Nigerians and other individuals living within the country have used Bolt for over 250 million rides since the firm began operations in 2016.

The firm disclosed this recently as it commemorated 10 years of global operations in Europe and Africa. It stated that it has seen over three billion kilometres in distance recorded by users on the app.

According to Bolt, it has surpassed 150 million customers in over 45 countries and 500 cities, and these customers are spread across a suite of mobility products which include ride-hailing, micro-mobility (scooter and e-bike rental), food delivery, grocery delivery, Bolt Drive, a free-floating car-sharing service, and Bolt Business, a corporate mobility service.

It noted that it now has over 3.5 million partners (drivers and couriers) using the app to earn a living, including over one million in Africa alone.

In a statement, the Country Manager, Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, said, “As we reach these remarkable milestones in the ride-hailing market, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring safety, affordability, and reliability for all users on our platform.

“Even amid the challenges posed by the ever-changing macroeconomic landscape, our dedication to providing exceptional service remains unwavering.

We also remain dedicated to collaborating with our driver partners, regulatory bodies, and other industry stakeholders to ensure the growth of the ride-hailing industry in Nigeria.”

Commenting on its strides in Nigeria, the firm added, “Implemented innovative safety features and protocols to safeguard the welfare of both riders and drivers. For example, the audio trip recording feature which empowers both drivers and riders to initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app, offers a solution in situations where they may feel uncomfortable during the ride.”

The Guardian

A private warehouse in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital used by the state government to store foodstuffs and other materials was on Sunday invaded by some residents of the state capital who stole food items and others.

The items included bags of rice and garri as well as cartons of noodles and bottled water said to be part of the relief materials donated by some concerned Nigerians during the 2022 flood in the state.

The incident occurred around 7.30pm when the residents stormed the warehouse located along the Isaac Boro Expressway with pick-up vans and private vehicles to move the foodstuffs, most of which had already gone bad, away.

While the looting was ongoing, the state government deployed men from its security outfit called Doo Akpo to disperse the residents and secure the building.

The state government expressed surprise and concern over the invasion of the premises of the privately owned warehouse and described the incident as unwarranted, saying the food items were remnants being gathered for disposal as they were no longer fit for human consumption.

A statement issued by the State Emergency Management Agency, on Monday, said the incident happened around 7.45pm on Sunday after the Director-General of BYSEMA, Walamam Igrubia, and some personnel of the agency had left the warehouse premises.

 The statement read in part, “During the 2022 flood in the state, the agency used the warehouse to store food items.

 “As part of preparations for an impending flood this year, the DG visited the premises, and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day.

 “The remnants, which were swept from the floor and packed in disused bags, were less than 10 bags of rice and garri and with some broken cans of oil. For emphasis, BYSEMA states that these items were not fresh food palliatives and were not hoarded by the agency or the state government.

 “These items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives. In essence, there were no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their interest not to consume them.”

Punch

Paris will back any military action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niger to restore the rule of ousted leader Mohamed Bazoum, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.

Macron made the comment in response to the expulsion of French Ambassador Sylvain Itte from Niamey by the new military government that seized power in a coup last month.

The Nigerien Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the envoy had 48 hours to leave the country for refusing to meet with the new military rulers and for “other actions of the French Government contrary to the interests of Niger.”

Speaking to diplomats in Paris about French foreign policy on Monday, Macron stated that, despite the coup leaders’ order, the ambassador would remain in Niger.

“France and its diplomats have faced particularly difficult situations in some countries in recent months, from Sudan, where France has been exemplary, to Niger at this very moment, and I applaud your colleague and your colleagues who are listening from their posts,” he said.

The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has been attempting to negotiate with Niger’s coup leaders, but has warned that, if diplomatic efforts fail, troops would be sent to Niamey to restore democratic rule.

Macron called Bazoum’s decision not to resign, which has kept him under house arrest since the July 26 coup, “courageous” on Monday.

France would not change its stance on condemning the coup and supporting Bazoum, the French president insisted, emphasizing that the ousted leader had been democratically elected.

“I think our policy is the right one. It’s based on the courage of President Bazoum, and on the commitments of our ambassador on the ground who is remaining despite all the pressure, despite all the declarations made by the illegitimate authorities,” said Macron.

Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters of the military rulers reportedly rallied on Saturday near a French military base in the capital, Niamey, calling for the removal of the soldiers, while accusing Paris of meddling in the country’s affairs.

France still has 1,500 soldiers in its former French colony, its last remaining ally in the Sahel region in the fight against jihadist insurgencies.

Earlier this month, Niger’s new rulers announced the cancellation of five military treaties with France. However, Paris insisted on carrying out the cooperation agreements, claiming they were signed with the country’s “legitimate authorities.”

Russia Today

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine says it liberates strategic settlement

Ukraine said on Monday its troops had liberated the southeastern settlement of Robotyne and were trying to push farther south in their two-month-old counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces.

The Ukrainian military said that its troops last week had raised the national flag in the strategic village and posted a video showing the move. The forces then carried out mopping-up operations until they confirmed control on Monday, the military said.

"Robotyne has been liberated," Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar was quoted as saying on Monday by the military.

The settlement is 10 km (six miles) south of the frontline town of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region on an important road towards Tokmak, a Russian-occupied road and rail hub.

Tokmak's capture would be a milestone as Ukrainian troops press southwards towards the Sea of Azov in a military drive that is intended to split Russian forces following Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia has not confirmed the Ukrainian advance. In a statement, Russia's defence ministry said Moscow's troops had repelled attacks by Kyiv's forces near Robotyne and Verbove.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke on Monday of different sectors of the front in his nightly video address but made no reference to Robotyne. He said Ukrainian forces were preparing responses to Russian plans "definitely. In a way they do not anticipate.”

Ukraine believes its fighters have broken through the most difficult line of Russian defences in the south and that they will now start advancing more quickly, a commander who led troops into Robotyne told Reuters last week.

Separately, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Monday any suggestion of differences with Washington over Ukraine's military strategy were "mistaken and invented".

He told a news conference that Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zalunzhniy was meeting "systematically" with senior officials from allied countries supplying Ukraine with weaponry.

"Everything is going according to the plan, which was discussed with our partners in advance when our brigades were being formed, when they were equipped...," Reznikov said.

Media have reported on a meeting this month of senior NATO military chiefs and Ukraine's top general on resetting Ukraine's military strategy.

The New York Times last week quoted U.S. and other Western officials as saying that the offensive had made limited progress because Ukraine had too many troops in the wrong places.

FORTIFYING POSITIONS

A military spokesman told Ukrainian television Kyiv's forces were continuing to fortify their positions in Robotyne.

"Stabilisation measures, demining and preparations for further actions are under way," Oleksandr Shtupun said.

Maliar told Ukrainian television earlier that Kyiv's troops, who began their counteroffensive in early June, were now moving southeast of Robotyne and south of nearby Mala Tokmachka.

Ukrainian forces are also fighting Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, and progress has been slower than had been widely expected because they have encountered vast Russian minefields and trenches.

Maliar described the battlefield situation in the east as "very hot" in the past week. She said Russian troops were gathering new forces there and regrouping, and Moscow was aiming to deploy its best troops there.

Ukrainian forces had continued to advance south of Bakhmut, she said, referring to the shattered eastern city captured by Moscow's troops in May after months of fierce fighting.

** Five killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine, Ukrainian officials say

Three people were killed in an overnight Russian missile strike in central Ukraine, and two died in shelling later on Monday in the east and south. Ukrainian officials said.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the three people were killed at an industrial plant in central Poltava region. Five were wounded and another person was unaccounted for, he said.

Presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said those killed were night shift workers at a vegetable oil factory in the Myrhorod district and posted photos showing the plant in flames. Klymenko said the fire had later been extinguished.

Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of southern Kherson region, said a 63-year-old woman had been killed in the mid-morning shelling of the village of Sadove.

Russian shelling killed a man working outside his home in the early evening in Toretsk, in eastern Donetsk region, prosecutors said.

The Ukrainian military said Russia had launched four missiles from the Black Sea overnight. Two were shot down.

Other reports from Ukrainian officials described heavy Russian shelling of Marhanets, opposite the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with four people injured.

Regional officials reported three injured in the shelling of nine localities in northern Sumy region.

Ukraine's military also said central Kryvyi Rih region in had been struck in a missile attack. Local authorities said private houses were damaged, but reported no casualties.

