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Plateau killings: 125 buried; police recover 117 bodies

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Plateau killings 125 buried Mangu

No fewer than 125 dead bodies were recovered and given mass burial in the past three days, Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), a socio-cultural organization in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, has said.

This is as the Plateau State Police Command declared that a total of 117 bodies had been recovered.

Addressing newsmen in Jos, Plateau State,  the National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, Sir, Joseph Gwankat, said apart from the two communities- Fungzai and Kubwat that were initially attacked in the early hours of Tuesday, many other communities and villages also suffered the same fate with many inhabitants killed.

He said those displaced as a result of the attack were going through a harrowing period as they were lacking food and other amenities. He noted that more than 20,000 people were displaced and are currently taking refuge at the local government secretariat, churches and traditional rulers’ palaces.

“It may interest you to know that since the attack on our communities started on Tuesday, the government has not visited those places attacked by gunmen. Those they have seen were people displaced and roaming around for succour. The local government and the Mwaghavul Development Association cannot handle the situation alone.

“By our estimation, more than 20,000 people have been displaced, though we have yet to take inventory but within three days we had buried 125 people and we are still counting. There are more corpses still floating in ponds that we cannot even access, many are dumped in wells.”

Continuing, he said: “The attack was unprovoked like the one that happened in the early hours of Tuesday. I also want to correct the erroneous impression that it was a clash. It was not a clash but an attack on innocent people. The word unknown gunmen should be discarded because there is no way an attack will take place for one week and the security men will tell us that they are unknown,” he said.

He, therefore, called on the government to take immediate steps to facilitate the return of all persons displaced and now in different IDPs’ camps by reconstructing their homes and providing security for them as well.

Gwankat noted that the government should take full responsibility of educating the children below the age of 10 who have lost both their parents as a result of the attack while arrangements should be made for those in SS3 whose WAEC examinations were disrupted as result of the attacks.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command says it had recovered a total of 117 bodies and arrested seven suspects.

The Command in a statement signed by its spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, informed that in addition to the five suspects earlier announced, “Two more suspects had been arrested and exhibits recovered from them include two cutlasses, one dagger and some amount of money suspected to have been stolen from the houses they looted, as they were all arrested in the act of committing the crime by officers from one of our tactical team led by Supol Bamidele know Eagle Eye unit .

“The suspects are presently in our custody and will be charged to court for prosecution after our investigations are concluded.

“After calm was restored to the communities, more bodies were recovered which is part of the thirty earlier reported. The figures are as follows: (1) Kubat Village 27, (2) Kantoma Village 31, (3) Alagon 6, (4) Kubwas 8, (5) Dumnang 9, (6). Shangal 1, (7) Gwet 3 and (8) Washna 2.

Also, Manret hospital had about Fifteen (15) injured persons, Infinity hospital had over Eight (8), Allah Nakowa Hospital had over Sixteen (16) while at Mangu Cottage Hospital there are an unspecified number of persons receiving treatment there also.”

The command extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and assured them that everything possible was being done to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.

To avert a reoccurrence of the dastardly act, the Plateau State Security Council yesterday held an emergency meeting to review and assess the recent attacks in various villages of Mangu Local Government which left many dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor in a statement stated that the security meeting which was held at the Government House, Rayfield, Jos, was chaired by the Governor Simon Bako Lalong.

Governor Lalong while briefing reporters after the meeting said the council reviewed the situation and resolved that all suspects arrested for allegedly carrying out the attack must be immediately prosecuted in a transparent and open manner to send a strong message to the public that no criminal conduct will go unpunished.

He said the council condemned the dastardly act and remains committed to sustaining the search for other fleeing perpetrators who must be arrested and dealt with swiftly.

The governor also stated that the Security Council mandated the security agencies to sustain the presence of their personnel on ground to rebuild confidence and halt any further affront on innocent citizens.

Lalong also disclosed that the Government will immediately step in to address the plight of displaced persons in the area and work towards restoring normalcy.

The governor also announced the plans to step up engagement both at local and State levels which will lead to setting up of an Engagement Committee to douse the tension generated by the unfortunate incident.

The council also appealed to citizens to increase vigilance and avoid any action that can lead to escalation of the situation.

He assured that the Government will not fold its arms to see its citizens being maimed and killed by criminals for no reason.

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Akor Adams Says Super Eagles Focused On Improvement, Not Unbeaten Record Under Eric Chelle

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Super Eagles striker Akor Adams has revealed that the national team is not overly focused on its unbeaten record under coach Eric Chelle despite extending the streak after the 2-2 draw against Poland.

READ ALSO: Eric Ejiofor Urges Nigerians To Trust Eric Chelle After Super Eagles’ Impressive Run

Nigeria have now gone 24 matches without losing in normal time under the Franco-Malian tactician, but Adams insists the players are more concerned about improving performances and getting positive results.

