Category Nigeria News

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer has been named the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Spokesperson of the Year 2025 in Abuja, a resounding endorsement of his exceptional communication abilities and commitment to improving corporate image.

Soneye’s outstanding contributions to the field of public relations, which are reflected in this prestigious award, demonstrate his prowess and potential for shaping public opinion and handling complex communication issues, and are appropriate recognition of his outstanding contributions.

According to Persecondnews, Soneye’s journey to this goal is the product of intense passion, diligent work, and unwavering commitment.

He has consistently demonstrated his ability to craft compelling narratives and manage crises with finesse with a vast and varied background in journalism and extensive experience in media and communications.

Soneye, a former president of the Nigerian Media Practitioners, was a member of reputable organizations like the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Black Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Nigerian Guild of Corporate Online Media Publishers.

His appointment as NNPCL’s CCO in 2023 marked a new chapter in his career, where he has successfully led the company’s strategic communications initiatives and brand penetration.

Soneye’s accomplishments include the NIPR award, which he received in addition to his previous accomplishments, which included those from Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited and Shell Companies in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Shaibu Hussein, Chairman of the Adjudication Committee of NIPR, Dr. Hussein’s selection was a key factor in his selection. His growing influence and reputation as a master communicator, as well as his demonstrated ability to influence public opinion, and his exceptional communication skills, were key factors in his selection.

Soneye stressed the value of collaboration and teamwork in achieving excellence in his acceptance speech, citing the dedication of the entire NNPCL team.

“We are all delighted, and NIPR gave me a great honor tonight. He thanked NIPR for all they continue to do, and this award honors the hard work of our entire team, amid a irate applause.

Soneye will be praised throughout the year for his outstanding contributions to the field because he won NIPR Spokesperson of the Year 2025.

The Magistrates’ Court in Apapa has freed the 17-year-old minor, Alabi Quadri, who went viral ahead of the 2023 general elections for standing in front of the convoy of a former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi freed him following the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins.

READ ALSO: Boy Who Stood Before Obi’s Convoy Detained Since January – Lawyer

The magistrate confirmed that the legal advice issued by the DPP showed that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation of armed robbery against Quadri.

In his legal advice, the DPP recommended the non-prosecution of Quadri and another defendant, one Muiz Animashaun.

Quadri and Animashaun were standing trial alongside three others for the offence of armed robbery.

The DPP in his advice, however, recommended that a prima facie case had been made against the other three defendants and they should proceed to stand trial.

At the time of this report, lawyers and family members of those freed were still waiting for the conclusion of other formalities and documentation which would enable the magistrate sign the warrant releasing Quadri to his parents.

In an interview with journalists after the courts sitting, counsel for Quadri, Inibehe Effiong, commended the DPP for standing by the truth in this matter.

He also demanded that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and the Inspector General of Police, should as a matter of urgency, remove the DPO of Amukoko Divisional Headquarters and subject him to orderly room trial along with the IPO, one Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and other officers who participated in what he called the “evil, sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme of framing-up a teenager for armed robbery at the behest of rogue ‘Area Boys’”.

The lawyer also demand that the Nigeria Police Force should pay the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (₦100m) to his client as compensation and they should also tender a public apology.

Inibehe said if the above three remedial demands were not fully complied with immediately, he and the team of lawyers would initiate legal actions to seek redress.

For him, Quadri’s case is a painful example of the putrefying corruption, monstrous impunity, and pervasive injustice in the Nigeria Police Force.

Human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, on Thursday, asked the Nigerian Police Force to pay ₦100 million as compensation to Alabi Quadri.

Quadri is a 17-year-old minor who went viral ahead of the 2023 general elections for standing in front of the convoy of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The minor had spent months in Kirikiri prison after been arrested for armed robbery, an offence his family vehemently rejected.

He was however, freed on Thursday by Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi, following the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins.

READ ALSO: Court Frees Boy Who Stood Before Obi’s Convoy Months After Detention

Briefing journalists after the ruling in the Apapa area of Lagos, Effiong commended the DPP for standing by the truth in this matter.

