While most Nigerians followed the OPL 245 trial at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja Division, via media reports, I was in court at every sitting — except if I was not in town. As a legal practitioner myself, I took keen interest in every detail of the proceedings. I took notes from when proceedings started in 2020 till when the ruling was delivered in 2024. I listened to the testimonies of the 10 witnesses presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). I listened to the submissions of the commission’s legal counsel.

That the case ended the way it did was inevitable. That Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi upheld the no case submissions of the seven defendants, discharging and acquitting them, was just the fitting end to a show trial that was clearly lacking in substance and targeted at convicting one person: Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN, the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice. No competent and conscientious judge would have ruled otherwise.

For all the drama, none of the prosecution witnesses mentioned the name of Adoke, the first defendant, regarding committing any infraction during the entire proceedings. Adoke was charged regarding the OPL 245 Settlement for “disobeying the direction of the law with intent to cause injury”, “disobeying the direction of the tax laws”, and “collecting gratification of N300m” from the second defendant, Aliyu Abubakar. Most of the witnesses only said they knew Adoke as former AGF and had no dealings with him.

The only witness who mentioned Adoke’s name was Mr Ibrahim Ahmed, the police investigation officer. He ended up contradicting himself on the source of the N300m which had been charged as gratification. Before Justice Kutigi, Ahmed said it was a bribe from the OPL 245 resolution. Before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, he said it was a mortgage Adoke took from Unity Bank. That effectively killed the allegation. That the EFCC filed two different proceedings using the same particulars but making contradictory claims was fatal to their cases, as both courts ruled.

I need to make full disclosure at this point: I know Adoke very well. Having worked with him for over 10 years, I can testify at gunpoint that he did not break any law or dirty his hands in the OPL 245 Settlement of 2011. He did not need to tell me that he did not collect a bribe: I knew he didn’t; I knew he wouldn’t. That would go contrary to everything he stood, and still stands, for. I knew, and still know him, as a man of integrity. He always warned us, his proteges and subordinates, to avoid greed and corruption. He did everything possible within his financial means to make us comfortable so that we would be able to work honestly and think straight in all our dealings. I say this with every ounce of honesty in me.

When he was the AGF and Minister of Justice from 2010 to 2015, I saw him turn down gratifications running into billions of naira and millions of dollars. I saw him do favours for governors, ministers and business people without as much as collecting a cup of tea from them, much less material benefits. He always told them he was only doing his job. I saw him help people get paid judgment debts running into billions while turning down offers of “thank you”. These are the people that should have stood by him during his travails but they ran away for the fear of EFCC. For someone who turned down $20m from an oil magnate in 2011, there was no way in this world I would believe he collected the equivalent of $2m from the OPL 245 Settlement. It does not make any sense. In fact, Mr Vincenzo Armanna, a former manager of Eni/Agip, testified before the Court of Milan during the trial of Shell and Others that Adoke threatened to jail him and others for discussing kickbacks in the OPL 245 deal. That is the Adoke I know. That is the Adoke that became my role model early in life.

When the Federal Government, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, decided to impugn the sanctity of the OPL 245 Settlement, picking on Adoke as the scapegoat by accusing him of all sorts, it was not Adoke that was on trial. It was Nigeria that was on trial. It was the way Nigeria rewards its patriots that was on trial. As all the court documents show, it was former President Olusegun Obasanjo who revoked OPL 245 from Malabu Oil in 2001 that decided to restore the oil block to Malabu Oil in 2006 after a series of litigation leading to an out-of-court settlement. All Adoke did in 2010 was to advise former President Goodluck Jonathan to respect and implement the legally binding Consent Judgment. That was what led to the final resolution of the OPL 245 dispute that had lingered for a decade. Adoke was put on trial for stirring Nigeria in the direction of the rule of law.