The reports could not be independently confirmed. Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine 18 months ago, did not immediately comment.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia wipes out Ukrainian aircraft armament, ammo site in overnight precision strike

The Russian Navy delivered a multiple-launch precision strike, wiping out a Ukrainian aircraft armament and ammunition site over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.

"Last night, the Navy delivered a multiple-launch strike by seaborne long-range precision weapons against an aircraft armament and ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army," the spokesman said.

The goal of the strike was achieved. "The site was destroyed," the general stressed.

Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian attacks in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the western battlegroup repulsed in their active operations supported by aircraft and artillery two enemy attacks near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed as many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles and a D-20 howitzer in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours, the general reported.

Russian forces destroy 60 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, destroying roughly 60 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, two attacks by forces of the Ukrainian army’s 12th special operations brigade and 42nd mechanized brigade were repulsed by well-coordinated operations of units of the battlegroup Center, army aviation strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower fires near the settlement of Kuzmino in the Lugansk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in the Krasny Liman area totaled as many as 60 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a D-30 howitzer," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post in LPR over past day

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian command post in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Near the settlement of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, a command/observation post of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area, eliminating over 185 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup in interaction with aircraft and artillery repulsed two attacks by Ukrainian army assault groups in areas near the settlements of Kleshcheyevka and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in the Donetsk direction totaled over 185 Ukrainian personnel," the spokesman said.

Russian forces also destroyed three Ukrainian armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery gun and a Grad multiple rocket launcher in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the general reported.

Russian forces destroy 100 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces destroyed roughly 100 Ukrainian troops in the south Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"The enemy’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 100 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, two D-20 guns and a Msta-B howitzer," the spokesman said.

Russian forces also repulsed two enemy attacks in the south Donetsk area over the past 24 hours, the general reported.

Russian forces repel seven Ukrainian attacks in Zaporozhye area over past day

Russian forces repelled seven Ukrainian army attacks in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian battlegroup, aircraft and artillery repelled seven attacks by the Ukrainian army’s 82nd air assault brigade and 46th air mobile brigade in areas near the settlements of Rabotino and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 160 Ukrainian troops in Zaporozhye area over past day

Russian forces destroyed roughly 160 Ukrainian troops, two US-made artillery systems and two British howitzers in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"As many as 160 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles, two US-made M777 artillery systems, an AS90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system and an FH70 field gun of UK manufacture and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminate 35 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces eliminated roughly 35 Ukrainian troops and a US-made artillery system in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as 35 Ukrainian personnel, three motor vehicles, a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian air defenses intercept three US-made JDAM smart bombs in Ukraine operation

Russian air defense forces intercepted three US-made JDAM guided bombs, one rocket of the US-manufactured HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Air defense capabilities intercepted three JDAM guided bombs and a rocket of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russian air defense systems also destroyed 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Druzhelyubovka and Voskresenka in the Kherson Region, Lisichansk in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Mirnoye and Pologi in the Zaporozhye Region, Paraskoviyevka, Novoandreyevka, Lidiyevka and Soledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general reported.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian troops, military hardware in 128 areas over past day

During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 128 areas, the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 466 Ukrainian warplanes, 247 combat helicopters, 6,179 unmanned aerial vehicles, 433 surface-to-air missile systems, 11,538 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,146 multiple rocket launchers, 6,095 field artillery guns and mortars and 12,480 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Reuters/Tass

Most of us go online multiple times a day. About half of 18–29-year-olds surveyed in a 2021 Pew Research Study said they are “almost constantly” connected.

How are we to make sense of this significant digital dimension of modern life?

Many questions have rightly been asked about its broader consequences for society and the economy. But there remains a simpler question about what motivates people across a range of ages, occupations and cultures to be so absorbed in digital connection.

And we can turn this question on ourselves: why am I online?

What are we doing when we go online?

As the American sociologist Erving Goffman pointed out, asking “What is it that’s going on here?” about human behaviour can yield answers framed at different levels. These range from our superficial motives to a deeper understanding of what we are “really” doing.

Sometimes we might be content to explain our online behaviour in purely practical terms, like checking traffic routes or paying a bill. Other times we struggle to articulate our reasons for going or remaining online.