He also demanded that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and the Inspector General of Police, should as a matter of urgency, remove the Divisional Police Officer of Amukoko Divisional Headquarters and subject him to orderly room trial along with the IPO, one Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and other officers who participated in what he called the “evil, sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme of framing-up a teenager for armed robbery at the behest of rogue ‘Area Boys’”.

The lawyer also demanded that the police authorities should tender a public apology to his client.

Inibehe said if the above three remedial demands are not fully complied with immediately, he and the team of lawyers will initiate legal actions to seek redress.

For him, Quadri’s case is a painful example of the putrefying corruption, monstrous impunity, and pervasive injustice in the Nigeria Police Force.

At least three Nigeria Customs Service agents were killed and their patrol vehicles were set on fire in a deadly attack in Kebbi State by terrorists.

According to Persecondnews, the incident highlights the region’s ongoing security issues.

The officers were ambushed by the Terorists who had opened fire on them in the Bashaka region of the state.

“Three of our officers recently perished in Bashaka, Kebbi State,” according to the statement. The Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a working visit to the Niger/Kogi Area Command of the Service, “They were taken by surprise as the attackers shelled them, burnt their vehicles, and opened fire on all of them.”

Adeniyi, who expressed concern over the Islamic State’s activities at the Babanna border in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, described their presence as a serious threat to national security and effective border operations.

The Assistant Comptroller General, Mr. Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, the customs boss, also disclosed that after seizing 500 jerricans of the smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Babanna border, customs operatives had also escaped yet another ambush by ISWAP militants.

The smugglers were suspected of providing armed bandits and terrorists with fuel.

In light of the rising threats, Adeniyi urged police to remain vigilant and stressed the need for enhanced collaboration with other security agencies.

He noted that border patrol operations were supported by the purchase of aircraft and aerial surveillance equipment.

According to him, “It would interest you to know that the majority of these bandits who are attacking us get their fuel from smugglers,” he said.

He warned that ISWAP, Boko Haram, and Lakurawa, which he claimed are connected to local communities, are now a part of the terrorist networks operating in the border regions of Niger, Kebbi, and Borno. He urged people to report any suspicious activity to security agencies.

The seized PMS and two drums of fuel were intercepted at various flashpoints along the Babanna-Gidan Zana Road and Kabe/Tunga Madugu Road, according to Pascal Chibuoke, the customs area controller for the Niger/Kogi Command.

He claimed that inter-agency collaboration and community engagement contributed to the total duty paid value of the seized fuel and the vehicle used for its transportation at N25.9 million.

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has called on African nations to put an end to the export of raw materials if the continent is to overcome poverty and underdevelopment.

According to data from the Office of US Trade Representative and other multilateral institutions, Africa accounts for less than 2% of global manufacturing.

In a post shared on Thursday via his official X handle, Adesina stressed need for Africa to shift from being a supplier of unprocessed commodities to a producer of value-added goods.

“Africa must end the exports of its raw materials. The export of raw materials is the door to poverty. The export of value-added products is the highway to wealth. And Africa is tired of being poor,” he wrote.

Despite Africa being home to the world’s most sought-after raw materials, its share of global trade remains under 3%. Efforts to change this narrative have gained momentum in recent years. Initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are designed to enhance intra-African trade, boost manufacturing, and encourage value addition across sectors.

READ ALSO: EU To Invest In Nigeria’s Solid Minerals To Diversify Trade

Adesina has consistently advocated for policies that promote agro-industrialisation, energy expansion, and improved infrastructure as a foundation for transforming Africa’s economies.

Last week, Adesina criticised the disproportionate allocation of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), revealing that Africa received just $33 billion, only 4.5% of the $650 billion issued globally.

The AfDB president stressed that the distribution model of the SDRs failed to reflect the urgent financial needs of Africa, which bore some of the deepest economic scars from the pandemic, with limited fiscal capacity to implement a robust recovery plan.