In the Court of Milan, Italy, and the Commercial Court of England and Wales, it was Nigeria, not Adoke, that was on trial. Lawyers after lawyers and witnesses after witnesses spoke, most of them exonerating Adoke. But the EFCC collaborated with the Italian prosecutors to accuse Adoke of collecting a bribe of N300m, all in an attempt to stain the OPL 245 Settlement and get the oil companies convicted for international corruption and, in the imagination of some people, get them to pay for OPL 245 a second time. The Italian judges commended Adoke for the role he played in settling the OPL 245 dispute and said rather than being an accomplice with Chief Dan Etete, the beneficial owner of Malabu Oil, Adoke actually threatened him to either take the deal or the Federal Government would be forced to pull out of the resolution. That was the act of a patriot. In the UK, the judge dismissed all allegations against Adoke and said there was no evidence of fraud, or any proof that Nigeria was shortchanged.

Nigeria tried to throw Adoke, an innocent man, under the bus. Nigeria put Adoke on trial across the world hoping to disgrace and destroy him for the rest of his life in order to exact a price from the oil companies as well as compensate those who wanted a pound of flesh. Those behind the plot succeeded for over eight years, threatening him and chasing him out of his fatherland. But it was Nigeria that was on trial in the end, losing all the cases and wasting millions of dollars home and away. Those behind the wild goose chase should face the music for misleading the country and wasting precious time and resources. But I know I am asking for too much. Nevertheless, Adoke has been vindicated and he will be back on his feet again. As it is said, it is better for a man to fall and rise again than to stand hopelessly forever.

Audu, a legal practitioner, lives in Abuja.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that he has broken the jink of ‘who is your father’ in the political space of the state.

Makinde made this declaration on Wednesday at Students’ Legislative Summit organised by the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly and chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, in conjunction with the Students’ Representative Council, University of Ibadan.

Some of the dignitaries at the event included the Minister of State for Youth, Ayodele Olawande, a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who was represented and Speakers of Osun and Ekiti State Houses of Assembly.

The governor, while speaking, declared that there was a time when ‘who is your father’ was the order of the day in the political space of the state.

He, however, said that he has been able to break that.

Makinde, while speaking further, said that his father was a ‘nobody’ and the Oyo State people still gave him the opportunity to lead.

The governor also declared that Nigerian youths must become more actively involved in governance by increasing their participation.

Makinde said that the issue of leadership is imperative in preparing the youth for the future and governance.

“For us here, we have seen the common situation where ‘who is your father’ was the order of the day but we have been able to break that in Oyo State. My father was a ‘nobody’ and the Oyo State people still gave me the opportunity to lead.

“We may not be able to prepare the future for the youth, but we can prepare the youth for the future. Please, don’t see this event as just an opportunity to look at the issue of leadership in this country. And, in me, Seyi Makinde, the youth have an ally and we will prepare the leaders of the next generation amongst the youth.

“I am here this afternoon to encourage the youth. If you look at the history of Nigeria, we had our independence in 1960 and six years after, in 1966, the person that became the Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, was 31 years and some months old. After him, during the Second Republic, former President Obasanjo retired as a General at the age of 39.

“You should dream big; people have ruled this country at very tender ages. So, for you, don’t think that at 29 or 30, you are too young to rule and I am glad, because this is almost like catching them early.

“You have the students here and in about three years, some of you will be out there to move on. If I were you, I wouldn’t start looking for work; I would start doing my own thing at a very early age of 24 or 25. With the kind of energy you still have, you can pull down the kingdom of Satan.”

[DailyPost]

…Fed Govt pledges to prioritise application of technology in education

The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu has said that the federal government would continue to prioritise the application of technology in education.

Sununu emphasised the importance of technology in providing students with access to online resources as well as encouraging research.

He said President Bola Tinubu has approved the education project which encapsulated the generation of overall data of all schools in Nigeria right from kindergarten to tertiary institutions.

Sununu said this in Abuja on Wednesday, at the 2024 Information Technology Professionals’ Assembly organised by the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) with the theme: “Artificial Intelligence: An Enabler for Economic Transformation and Sustainable Development.”

He said: “In the last few days, President Bola Tinubu has approved the education project which encapsulated the generation of overall data of all schools in Nigeria right from kindergarten to our tertiary institutions.