Why are we continually looking at our phones or computers when we could be getting on with physical tasks, exercising, meditating or engaging more fully with the people around us?

The ever-present need to manage our emotions

As researchers of human-computer interaction, we are exploring answers in terms of the ever-present need to manage our emotions. Psychologists refer to this activity as emotion regulation.

Theories of the nature and function of emotions are complex and contested. However, it is safe to say they are expressions of felt needs and motivations that arise in us through some fusion of physiology and culture.

During a typical day, we often need to alter our emotional state. We may wish to feel more serious about a competitive task or more sad at a funeral. Perhaps we would like to be less sad about past events, less angry when meeting an errant family member or angrier about something we know in our hearts is wrong.

One way to understand our frequent immersions in online experience is to see them as acts within a broader scheme of managing such daily emotional demands. Indeed, in earlier research, we found up to half of all smartphone use may be for emotional regulation.

Digital technologies are becoming key tools of emotion regulation

Over the pandemic lockdowns of 2020–21 in Melbourne, Australia, we investigated how digital technologies are becoming key tools of emotion regulation. We were surprised that people readily talked of their technology use in these emotion-managing terms.

Occasionally, this involved specially designed apps for mindfulness and so on. But more often, people relied on mundane tools, such as using social media alongside Zoom to combat feelings of boredom or isolation, browsing for retail therapy, playing phone games to de-stress, and searching online to alleviate anxiety about world events.

Playing games to unwind after work is one of many ways people use digital technology for emotion regulation. Shutterstock

To some extent, these uses of digital technology can be seen as re-packaging traditional methods of emotion management, such as listening to music, strengthening social connections, or enjoying the company of adorable animals. Indeed, people in our study used digital technologies to enact familiar strategies, such as immersion in selected situations, seeking distractions, and reappraising what a situation means.

However, we also found indications that digital tools are changing the intensity and nature of how we regulate emotions. They provide emotional resources that are nearly always available, and virtual situations can be accessed, juxtaposed and navigated more deftly than their physical counterparts.

Some participants in our study described how they built what we called ‘emotional toolkits’. These digital resources are ready to be deployed when needed, each for a particular emotional effect.

A new kind of digital emotional intelligence

None of this says emotion regulation is automatically and always a good thing. It can be a means of avoiding important and meaningful endeavours, and it can become dysfunctional.

Our study of a small sample of Melburnians found that although digital applications appeared to be generally effective in this role, they are volatile and can lead to unpredictable emotional outcomes. A search for energising music or reassuring social contact, for example, can produce random or unwanted results.

A new kind of digital emotional intelligence might be needed to effectively navigate digital emotional landscapes.

An historic shift in everyday life

Returning to the question: what am I doing online? Emotion regulation may well be part of the answer.

You may be online for valid instrumental reasons. But equally, you are likely to be enacting your own strategies of emotion regulation through digital means.

It is part of an historic shift in how people negotiate the demands of everyday life.

Wally Smith is a Professor in Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. Greg Wadley is a Senior Lecturer in Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne.

Inc

In the grand theater of leadership, the spotlight often shines on the relentless pace, complex decisions, and high stakes. 

Leaders are often portrayed as naturally gifted navigators of these challenges. In our recent research at the Work Innovation Lab by Asana, in collaboration with Dr. Greg Wells, we sought to challenge this perception and establish a science-backed framework for effective leadership.

Drawing on a comprehensive study of 6,000 leaders at several large global companies, we discovered that the strategies that define high-performing leaders mirror those adopted by top-performing athletes. 

As former competitive athletes ourselves, this insight was particularly exciting. Here are some of our key takeaways: 

The Art of Single Tasking

In archery, athletes are trained to focus on one thing at a time – the target. Research has shown that elite archers maintain a longer and more stable gaze on the target, which boosts their performance. 

Similarly, our research found that high-performing leaders focus their attention on one task at a time. We found a strong correlation between leaders who could focus effectively on one task before moving on to the next and those who met or exceeded their performance expectations.

Building a Shield Against Distractions

Research has shown that, in basketball, players often use a technique called "quiet eye," where they fixate their gaze on the basket earlier and longer before shooting as compared with novices. This helps them block out distractions and focus on the task at hand more effectively. 

