while working at a hospital.
Reflecting on her surprise at the enormous success of Lupin, Makowski previously shared with Paris-Normandie: “Not at all! At no point did I suspect that it would take on this magnitude when everyone around me felt it would.
” The day after the broadcast, I received hundreds of messages! I was shocked. I went to bed and in one night I had gained a thousand followers.
“It’s still going. It’s cool and terrible at the same time. It’s gratifying but I realize that I have become a public figure and that no longer gives me the right to post the same things on social networks.
” I’m going to question myself about this but I am well supported, whether by my agent or by my parents, who are very present, and the actors and teachers I meet. “
Ludmilla Makowski’s appearance on The Voice
Ludmilla Makowski appeared on the French version of The Voice in 2023. (TF1)
In 2023, Makowski took a different stage, competing on the French version of The Voice. Her rendition of Taxi by Angèle won over the judges, despite her initial fears, as she confessed to Gala magazine:” I was terrified. Even though I’m used to going to castings, for the cinema, you hide behind a character. “
Makowski described the experience, saying”, There, you find yourself alone, facing yourself, you don’t even see the coaches ‘ faces. I only thought about one thing: to finish my song. “
Music remains a key part of her ambitions, with an upcoming EP blending R’n’B, slam, and rap influences.
Au Pair airs nightly at 9pm on Channel 5, with episodes to be released on streaming service, My5.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Saudi Arabia to visit the kingdom’s crown prince and prime minister ahead of meetings with United States diplomats focused on a bilateral minerals deal and ending Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Saudi state television reported Zelenskyy’s arrival in Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea where the Ukraine-US summit will be held on Tuesday. He will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, before Ukrainian officials – including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov – sit down with the Americans on Tuesday.
“Ukraine has been seeking peace since the very first second of the war, and we have always said that the only reason that the war is continuing is because of Russia”, Zelenskyy wrote on social media ahead of his trip.
US Secretary of State Mark Rubio arrived in Jeddah shortly after Zelenskyy. The top US diplomat is leading a delegation that also includes Mike Waltz, US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser.
Rubio has said it is important to clearly establish Ukraine’s intentions to reach a point where peace with Russia is possible.
He spoke to reporters en route to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah for Tuesday’s meeting with Ukrainian officials. Rubio stressed that it was crucial to leave the meeting with a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared “to do difficult things” – just like the Russians.
Tensions have been high between Ukraine and the US since a February 28 Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump descended into an argument, and led to the US suspending all military aid to Ukraine.
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford said that in Ukraine, there is talk that Zelenskyy was planning to offer a partial ceasefire involving an end to hostilities in the sky and at sea.
“The president is hoping this kind of message will in some way ease this pressure that the US has been putting on Ukraine. We’re talking about the suspension of military aid, the suspension of full access to intelligence sharing and satellite imagery”, Stratford said.
“Some analysts, quite interestingly, are saying that if Zelenskyy plays it right, he could put the ball back in Russia’s court – really testing the Russians, who have so far been averse to any partial ceasefire”, he added.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Ukraine should decide whether it wants peace.
Peskov told reporters it’s “not important what we expect” from the upcoming US-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
“What is important here is what the United States expects. And at various levels, you and I have repeatedly heard statements that the United States is waiting for a demonstration of the Ukrainians ‘ desire for peace”, said Peskov.
“In fact, this is probably what everyone is waiting for. Whether the members of Zelenskyy’s regime really want peace or not – this is very important and needs to be decided”.
Russia advancing in Kursk
Meanwhile, on the front line, Russian forces have stepped up pressure on Ukrainian forces holding parts of Russia’s Kursk region while also trying to gain a foothold in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
Ukrainian soldiers launched their audacious offensive into Russia’s Kursk in August, catching even their Western allies off guard and dealing an embarrassing blow to the Kremlin.
But Ukraine has been losing ground and conceded last month that it had lost two-thirds of the territory it once controlled inside the region.
On Monday, a Russian war blog, Two Majors, said Russian forces have cleared the settlement of Ivashkovsky and Russian units have been advancing in Kursk from at least seven directions.
Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, said he was having trouble keeping up with events because the Russian advance was so swift.
He said Ukrainian units were trapped in several pockets in Kursk.
“Over the past four days, Russian troops have cleared as much territory in the Kursk region as they sometimes could not even clear in a couple of months”, said another Russian close to the Defence Ministry who writes the blog Rybar.
“The front has been pierced”, said Rybar’s creator, adding that Russian troops are gathering inside the Ukrainian border to cut off the main roads leading out of Kursk to Ukraine’s Sumy region.
However, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii said that Kyiv is reinforcing its troops.
