UMUAHIA—Tragedy struck in the sleepy rural community of Umuokwe, Umuhu Ezechi in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State last week as a young man said to be in his early 30s, Ahamefula Mba, was beheaded by his kinsman, Chinedu Okorie.

There have been two huge developments in Nigeria’s petroleum sector over the last couple of days. First was the (still not officially confirmed) news that filtered into various international media that oil trading giant Trafigura had ended the Nigerian oil swap deal. The second was the announcement by the Petroleum Minister that the pump price for petrol has been reduced from N97 per litre to N87 per litre.

ALL Progressives Congress, APC, members in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State have accused the Police of indiscriminate arrest of its members in the council over alleged unsubstantiated issues.

From every indication, the people of Rivers State have every reason to be apprehensive as the commencement date of the general elections draws near. Indeed, early warning signs of electoral violence have started rearing their heads in the State. For instance, unknown gunmen opened fire at separate locations on some members of the All progressives Congress, APC, on the day the party had its presidential rally at the Amiesemaka stadium, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state recently.

STUDENTS of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, FUPRE, Effurun in Delta State, laid siege to the East-West Road this afternoon disrupting traffic for some hours over the increase of their school fees by the authorities.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a member of three-man armed robbery gang, which specializes in snatching vehicles in Lagos and its environs.

A faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has adopted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, and President Goodluck Jonathan as its choice for the February 14 and 28 elections respectively.

No fewer than 10 students of the Micheal Otedola College of Primary Education, MOCPED Epe were yesterday injured during a protest to demand clarification on the allegations of irregularities leveled against the institution.

The series on “You can invest”, which dove-tailed into the one on “Why you are not investing”, received interesting responses from readers.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, has alleged that one of its members and leader of Ward 8, Otuo, in Owan East Local Government Area of the state, was murdered by suspected members of the rival All Progressives Congress, APC, while campaigning for a candidate of the PDP in the area.

Nigeria is losing about 160,000 barrels of oil daily due to the activities of pipeline vandals, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has said.

The Federal Government has reached an agreement with major oil marketers in the country’ for an upward review of traders/marketers margins in the sale of imported Premium Motor Spirit, PMS or petrol.

Former Commissioners and Special Advisers who served during the first tenure of governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with their supporters for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Chief Alfred Mordi-Ojubi is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State. A community leader, philanthropist and a retired civil servant. In an interview with selected journalists, Chief Ojubi spoke on the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP in the state and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer among other national issues

The Federal High Court in Lagos, is yet to fully commence activities, after the suspension of a three-weeks old strike by the judiciary workers, in federal courts in the country.