“This will enable us to have the actual data and number of students, their performances, the number of schools and their current status so that we can intervene where we can.”

The minister said the ministry was collaborating with other governmental agencies to ensure comprehensive data on out-of-school children.

He recalled that one of the campaign promises of the present administration was to move out-of-school children from the streets back to school.

The minister said: “It is worrisome that Nigeria has the first position in the number of out-of-school children globally.

“Over 20 million out-of-school children is unacceptable and that’s why we must find a solution to it.”

Sununu commended the efforts of the council at eliminating quackery in the profession, urging them to redouble their strategies to rid quackery of the system.

The minister urged the council to align with the vision of the Tinubu administration in their programmes and activities so that it would not be a mirage.

He said: “Your efforts at eliminating quackery in the profession through the registration of individuals and corporate organisations that are practising Information Technology have not been unnoticed.

“The Federal Ministry of Education is conscious of your efforts at enforcing the Act that established CPN by making it mandatory for all individuals and corporate organisations that are practising IT in Nigeria to be duly registered with CPN.

“The global practice is for professionals to regulate their profession properly to exterminate quacks and undesirable elements from making incursions into the profession.

“Therefore, all individuals and corporate organisations that are into Information Technology practice should register with CPN to allow for effective regulation of computer education and practice in Nigeria,” he said.

The president and chairman of CPN, Kole Jagun, said the IT Professionals’ Assembly had continued to set the tenor and directions for IT policies for successive governments.

He said this was part of the various initiatives of the Council to ensure that Nigeria was positioned to take maximum advantage of the knowledge-based economy globally.

Jagun stated that 400 new members would be inducted into the profession on Thursday (today).

He said: “There is no doubt that our profession is a critical sector to the development of any nation in this modern world.

“In fact, no meaningful development can take place if the Information Technology sector is prostate. That is why we have to be alive to our responsibility of moving with the dynamics and realities in the world. The profession has evolved and should take the centre stage of national development.”

[TheNation]

…says state open to partnerships to enhance status of people

The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has told the people of the state that he is still occupying the very seat he was elected to sit on.

Fubara, also said that he is willing to work with people of goodwill and progressive ideas for partnerships that would make life better for the people and ensure sustainable development of the State.

The Governor spoke while addressing a delegation of the leadership and members of Azuabie-Okujaku communities who were on a peaceful and solidarity walk to Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Fubara, who was represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, noted the people’s support that was largely organic in nature, adding that it was evident that they were taking back what rightly belonged to them by genuinely supporting the Government they all voted into power.

He said: “You are the people that voted him into power, and that is why you have the right also to say that these are the things you need. The Governor also recognises the contributions of your sons and daughters who have served the State in different ways. Your community is one of the greatest communities in the State because it has produced men that have contributed in no small measure to the growth of Rivers State.

“I want to beg of you, as you go home, let every person here be an ambassador, everybody in your community. Tell them that the Governor means well for his people. Tell your people that their Governor is still sitting in the place they elected him to sit, and taking the right decisions. We know there could be people who may be tempted with money to be Judas. But tell them to shun money. Tell them that what matters at this time is the people, and the Governor is people-centred.”

Fubara commended the community for working together to carry out self-projects, noting that other communities only destroy projects executed in their areas by the government.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of Azuabie-Okujaku communities, Elder Tamunotonkaye Adolphus, said they are ardent supporters of the Governor Fubara-led Administration, and are very impressed with his performance in office, accomplishments and peaceful disposition.

Adolphus explained that the people have fresh hope of Government intervention in their communities because they were neglected by the immediate past Administration, leaving their roads and public schools unattended to.

[Vanguard]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a notice of withdrawal to discontinue an appeal against an order of a Kogi high court restraining the agency from arresting Yahaya Bello, former governor of the state.

In the notice filed on April 22, the EFCC said the withdrawal is predicated on the fact that events have overtaken the appeal.

The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed out of the time allowed by law.

“The appellant herein intends to and do hereby wholly withdraw her appeal against the respondent in the above-mentioned appeal,” the notice reads.