Our research shows that leaders must similarly build a shield against distractions. We found a strong correlation between leaders who could block out distractions and those who could focus and concentrate effectively on one task before moving on to the next. 

With the workplace buzzing with alerts and notifications, building a layer of protection against distractions is a critical way for leaders to execute each task with higher levels of focus and concentration. The result? Less multitasking, more success.

Dancing to the Rhythm of Ultradian Cycles

Esteemed performance researcher K. Anders Ericsson discovered that top violinists synchronized their tasks with their natural energy patterns, known as ultradian rhythms. 

They practiced in intensive intervals first thing in the morning when their energy was at its peak and, as compared with novices, took more time for breaks and naps during the rest of the day. 

Our research has shown that high-performing leaders often adopt a similar rhythm, aligning their most mentally taxing activities with their highest energy levels and scheduling less demanding tasks during their low-energy periods. 

Increasingly, we see high-performing leaders leveraging AI tools to handle work during those low-energy moments, further boosting their productivity.

Flexing Mental Fitness

Athletes understand the importance of mental health in their performance. Similarly, high-performing leaders understand its impact on their ability to focus and exceed performance expectations. 

Our research found a strong correlation between improved mental health and leaders' ability to focus, as well as to meet or exceed performance expectations. 

Borrowing a simple technique from the world of athletics can be transformative. Consider ending your morning shower with a 30-second burst of cold water. This cold exposure can trigger an increase in beta-endorphins, inducing feelings of euphoria and reducing stress-related brain activity.

The secret to high performance isn't a secret at all. It's about working smarter, not harder, and it's grounded in science. As you lace up your shoes for the marathon of leadership, remember, you're not just running the race, you're redefining the finish line.

Inc

Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, has again faulted the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku, who is challenging the authenticity of Tinubu’s degree certificate issued by Chicago State University, in the United States, said the president’s academic record continues to be a major source of confusion.

In a post via X, formerly Twitter, Atiku accused the president of boycotting primary and secondary school education to move to Chicago State University.

According to the former Vice President, Tinubu in 1999 claimed that he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children’s Home School in Ibadan.

He alleged that Tinubu’s academic record in 2023 was different from what was presented in 1999, adding that the president only said he attended Chicago State University without primary and secondary school educations.

“I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, @officialABAT claimed he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.”

“According to him, his next port of call in his educational journey was Government College Ibadan and, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University in the United States.

“Curiously, in 2023, Tinubu settled with attending only @ChicagoState. I am scratching my head. How is that possible? Methinks that all well-meaning Nigerians should be as confused as I am with Tinubu’s declaration that he had no primary and secondary education, yet he has a university degree. You may wish to #AskTinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity -AA,” Atiku wrote.

In March, Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 presidential election.

But Atiku has continuously challenged the poll’s outcome at the Presidential Election Petition Court, raising several questions about the President’s academic record.

He had also approached a United States (US) court at the northern district of Illinois in Chicago, for an order compelling the Chicago State University (CSU) to release the academic records of Tinubu.

Daily Trust

Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), on Sunday, says the country lost an average of $7.2 million monthly from illegal oil connections.

The oil firm disclosed this following the discovery of an illegal connection in Owaza community, Abia state.

The illegal connection was discovered on Saturday, by the oil theft situation assessment delegation deployed in the Niger Delta by the federal government.

The team was also said to have visited the Trans-Niger Pipeline Right of Way in Owaza, Abia, where an array of dismantled illegal connections were observed.

The delegation was led by Muhammed Badaru, minister of defence. Some of the members are Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), service chiefs.

Others are Ekperipe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, and Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer, NNPC Limited.

Also in the team are Olusegun Ferreira, commander of Operation Delta Safe, operatives of security agencies, and chief executive officers of regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the site, Kyari said clandestine refineries, illegal bunkering operations, and environmental devastation the team saw collectively translated into severe economic losses for the nation.

Kyari said while oil theft in vessels could be tracked, oil-bearing communities must play a vital role in curbing the criminal acts within their communities.

“Oil theft is one of the reasons why Nigeria cannot meet her OPEC daily production quota,” he said.

On his part, Badaru said: “We are ready to do whatever it takes for a peaceful Niger-Delta. Cease and desist from crude oil theft and economic sabotage”.

