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### 74 Victims Discharged as Plateau Governor Orders Closure of Collapsed School **13th July 2024** **By James Abraham** In a tragic turn of events, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has ordered the immediate closure of Saints Academy in Jos following a catastrophic building collapse on Friday. The incident resulted in the loss of over 22 lives, leaving a community in mourning and raising urgent questions about building safety standards in the region. The state Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, revealed these details in a somber statement issued on Saturday. Governor Mutfwang's directive came after his visit to the collapse site in the Busa Buji community and his rounds at local hospitals where the injured were receiving treatment. The governor's response was swift and decisive, reflecting the gravity of the situation. During his visit, he ordered the arrest of artisanal miners operating near residential areas. These miners, whose activities are often unregulate...

  Petrol Price Hike Sparks Widespread Queues Across Nigeria 9th July 2024 By Okechukwu Nnodim  Introduction The ongoing petrol crisis in Nigeria has deepened, causing widespread queues at filling stations and skyrocketing prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). As of Monday, motorists in Abuja and surrounding states, including Lagos, have been spending hours in line, with prices soaring as high as N1,100 per litre. The scarcity, according to marketers, may persist until the weekend. Rising Costs and Black Market Exploitation The crisis has led to significant exploitation by black marketers, who have increased their prices to between N1,000 and N1,100 per litre. Simultaneously, some retail outlets have hiked the pump price to N900 per litre, especially in Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger states.  NNPC’s Explanation The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has attributed the queues to recent thunderstorms and logistical challenges that disrupted operations at fuel lo...

 **SSANU and NASU Mobilise Members for Nationwide Protest** **July 7, 2024 - by Adejayan Gbenga Gsong** The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have issued directives to their members across Nigeria to mobilize for a nationwide protest. The protest aims to address several grievances, most notably the withheld salaries of their members. In a circular addressed to all branch chairmen of the two unions, and made available to the media in Abuja on Sunday, the unions announced that the protest would begin on July 9, 2024, across the state chapters of the federation. This will be followed by a national protest in Abuja on July 18, 2024. The circular was jointly signed by Peters Adeyemi, the General Secretary of NASU, and Mohammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU. The unions explained that the protest is a direct response to the recent breakdown in dialogue between the Joint Ac...

KuCoin to Implement 7.5% VAT on Transactions for Nigerian Users  Introduction In a significant policy shift, KuCoin, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, has announced the implementation of a 7.5% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on transaction fees for its users in Nigeria. Effective from July 8, 2024, this decision marks a critical regulatory step as Nigeria seeks to bring cryptocurrency transactions under its tax regime. This blog post will delve deeply into the implications of this policy change, its background, and its potential impact on the cryptocurrency landscape in Nigeria.  Details of the VAT Implementation On July 3, 2024, KuCoin disclosed the new VAT policy through a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. The 7.5% VAT will be specifically applied to transaction fees rather than the total transaction amount. For instance, if a user buys $1,000 worth of Bitcoin with a 0.1% fee rate, the transaction fee would be $1. The VAT on this fee wo...

 **Tapswap Delays Token Allocation, Citing Strategic Adjustments and Market Preparations** In the dynamic world of blockchain and decentralized finance, Tapswap, a popular tap-to-earn app powered by the TON Blockchain, has made headlines by announcing a delay in its much-anticipated token allocation. The distribution, originally scheduled for July 1, 2024, has been postponed to the third quarter of the year. This decision has generated significant buzz and mixed reactions among its users, who eagerly tap away on their screens to earn coins. **Tapswap's Rise to Popularity** Launched on February 15, 2024, Tapswap has quickly gained momentum, particularly among Nigerian users. The app's concept is simple yet engaging: users tap an icon in the center of the Telegram Tapswap bot screen to mine coins. This straightforward mechanism has resonated with millions, amassing over 50 million users within a few months. The allure of financial rewards has driven widespread participation, maki...