“This notice of withdrawal is predicated on the fact that on the 17th of April 2024, the application filed by the appellant herein was overtaken by the decision of the same high court of Kogi state….

“The orders made ex parte by Jamil on the 9th of February 2024 in said suit which is the subject of this appeal, was made to last pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice which was finally determined by Jamil on the 17th April 2024. 

“Furthermore, the notice of appeal was filed out of time and we, therefore, pray that the appeal be struck out for being filed out of time and incompetent.”

BACKGROUND

On February 8, Bello instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit, asking the court to declare that “the incessant harassment, threats of arrest and detention, negative press releases, malicious prosecution” of the EFCC — “without any formal invitation — is politically motivated and interference with his right to liberty, freedom of movement, and fair hearing”.

The former governor also sought an order “restraining the respondent by themselves, their agents, servants or privies from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain him”.

On February 9, the Kogi high court granted an interim injunction restraining the EFCC from “continuing to harass, threaten to arrest, detain, prosecute Bello, his former appointees, and his staff or family members, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights”.

On March 12, the EFCC filed an appeal against the interim injunction because the court could not stop the commission from carrying out its statutory responsibility.

The Kogi high court delivered judgment on the substantive motion on notice on April 17 wherein Isa Jamil Abdullahi, the presiding judge, granted an order restraining the EFCC “from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain Bello”.

However, Abdullahi directed the commission to file a charge against Bello before an appropriate court if it had reasons to do so.

The judgment coincided with the recent “siege” laid on the Abuja residence of  Bello by EFCC operatives seeking to arrest him.

The commission had also obtained a warrant of arrest against the former governor from the federal high court in Abuja.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

At the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent.

At the court session, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told  Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the warrant of arrest in the first instance.

He referenced the February 9 interim injunction issued by the Kogi high court, adding that the appeal filed by the EFCC is still pending.

[TheCable]

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje has described his suspension as a flick from popular entertainment channel, Africa Magic.

Ganduje stated this when he received official reports of Saturday’s governorship primary election in Ondo State from the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo-led committee on Tuesday.

Speaking on his purported suspension from his ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, he again accused the New Nigeria Peoples Party and Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, of masterminding his purported suspension to embarrass him.

Ganduje stated that irrespective of the mechanisms of their opponents, the party would remain focused and their attention undivided.

He said, “We were so astonished when we heard the news but we were not surprised when we discovered that the great threat that APC overwhelmingly poses to other parties is real and Kano State is not an exception.

“The government in Kano State is behind this drama. Even the drama is one kind of drama that is called Africa Magic. This is Africa Magic and it is not leading democracy anywhere.

“It is a negative innovation where members who belong to a different political party, not even our members, let alone being elected executive members of either the ward or to the highest level at the state, meet themselves and take resolutions that affect the nation as far as our party is concerned, that is not acceptable.

“Our party cannot be distracted, we assure you. Our attention cannot be diverted. We are focused. We know where we are heading. We know our objectives and we know how to achieve our objectives.”

[NaijaNews]

First City Monument Bank (FCMB), a tier 2 lender, recorded its highest profit in 10 years.

The company’s profit grew by 206 percent to N95.52 billion from N31.13 billion in 2022.

FCMB saw a growth in its profit before tax of N101.46 billion in the full year 2023, representing a 177.4 percent growth from 2022.

In its unaudited annual report and financial statements for 2023, the group recorded gross earnings of N516.8 billion during the year, representing an 82.6 percent growth from in 2022.

The financial institution enjoyed increased interest income, as it recorded a net interest income of N177.42 billion in 2023, representing a 45.4 percent growth from 2022.

Regarding net income, FCMB Group reported a 206.9 percent growth as it posted a net income of N95.52 billion in 2023, from N31.13 billion recorded in 2022.

Its total comprehensive income also grew by 306 percent to N145.69 billion in 2023, based on a N26.52 billion gain accrued from foreign currency translation differences.

The Group recorded a trading income of N11.09 billion on FGN bonds in 2023, representing a 98.3 percent increase from 2022.