In his remarks, Ribadu applauded the security agencies, community security contractors, and the NNPC, for stepping up the fight against oil theft and economic sabotage.

“The environment and livelihoods are being destroyed while the federation is deprived of revenue capable of shoring up the economy and strengthening the naira,” he said.

The Cable

At least 12 people have been kidnapped in two separate incidents in northern Nigeria, officials and witnesses said on Saturday.

In the first incident, unidentified assailants kidnapped four people late on Friday. Those taken included the village head of Nasarawa-Burkullu community in northwestern Zamfara state, local official Muhammad Bukuyum said on Saturday.

Bukuyum said the other victims were three local farmers, and that the assailants had demanded a ransom, without giving further details.

In a separate incident, Boko Haram militants abducted eight farmers on Saturday in Maiwa village, about three kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of northeastern Borno state.

Mohammed Jida, who managed to flee from the attackers, told Reuters he sighted the insurgents surrounding the farmers as they worked on their farm.

"As I sighted them, I started running with others, scampering for safety. Luckily, I managed to escape but the rest of my colleagues were caught by Boko Haram."

Greema Abubar and Bukar Kachallah, who are relatives of some of the victims, confirmed the attack, adding that the insurgents had demanded a ransom, without giving further details.

Borno police spokesman Sani Kamilu Shatambaya did not immediately respond to calls for comment.

Armed gangs, often referred to locally as bandits, have wreaked havoc across northwest Nigeria in recent years, kidnapping thousands of people, killing hundreds and making it unsafe to travel by road or to farm in some areas.

On Friday, Boko Haram freed 49 women kidnapped earlier in the week near Maiduguri after a state official paid a ransom for their release.

The Islamist group has been killing and abducting farmers in Borno state, a hotbed for militancy that has been the epicentre of a 14-year war on insurgency in Nigeria.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian forces lose more than 4,800 servicemen over week

The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 4,855 servicemen over the week, with the most fighters - 1,490 - in the Donetsk area, according to TASS calculations based on the data of the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Ukrainian forces lost: 1,180 servicemen in the South Donetsk area, 820 in the Zaporozhye area, 665 in the Kupyansk area, 485 in the Krasny Liman area and 215 in the Kherson area.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Russian forces have destroyed a total of 466 Ukrainian aircraft, 247 helicopters, 6,152 unmanned aerial vehicles, 433 anti-aircraft missile systems, and 11,527 tanks and other armored combat vehicles.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported on August 4 that the Ukrainian armed forces had lost more than 43,000 servicemen and about 5,000 units of various armaments, including 26 aircraft and 25 Leopard tanks, during the June-July counteroffensive.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Ukrainian army had been unsuccessfully trying to launch an offensive since June 4. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that the Ukrainian troops had no success in any area. On July 23, at a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in St. Petersburg, he said that Kiev's counteroffensive had failed.

**West enabling Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian targets – The Economist

Ukraine relies on Western intelligence and satellite surveillance to guide its drones toward targets within Russia, The Economist reported on Sunday. The report backs up Moscow’s claims that the West is complicit in these “terrorist” strikes.

Russia’s extensive air defense and electronic warfare capacity mean that Ukrainian drone operators often need outside help to hit targets deep inside Russia, The Economist reported, citing anonymous sources within Ukraine’s multiple drone programs. This assistance includes “intelligence (often from Western partners) about radars, electronic warfare, and air-defense assets,” the report stated.

Feedback on the success of a strike is compiled from satellites, the report noted. Ukraine has only a single surveillance satellite, meaning that any imagery collected in between its 15 daily orbits is likely provided by Western satellites.

While Ukraine often attempts to hit military targets within Russia, many of its strikes are focused on civilian infrastructure and residential areas. In the most recent incident, a small drone slammed into an apartment block in the city of Kursk, shattering windows but leaving nobody injured. Successive waves of drone attacks have targeted Moscow’s central business district in recent weeks, and although the strikes on the capital have not killed anyone, an attack on the border region of Belgorod earlier this week left three people dead.

Moscow has previously accused Ukraine’s Western backers of complicity in these “terrorist strikes.” Speaking after a small drone hit the Kremlin in May, government spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated: “We know very well that decisions about such actions, about such terrorist attacks, are made not in Kiev but in Washington." Moscow has also accused British and American special forces of assisting Kiev’s recent missile attacks on the Crimean Bridge.

