Commuters in many parts of Lagos were on Monday left stranded at different bus stops, amid the lingering petrol scarcity.

Fares were hiked by 50 percent as motorists filled up dispensing stations for the scarce commodity.

Some filling stations were shuttered, while others still selling petrol were encircled by long queues.

Some motorists said they bought petrol at N700 and N800 per litre at filling stations. Roadside dealers now sell the product for N1000 and N1200 per litre.

The petrol scarcity triggered a 50 percent increase in fares across Lagos.

From Abule Egba roundabout to Agege, commuters were asked to pay N300, which previously cost N150 or N200. From Agege to Alausa in Ikeja is now N400, which cost N300 last week.

From Berger to Ikeja, commuters pay as high as N1000 in fares.

In most of the bus stops visited by newsmen on Monday morning, survival of the fittest was the prevailing philosophy as hordes of commuters were seen running after a few commercial buses.

Ola Olukoyede, chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has appointed Michael Nzekwe as his chief of staff.

As part of a restructuring drive, Olukoyede upgraded all the zonal commands of the EFCC to departments and appointed 14 new directors.

A statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the security unit of the agency has been upgraded to a department with a chief security officer at the helm.

“To this effect, 14 new directors have been appointed to head each of the zonal commands,” Oyewale said.

“Additionally, to bolster and fortify the security architecture of the commission, the security unit of the EFCC has been upgraded to a department with a seasoned officer appointed as director, security and chief security officer.

“A new department has also been created in the executive chairman’s office and it is headed by former Makurdi zonal commander of the EFCC, Mr. Friday Ebelo who also doubles as director and coordinator, special duties at the corporate headquarters of the commission.”

Nzekwe was the commander of the Ilorin zonal command and a course one officer.

Nzekwe, a lawyer and an investigator, has served in various departments in the anti-graft agency — including legal and prosecution, operations (now department of investigations), internal affairs (now department of ethics and integrity), Servicom, and asset forfeiture.

The new chief of staff has attended trainings and courses at home and abroad, including the Advance Defence Intelligence Officers Course organised by Defence Intel Agency (DIA).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the American International School Abuja (AISA) has refunded the fees paid for the children of Yahaya Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi state.

Bello allegedly paid $760,910 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

The children are in grade levels 2 to 8 at the school.

“The money has been paid into public account,” Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, told TheCable on Saturday morning.

The anti-graft agency had asked the school to refund the money.

In response to a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said $845,852 was paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910, because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the school said in the letter.

“Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.

“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”