In the fiscal year 2023, FCMB Group significantly augmented its portfolio in securities assets, reaching a total of N478.23 billion. This figure marks a surge of 86.9 percent compared to the N255.87 billion recorded in the previous year, 2022.

Notably, the lion’s share of this investment was directed towards Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds, amounting to N380.27 billion. This represents a substantial increase of 94.6 percent when compared to the N195.37 billion allocated to FGN bonds by the group in the fiscal year 2022.

Over the years, the bank has developed a comprehensive range of financial solutions tailored to support Nigerians in their journey towards wealth creation and preservation.

These exclusive offerings encompass every stage of the wealth-building process, from accumulation to safeguarding. They include target and premium savings, wealth and investment management, pension schemes, and estate planning services such as wills and trusts.

The target and premium savings plans cater specifically to upwardly mobile professionals and entrepreneurs, laying a solid groundwork for financial growth. Meanwhile, the wealth and investment management services cater to high-net-worth individuals, assisting them in building and safeguarding their assets for the future.

FCMB recently received recognition for its leading role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises as well as green projects.

Yemisi Edun, Chief Executive Officer FCMB, said its partnership with the Development Bank of Nigeria empowers SMEs to scale up and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic development earning it the award of Deposit Money Bank with the highest impact in the DBN focus states.

“We are honoured to be recognised as the Deposit Money Bank with the Highest Impact in the DBN Focus States and the Participating Financial Institution with the Highest Disbursement to Green Projects. These awards affirm our commitment to meeting the expectations of our customers and the broader business community,” Edun said.

According to Edun, FCMB’s target is to train over 1 million SMEs through Technical Assistance worth €325,000 granted by Proparco (the private-sector arm of the French Development Agency) and another $275,000 from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The bank’s leveraging of digital channels and artificial intelligence has streamlined its lending processes, resulting in substantial loan disbursements and enhanced customer experiences.

Ladi Balogun, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the holding company said: “We continue to leverage our unique Group structure to build a technology-driven ecosystem that fosters inclusive and sustainable growth in the communities we serve.

“This strategy enables us to deliver robust performance despite the challenging domestic and global environment. Barring unforeseen circumstances, we believe this trend will be sustained and accompanied by improving efficiencies arising from greater scale and ongoing digitization,” Balogun said.

The bank has invested significantly in various areas such as agriculture, renewable energy, and female entrepreneurship. Its intervention in food security has contributed to a 34 percent increase in lending to the agricultural sector amounting to N177 billion.

Over N16 billion in loans have been provided at a single-digit interest rate through the Babban Gona Franchise model, Psaltry, Tomato Jos, NOMA, Plantation Industries, and Mastercard Foundation covering over 10,000 hectares.

Last year alone, over N20 billion worth of loans were disbursed to women-owned SMEs through its SheVentures platform – a zero-interest loan facility option that provides short-term loans to women entrepreneurs. Another 4,200 women entrepreneurs were provided much-needed seed funds and 4-week interactive training sessions and mentorship sessions.

Its investment in education has seen scholarships for 5,000 children through its partnership with the Bethesda Child Support Agency (BCSA) by giving scholarships to less privileged children.

[Businessday]

Stakeholders and groups have called for tougher measures to contain the massive oil theft in Nigeria, not only to eradicate the scourge but to bring perpetrators to justice.

Nigeria has consistently blamed massive oil theft, declining investment, and outright sabotage for its inability to meet 1.5 million barrels a day bpd OPEC quota.

This is as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country have explained why oil bunkering and oil theft persist in Nigeria, attributing it to corruption and the activities of state actors.

According to the CSOs, no country in the world is unserious about protecting its assets, but that Nigeria’s situation is different because powerful people in the government are involved.

It is well known that oil theft is shrinking Nigeria’s revenues terribly and the government has been urged to do something urgent about it.

Oil theft continues to thrive in Nigeria’s Niger Delta with allegations of community involvement, ranging from state actors, traditional rulers, youths and community leaders.