According to Peskov, Moscow views the attacks as “acts of desperation,”carried out to compensate for Ukraine’s failures on the battlefield. The strikes are viewed similarly in the West, the New York Times reported on Friday. Citing US officials, the newspaper said that the drone operations are intended “to bolster the morale of Ukraine’s population and troops,” and show that Kiev “can strike back” amid its failing counteroffensive.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia launches overnight air attack on northern, central Ukraine

Russia launched an overnight air attack against Ukraine on Sunday, sending missiles over other northern and central parts of the country, authorities said.

The Ukrainian military reported shooting down four cruise missiles out of up to eight total airborne targets detected, adding that the rest of the targets were "probably false".

It also said there were no immediate reports of strikes.

The governor of Kyiv region, Ruslan Kravchenko, said two people had been wounded and 10 buildings damaged by falling missile debris in one unspecified area of the region.

"Thanks to the professional work of the air defence forces, there were no strikes on critical or residential infrastructure," he said in a statement.

All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts for about three hours early on Sunday before they were cleared at around 6 a.m. (0300 GMT).

Russia has carried out a campaign of regular air strikes involving missiles and drones against Ukrainian targets far from the front line as part of its 18-month-old full-scale invasion.

Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said on the Telegram messaging channel on Sunday that its forces had shot down two drones overnight in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, which both border Ukraine.

"The regime in Kiev made further attempts to commit terror attacks using fixed-wing drones on targets in the Russian Federation during the night and in the morning of Aug. 27," the ministry said.

It gave no information about possible casualties or damage.

The governor of Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, posted pictures on his Telegram channel which he said showed damage caused by a drone to an apartment block in the city of Kursk, with windows blown out.

Drone attacks on Russian targets, especially in Crimea - annexed by Moscow in 2014 - and in regions bordering Ukraine, have become almost a daily occurrence since two drones were destroyed over the Kremlin in early May.

The attacks have disrupted flights in and out of Moscow in recent weeks. Ukraine rarely takes direct responsibility for such drone strikes but says destroying Russian military infrastructure helps a counter-offensive begun by Kyiv in June.

** Zelenskiy says elections could happen under fire if West helps

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, responding to calls by a US senator this week to announce elections in 2024, said on Sunday voting could take place during wartime if partners shared the cost, legislators approved, and everyone got to the polls.

Elections cannot currently be held in Ukraine under martial law, which must be extended every 90 days and is next due to expire on Nov. 15, after the normal date in October for parliamentary polls but before presidential elections which would normally be held in March 2024.

Top American legislators visited Kyiv Aug. 23, among them Lindsey Graham, who heaped praise on Kyiv's fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin but said the country needed to show it was different by holding elections in wartime.

Zelenskiy, in a television interview with Natalia Moseichuk, an anchor for the 1+1 Channel, said he had discussed the issue with Graham, including the question of funding and the need to change the law.

"I gave Lindsey a very simple answer very quickly," he said. "He was very pleased with it. As long as our legislators are willing to do it."

He said it cost 5 billion hryvnia ($135 million) to hold elections in peacetime. "I don't know how much is needed in wartime," he said. "So I told him that if the US and Europe provide financial support ..."

He added, "I will not take money from weapons and give it to elections. And this is stipulated by the law."

Zelenskiy said he told Graham that election observers would have to go to the trenches. "I told him: You and I should send observers to the frontlines so that we have legitimate elections for us and for the whole world."

Ukraine would also need help setting up additional voting access for millions of people overseas, especially from the European Union, he said.

"There is a way out," he said. "I am ready for it."

Graham, a Republican, told reporters during a briefing in a bunker with fellow Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren, both Democrats, that his message to Zelenskiy would be they would fight to keep weapons flowing "so you can win a war that we can't afford to lose."

He added, "But I am also going to tell him this: You've got to do two things at once. We need an election in Ukraine next year. I want to see this country have a free and fair election even while it is under assault."

Zelenskiy said those fighting Russia's invasion would have to be included. "They are defending this democracy today, and not to give them this opportunity because of war - that is unfair. I was against the elections only because of this."