Today’s Headlines: Boko Haram: ‘We are determined to address challenges confronting soldiers in North East’; Petrol consumption falls by 30% – Kyari

Boko Haram: ‘We‘re determined to address challenges confronting soldiers in North East’

Photo credit: Vanguard paper

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has said that the Nigerian Army under his leadership is fully determined to address all the challenges affecting troops tions in the ongoing war to eliminate remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.

He stated this while speaking to Journalists on Friday while on an tional visit to the North East Theatre of tion (OPHK), Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri.

Lagbaja noted that the Nigerian Army has been receiving adequate support from President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, adding that, necessary security steps would be taken to address insecurity not only in the North East, but the country in general.

He lamented that the increasing cases of kidnappings, banditry, planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by terrorists on highways is alarming, even as he expressed confidence that these new trend would be nip in the bud very soon.

On why he is in Borno, he said, since my assumption in office on the 23rd of June this year, i visited this theatre to felicitate with my troops during celebration of Eid -El Kabir. So am back hear this time around for an operational visit.

Petrol consumption falls by 30% – Kyari

Photo credit: Vanguard paper

The nation’s fuel consumption has declined by 30 per cent following the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, disclosed this at the media briefing by the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, in Abuja this afternoon.

According to Mr. Kyari, the reduction in fuel demand from about 66.7 million litres daily before the removal of subsidy to about 46 million currently also meant a 30 percent reduction in NNPCL’s demand for foreign exchange to import fuel.

An elated GMD also disclosed that oil production has ramped up to 1.6 million barrels by Wednesday, from a very poor position of less than 1 million some months ago.

Earlier, Mr. Edun said that the Tinubu administration was targeting Nigerians’ funds held in domiciliary accounts in the country and funds held abroad.

He said that Nigerians had huge funds at home and abroad which could be deployed to rejuvenate the economy and that his team was working to ensure the needed environment to attract such fund into the Nigerian economy for investment in various sectors.

Europa League: Liverpool get easy group as Brighton drawn in ‘group of death’ [Full Draw]

Photo credit: Vanguard paper

Liverpool were handed a kind draw on Friday for this season’s Europa League group stage while their Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion can look forward to meeting European giants Ajax and Marseille in their first ever foray into continental competition.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds will play LASK of Austria, Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium and French Cup holders Toulouse in Group E.

The Anfield club are appearing in the Europa League for the first time since 2015/16, when they lost the final to Sevilla, after finishing fifth in last season’s Premier League.

Brighton finished sixth domestically last season to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history and have been rewarded with a glamour draw in Group B.

The Seagulls will play Ajax, the four-time former European champions and UEFA Cup winners in 1992, as well as 1993 Champions League winners Marseille and Greek champions AEK Athens.

Last season’s Europa Conference League winners West Ham United will also go to Greece to play Olympiakos in Group A, which will also contain German Bundesliga side Freiburg and TSC Backa Topola of Serbia.

TSC are making a rare foray into Europe after coming second in the Serbian league last season.

Following their defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-offs, 2022 Europa League runners-up Rangers were drawn in Group C with Real Betis, Czech champions Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol, the Cypriot title-holders.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who lost last season’s final on penalties to Sevilla, will play Sla Prague, Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova and Servette of Geneva in Group G.

The first round of group-stage matches will be played on September 21, with this season’s Europa League final being held in Dublin on May 22, 2024.

Zamfara: Governor Lawal receives briefings from security chiefs

Photo credit: Vanguard paper

Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, presided over the security council meeting on Thursday, pledging his administration’s commitment to enhancing and sustaining the fight against banditry in the area.

During the meeting, the governor received briefings from the heads of security agencies in the state.

A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, noted that ensuring the safety of lives and property of the people remains the utmost priority, explaining the determination of the government to support all the relevant security a

gencies.

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