A survey of oil production for March carried out by S&P Global Commodity Insights found that Nigeria’s crude oil production declined marginally to 1.45 million barrels per day from the 1.47 million bpd the previous month.

Although output has generally increased this year, Nigeria’s Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production figures have been largely inconsistent.

Nigeria blames massive oil theft, declining investment in the oil and gas sector, and outright sabotage, among others, as reasons for its inability to meet its current revised 1.5 million bpd output, from 1.8 million bpd in 2023.

According to the S&P survey, the fall from 1.47 million bpd to 1.45 million bpd represented about a 0.02 percent decline.

But in all, OPEC+ crude output in March was up slightly month on month, as several producers continued to exceed their quotas, the Platts OPEC+ survey by S&P Global Commodity Insights hinted.

Overall, the group produced 41.25 million bpd of crude in March, up 40,000 bpd on February levels despite efforts made by Saudi Arabia to enforce compliance.

This included an 80,000-bpd increase in OPEC production to 26.66 million bpd, offset by a drop in output by its allies of 40,000 bpd. March was the third month of the group’s latest voluntary production cuts, which were supposed to take approximately 700,000 bpd off the market in the first quarter of 2024.

At the moment, some civil society groups will be launching a global campaign towards addressing sabotage in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Speaking to our Correspondent, Mr Taiwo Adeleye, Mallam Lateef Abdulazeez and  Fredrick Ojauka, in different conversations highlighted the need to deploy new technology to monitor oil fields and pipelines.

“We commend the Nigerian Navy for remarkable efforts to deal with oil theft and the determination to root out illegal refineries which have serious implications on domestic and corporation utility of petroleum products. Military troops deactivated 68 illegal refining sites in Niger Delta,” the coalition said.

The groups said they were impressed by the Navy that recovered 234,000 litres of stolen crude oil. Nigeria remains largely dependent on oil but exploration must take into consideration humanity in the context of environmental and livelihood security.

Adeleye on his part said, “We are however concerned about the future of oil, livelihood, and human security in Nigeria. What will Nigeria look like in the next 15 or 20 years? What immediate, short-term and long-term strategy do we have for oil security and national security? Will Nigerian oil installations continued to be protected by non-state actors? What is the mission of the state actors currently charged with the responsibility of protecting oil assets?”

Speaking on the immediate and remote causes of oil theft and pipeline vandalisation, the group chief executive officer (GCEO), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, posited that most stakeholders were of the view that oil theft was essentially a social problem whose underlying causes include poverty in the communities, community-industry expectation mismatch and corruption.

Others, he noted, include: ineffective law enforcement, poor governance, poor prosecution of offenders, high unemployment in the communities, thriving illegal oil market involving both Nigerians and foreigners, and inadequate funding of resources to combat oil theft.

He lamented that NNPCL, as an operator, had suffered severe attacks on its facilities and assets, noting that between 2001 and half year 2019, NNPCL recorded a total of 45,347 pipeline breaks on its downstream pipeline network across the country.

Kyari said that for the Nigerian economy to prosper, NNPCL and other oil companies must be able to operate efficiently and profitably.

“Unfortunately, the combination of crude oil theft, illegal refining, and pipeline vandalism has become a major threat to Nigeria in meeting its revenue projections in recent times,” he said.

In his presentation, Edo State governor and chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) Ad Hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Prevention and Control, Godwin Obaseki, stressed the need to institute a proper governance structure for pipeline security in the industry.

Obaseki called on the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) to work with the NNPCL in identifying possible international markets and destinations of stolen Nigerian crude oil.

He said that the industry must end the prevailing incentives that make it possible for crude oil theft and pipeline vandalisation to flourish.

The governor disclosed that NEC had upgraded the Ad Hoc Committee on Crude Theft to a standing committee with the mandate to provide regular updates to NEC as may be required.

In March this year, Kyari said in one year it recorded 9000 infractions on its pipelines.

Kyari said this when the House of Representatives Special Committee on Oil Theft went on an oversight function at the headquarters of NNPC Ltd in Abuja.