“I made a decision to strengthen our grouping with the necessary forces and means, including electronic warfare and unmanned components”, Syrskii wrote in a post on social media.
He addressed concerns circulating in Ukrainian media that the country’s forces may be surrounded, saying: “Currently, there is no threat of encirclement of our units in the Kursk region”.
He conceded however that Ukrainian forces were buckling under mounting Russian pressure and were having to fall back to positions that are easier to hold.
“The units are taking timely measures to manoeuvre to favourable defence lines”, Syrskii said.
Separately, Ukraine’s army said its forces had launched drone strikes hitting several Russian targets, including oil refineries “supplying the invaders”.
“The defence forces continue to take all measures to undermine the military-economic potential of the Russian occupiers and force the Russian Federation to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine”, the military said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry, however, said its air defence systems had destroyed two Ukrainian drones.
The ministry wrote on Telegram on Monday that one was downed over Russia’s Belgorod region and the other over the Kursk region, both of which sit on the border with Ukraine.
Syria says that it has reached an agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate the latter with state institutions.
The Syrian presidency made the announcement on Monday and released images of a signing ceremony featuring the Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the head of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi.
The agreement emphasised the unity of Syria, and stipulated that “all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria” be merged “into the administration of the Syrian state, including border crossings, the airport, and oil and gas fields”.
The United States-backed SDF has controlled a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Syria since 2015.
The agreement, if implemented, would bring that territory under the full control of the Syrian central government.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from the Syrian capital Damascus, said that the deal is one of the most major developments since the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad at the hands of Syrian opposition forces led by al-Sharaa in December.
“Whether]Syria] was going to remain as one territory or be partitioned was always a sticking point”, said Serdar.
Kurdish rights
The agreement includes a ceasefire in all of Syria, and SDF support in combatting pro-Assad fighters.
It also includes an affirmation that the Kurdish people are integral to Syria and have a right to citizenship and guaranteed constitutional rights.
Al Jazeera’s Serdar said it was unclear what the exact constitutional status of the territory controlled by the SDF would be, and whether it would retain some autonomy.
He also noted that, in a multiethnic and religiously diverse country such as Syria, there may now be demands to give special status to other groups.
“For Damascus, once you have given special status to a certain ethnicity, or a certain sect, then the question is]for] other sects like Alawites or Druze, are they also going to have special status? … That is not clear for now”, Serdar said.
Discussions over the integration of the SDF into the Syrian state had been ongoing since the fall of al-Assad, but were hampered by divides fostered over years of war. The SDF had a more ambiguous position towards al-Assad than other opposition forces, and was accused of being allied with the regime.
Meanwhile, the SDF – whose leadership is secular and tied to the Kurdish nationalist Kurdistan Workers ‘ Party (PKK) – repeatedly clashed with Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, and faced attacks from Turkiye itself.
The PKK has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Turkiye, along with the European Union and the US, considers the group a “terrorist” organisation.
However, that has not stopped the US from supporting the SDF, largely because of its usefulness in confronting ISIL (ISIS) forces who previously controlled parts of northeastern Syria before being finally defeated in 2019 by a US-led coalition that included the SDF.
The SDF has faced tumultuous regional and international changes, which may explain the timing of the agreement with the Syrian central government.
Under the new US President Donald Trump, Washington has reportedly made plans to withdraw from Syria.
“Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in every one”, Trump said earlier this year.
Armed men suspected to be herdsmen have attacked four communities in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing over 20 farmers.
The deadly attacks were said to have been perpetrated at midnight, over the weekend, and took place in Aba Pastor, Aba Sunday, Ademekun camp, and Aba Alajido camps within Ala Elefosan.
A resident of one of the communities said fourteen bodies were recovered in the last 48 hours, adding that some residents are still missing.
The Regent of one of the communities attacked – , Ademekun camp – Adelowo Adekemisola, lamented that fourteen farmers were killed in the area by the gunmen.
Adekemisola said they stormed the communities in the middle of the night via the boundary with Edo State and started shooting sporadically.
READ ALSO: Eight Farmers Killed In Horrific Road Crash In Niger State
Police operatives are seen on duty.
The Public Relations Officer of Ondo State Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident to newsmen.
Odunlami said the police and other security agencies have since swung into action to apprehend the murderers and provide adequate security in farming communities around Akure North Local Government Area.
However, the Ondo State Government has yet to comment on the matter as of the time of publishing this report.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks against farmers in Nigeria. Similar incidents have been recorded across the country, especially in the northern region where gang members have held sway.
In January, scores of farmers were killed in the North-Eastern state of Borno after some gunmen rounded them up in Dumba on the shores of Lake Chad and shot them dead.
