Freed NYSC Graduates Offered South-West Options as Fuel, Court and Football Stories Lead Updates
Released NYSC-bound graduates, El-Rufai's bail case, NNPC petrol pricing and Osimhen's return feature among major developments.
Twenty graduates who were recently released after being abducted while travelling for national service have been given the option of continuing their service in South-West Nigeria, according to a family member cited by Punch.
The group had been travelling through Imo State on their way to Akwa Ibom, where they were originally posted, when they were abducted. After their release on Wednesday, a parent said the graduates were allowed to select from the six states in the South-West for their service placement. The parent also said the families eventually paid N6m for each person to secure their freedom. A relative of one survivor, Joy Zainab, separately confirmed that relatives and supporters contributed money towards the ransom.
In Kaduna, former governor Nasir El-Rufai suffered another setback in his attempt to secure bail. A three-member Court of Appeal panel unanimously upheld the Kaduna State High Court's refusal of his second application. Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi delivered the lead decision, with the appellate court finding that El-Rufai had not presented sufficiently new facts or exceptional circumstances to justify changing the lower court's ruling.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna from 2015 until 2023, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged financial offences linked to his administration. He has denied wrongdoing. The High Court had previously directed that the criminal case receive an accelerated hearing.
Football also produced a major update as Victor Osimhen returned from injury for Galatasaray. The Nigeria international entered the Turkish league match against Kasımpaşa in the 77th minute and contributed to the build-up to a late goal as Galatasaray won 3-1 despite playing with 10 men. It was Osimhen's first appearance since sustaining an injury on September 4.
The match was tied at 1-1 when the striker came on. Galatasaray had earlier taken the lead through Abdülkerim Bardakcı before Lucas Torreira was sent off in the 65th minute following a VAR review. The home side nevertheless scored twice late in the contest to secure the victory.
For motorists, NNPC's temporary N66-per-litre petrol reduction remains available only through the company's mobile application and digital payment process. Checks at Abuja outlets found that customers paying normally at the pump were charged N1,405 per litre, compared with N1,339 for qualifying app purchases.
NNPC has extended the arrangement through October 31. Punch estimated that the company could record a maximum difference of about N4.62bn in gross monthly revenue if its entire average petrol sales volume qualified for the lower rate. The actual financial effect would depend on how much fuel is purchased through the promotional channel.