“From 2022 to date, we have deactivated 6,465 illegal refineries. We have also removed 4,876 illegal connections to a pipeline out of 5,570 that we have discovered,” he said, adding that the NNPC was not sure if that was the actual number, and that it still had about a thousand that the corporation knew had not yet been removed.

“Some of the scale of the infraction that we see is unbelievable; we are not able to deal with it. When you remove one connection, the next day in the same location, someone will replace it.

“It is obvious that crude oil theft is almost an end-to-end issue in Nigeria; it is very obvious that everyone is involved.

“In most of these locations, they are less than a hundred metres from human settlements; some are even less than a hundred metres from the local government headquarters,” he said.

He said that notwithstanding the distance, these evils are being perpetrated unabated, adding that this makes it impossible to guarantee the production that would happen the next day.

Kyari stated that the NNPC moved to curtail the menace posed by pipeline vandals by incorporating all security agencies into a single platform, including private security outfits.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the NNPCL had appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help tackle the menace of crude oil theft in the country.

Kyari made the appeal at an interactive session with the EFCC’s helmsman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, which held at the NNPCL towers, Abuja.

Speaking passionately about the efforts by NNPC Ltd to eradicate corruption from its system and stem crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, Kyari contended that going by the volume of oil stolen daily and the brazenness with which the perpetrators operate, crude oil theft was the most humongous and virulent economic crime in Nigeria that must attract the attention of the EFCC.

EFCC executive chairman Ola Olukoyede expressed satisfaction with NNPC Ltd’s commitment to issues of ethics and code of conduct.

However, security operatives, lawyers, activists, environmentalists, and other stakeholders of the Niger Delta have revealed that the actual stealing of the nation’s crude oil occurs at the various export terminals and flow stations in the country and not in the refining camps in the creeks.

Analysts have said that Nigeria knows it still has much work to do in terms of tackling crude oil theft.

Speaking in the same vein, Olarenwaju Suraju, executive director of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), said Nigeria can save over $200 billion yearly just by plugging all holes through which crude oil is stolen in the country.

Olarenwaju said the government needs to work with all stakeholders, from the media to security agencies, community-based organisations, and anti-graft groups, adding that funds recovered through stringent anti-corruption measures in the oil and gas sector would help pull the country back from economic doldrums.

“Nigeria is at a critical moment. People are passing through very difficult times. With a debt profile of over N77 trillion and an extremely poor debt service ratio, the country is in a quagmire,” he said.

“The surest way to recovery is to decisively fight corruption. Recovery of stolen funds and an end to graft in the oil sector will see Nigeria witness an upsurge in revenue to meet the needs of Nigerians who are at the end of the stick,” he said.

Only 16 Of Nigeria’s 36 Oil Terminals Metered

HEDA lamented that only 16 out of some 36 oil terminals in Nigeria are metered, making it difficult to monitor oil and gas production and distribution at local and international markets.

Also, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has drawn the attention of the Nigerian authorities to the fact that billions of dollars are lost to various rogue cartels in the oil and gas industry.

In countries like China the penalty for any form of economic sabotage against the state is death, but Nigerian CSOs said serious measures will not be taken against oil bunkering and oil theft because some state actors are involved.

The CSOs that spoke to LEADERSHIP are: The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, they said it is a shame that oil bunkering appears to be negligence or compromise by state enforcement officers and that’s why it continues to happen.

“There is no country where you can see this level of unseriousness in tackling oil theft or oil bunkering. It’s all corruption and lack of responsible leaders.

“Some people in government appear to be benefitting; that’s why there is no decisive action despite the fact that Nigeria relies on oil revenue for survival.

“If you see other countries not up to the size of Nigeria, even in capacity or might, they don’t allow such to happen.

“It is a compromise to national security. The security forces have been given all the powers to stop oil bunkering, but it seems the responsibilities have not been carried out and we keep seeing occurrences on a daily basis without punishment. If they have been given responsibility to stop the act of looting in the name of oil bunkering, and nothing is done, their leaders should be sacked,” the CSOs said.

They, however, said the act seems to be state sponsored.