“We are not too focused on the unbeaten record,” Adams said.

According to the Super Eagles forward, the team’s main objective remains continuous improvement and representing the country positively.

“Our focus is on performing better and getting results for Nigeria,” he implied.

Adams also praised Chelle for introducing a fresh tactical identity and philosophy to the national team since taking charge.

“The coach has brought a different dimension and philosophy to the team,” he noted.

The striker believes the tactical changes have contributed significantly to the team’s recent performances and growing confidence.

“You can see the improvements in the way we play,” he added.

Nigeria’s unbeaten run under Chelle has continued generating optimism among supporters as the team rebuilds following recent disappointments.

“The team appears more organized and competitive now,” many football observers believe.

The Super Eagles continue preparing for future competitive fixtures while integrating new players into the squad.

“There is growing belief around the direction of the team,” supporters continue to say.

For Akor Adams, the message is clear.

Records are not the priority.

Improvement and results matter more.

And Eric Chelle’s philosophy is helping shape a stronger Super Eagles side.

 

Because lasting success in football comes from growth, consistency, and collective ambition.

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Dangote refinery raises processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals says it has increased its crude oil processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), surpassing its installed nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd following a performance assessment by its process licensors.

The development marks a significant operational milestone for the refinery, which is widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train petroleum refining facility.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, the company explained that the increase demonstrates the refinery’s ability to process additional feedstock while optimising performance across its production units.

In his remark, Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, said the refinery’s latest output increase forms part of a broader expansion strategy aimed at scaling capacity to 1.4 million bpd within the next 30 months.

Mr Edwin said the proposed expansion could position the facility among the largest refining complexes globally, while strengthening Nigeria’s drive for energy self-sufficiency.

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“The refinery’s growth trajectory reflects a deliberate move toward continental and global refining dominance, not just domestic supply sufficiency,” he said.

The announcement of reaching 70, 000 capacity comes a few days after the refinery chief executive disclosed that the production target of 70,000 barrels per day would be reached by 2028.

On Tuesday, the refinery CEO, David Bird, while speaking during the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference in London, said the refinery is currently operating at full nameplate capacity and is planning what he described as a “ruthless replication” strategy to expand output.

“We will bring 700,000 barrels per day of fully complex refining capacity on stream by the end of 2028,” he said, adding that long-lead equipment has already been procured while construction contracts are being awarded.

He added that the group could eventually increase refining capacity to 2.1 million bpd, supported by plans for another refinery in East Africa, positioning the company as a major player in global crude and refined product markets.

“Nigeria has gone from fuel scarcity to absolute fuel abundance since the Dangote refinery came online,” Mr Bird said.

According to Kpler data cited last month, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery exported an estimated 57 million barrels of jet fuel between April 2024 and April 2026.

The data showed exports rose from about 20,000 barrels per day in April 2024 to around 65,000 barrels per day by the end of that year before peaking at approximately 160,000 barrels per day during the review period.

The figures highlight the growing role of refined petroleum exports in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly aviation fuel, as the country seeks to strengthen domestic refining capacity and reduce dependence on imported products.

Expansion plans and export ambitions

Owned by industrialist Aliko Dangote, the refinery commenced fuel production in 2024 and has since expanded output to include petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and other refined petroleum products.

The company said the facility now supplies both domestic and international markets, exporting refined products to several African countries and to European destinations, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.

It also said refined products from the facility have reached markets in the United States, while jet fuel exports have extended to Saudi Arabia.

Dangote Industries argued that the refinery has increasingly played a stabilising role in regional fuel markets amid supply disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with more African countries turning to the facility for energy security.

Growing global footprint

The refinery’s rising output has further strengthened its position in global fuel markets.

The company noted that the facility emerged as the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel in April, citing data from S&P Global Commodities.

Industry analysts say the refinery’s operations have already contributed to reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, easing pressure on foreign exchange demand and improving local fuel availability.

READ ALSO: Dangote refinery can supply Jet Fuel Globally — Official

As production volumes increase, the refinery has also attracted stronger engagement from international crude suppliers and commodity traders, sourcing feedstock from both domestic and foreign producers to sustain rising throughput.

Dangote Industries said the planned expansion to 1.4 million bpd by 2028 is expected to generate broader economic benefits, including job creation, increased industrial activity and improved trade balances.

The refinery also expects to deepen downstream industrialisation through increased supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), polypropylene and other industrial feedstocks used in manufacturing.

Plans also include production of Linear Alkylbenzene (LAB), a key raw material used in detergent manufacturing, as part of efforts to expand the country’s petrochemical value chain.


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