“So, oil bunkering, oil theft, or poor security in these areas are deliberate because they (state officials)  are heavily benefiting from the oil bunkering to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians,” Rafsanjani added.

[Leadership]

A former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, was yesterday arrested and taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its ongoing probe on the botched Nigeria Air project, Daily Trust reports.

Apart from the project, Sirika was still being grilled at the time of filing this report last night over alleged conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds to the tune of N80.06bn, and contract inflation when he held sway at the aviation ministry, credible sources said.

Specifically, one of the sources said the former minister, who was being quizzed at the Federal Capital Territory Command of the anti-graft agency, was taken to the commission’s office at about 12:55 pm on Tuesday by some operatives of the agency.

“He was picked up at his Abuja residence by our operatives,” the official of the anti-graft agency said. 

The official who spoke in confidence because he wasn’t authorised to speak, said they quietly went to the residence of Sirika when they were least expected. 

Another source said, “Yes, he has been taken into custody and is meeting with our detectives to explain how some funds to the tune of N8, 069,176,864.00 were expended in his ministry when he was the minister.

“All necessary checks have been done before the invitation and he will be asked to explain the role he played in the (alleged) infractions.

“It is an ongoing thing, we will not relent,” the source said.

Our correspondent tried Sirika’s telephone but it was not going through as of the time of filing this report. 

Sirika, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, had also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and thereafter, as a senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District under the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011. 

EFCC to invite sacked directors

In a related development, Daily Trust learnt that the EFCC is also planning to invite all the sacked directors who worked directly under the embattled minister in the aviation ministry. 

Sources said trouble started with the directors following several petitions submitted by stakeholders, especially some aviation unions and civil society organisations, calling for the probe of the sector after the failed national carrier imbroglio.

President Bola Tinubu had in December 2023 sacked the heads of Nigeria’s aviation agencies including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

Those sacked included Kabir Mohammed of FAAN; Tayib Odunowo of NAMA; Akinola Olateru of NSIB; Prof. Mansur Matazu of NiMet; and Alkali Modibbo, the Rector of NCAT while also suspending the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Musa Nuhu. 

An official of the anti-graft agency confirmed that letters of invitation to the sacked and suspended officials were already prepared to come over to explain their roles in the alleged different fraudulent activities that took place in the ministry under Sirika. 

Sirika’s younger brother’s account remains frozen 

Findings by this newspaper last night revealed that the EFCC was yet to lift restrictions placed on an account linked to the former minister’s younger brother, Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, which was allegedly used to launder money.

In February, the anti-graft agency froze an account belonging to Abubakar after he was arrested when about N3.2 billion was traced to his private company, Engirios Nigeria Limited.

According to EFCC’s detectives, Abubakar, who is also, a Level-16 officer and a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, was listed as the company’s MD/CEO and the sole signatory to the two accounts linked to the firm with two banks.

The detectives had said the four contracts the ex-minister awarded to his brother which were not executed are the construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport (N1.3 billion) and the Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport (N3.8 billion). 

Other contracts were the procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners, and power generator houses in Aviation House, Abuja (N615 million) and the procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (N2.3 billion).

Investigators revealed a payment of N3.2 billion out of the total contract sum to Engirios Nigeria Limited. Upon receipt of the payment, he allegedly transferred it to different companies and individuals.

The investigators also alleged that no trace of work had been done on any of the contract items to date.

Even though Abubakar could not also be reached last night for comment, an insider said the Sirika family had resolved not to discuss the matter in the media.

[DailyTrust]

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has said he did not apply to be the team’s next head coach because of two reasons.

Since Jose Peseiro’s contract elapsed, several former Nigerian players have been linked with the job.

Enyeama has admitted he would have also applied if he had secured his coaching certificate and wasn’t focused on his hotel business.

He told Afrik-Foot: “For you to be able to coach the Super Eagles, you must be certified. That’s the minimum standard.

“That’s the number one reason, and then for the fact that I have been very busy developing and managing my hotel has taken a lot of my attention, and that business is the most important thing for me now.”

[DailyPost]