The Presidency is aware of failed attempts by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd., a Chinese company, to take over offshore assets of Nigeria through subterfuge.
Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement, said Zhongshan misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching Nigeria’s presidential jets in its judgment against Ogun government.
He faulted the use of the presidential jets which were on routine maintenance in France.
According to him, the presidential jets are assets of a Sovereign entity protected by diplomatic immunity, which forbids any foreign court from issuing an order against them.
“We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law,” he said.
He said the Federal Government was not under any contractual obligation with the Chinese company.
“The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State government.
“The Federal Government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun State government to reach an amicable resolution on the matter,” said Onanuga.
He said the company had no solid ground to demand restitution from Ogun government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the state government to manage a free-trade zone.
He said that when the contract with Ogun was revoked in 2015, the company had only erected a perimeter fence on the land earmarked for a free trade zone.
According to him, while the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was working with the Ogun government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris.
He said the court orders were dated March 7, and August 12, but no notice was duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun government.
“This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions,” said Onanuga.
He said unscrupulous and questionable individuals were falsely presenting themselves as investors with the sole objective of undercutting and scamming governments in Africa.
He said the same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed.
He was emphatic that foreign companies were trying to defraud Nigeria with the collaboration of some bureaucrats.
“Zhongshan appeared to have sold the judgment they got to a venture capitalist seeking to make money by embarrassing the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu.
“We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately.
“Nigerian government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors,” said Onanuga.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contract between Ogun and Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone was executed in 2007.
The parties entered into a dispute in 2015, and arbitration began in 2016.
By 2019, the arbitration hearing had been concluded.
The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million dollars against the Federal Government of Nigeria, a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone.
Based on legal advice, the Ogun government resolved to resist the enforcement of the award.
The resistance was successful in eight different jurisdictions. There are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK.
Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms.
The last meeting, held in September 2023 in London, was attended by several officials of Ogun, including Gov. Dapo Abiodun and Prince Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General/Minister of Justice.
Zhongshan’s initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun State’s offer was surprisingly reversed by the second day when it insisted on the government paying the full arbitration debt.
This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year.
But Onanuga said since then, Zhongshan has been evasive.
“Instead, it embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings, which the legal team appointed by the Federal Government and Ogun successfully opposed.
“In cases similar to the present one, where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State successfully set aside the orders.
“Ogun has not given up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan last week.
“Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest illegal order,” said Onanuga
Presidency Clarifies Claims That Member Of Tinubu’s Economic Council Is Behind Petrol Imports From Malta
AFOLABI
The presidency has clarified claims that a member of President Bola Tinubu‘s Economic Coordination Council, Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu, is one of Malta’s biggest importers of petrol.
Naija News reported that the chairman of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Aliko Dangote, had claimed that officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), oil traders and terminals had established a blending plant in Malta.
However, the group chief executive officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, immediately denied Dangote’s claim, saying he did not have any vested interest in any plant in Malta.
But a report from The Cable disclosed that one of the biggest importers of petrol from Malta is Aliu.
In an interview with the aforementioned publication, Aliu denied any wrongdoing in his business practices and promised a full response to the newspaper’s questions.
According to an insider who shared confidential documents with the publication, over 200,000 tonnes of petrol from Malta were discharged into the Matrix jetty in Warri, Delta state, in July 2024 alone.
Reacting, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a statement via X on Saturday, said Aliu has been in the petrol business for over 20 years, and it would be wrong to accuse him of importing bad fuel into the country.
Ajayi clarified that Aliu as an active player in the downstream sector, had nothing to do with his membership in President Tinubu’s economic council.
The statement reads, “It appears @thecableng just wants to create a storm in a teacup because I can’t seem to understand the link between where Matrix Energy imports petroleum products from and the Chief Executive’s membership of President Tinubu’s Economic Council.
“The man has been in the business for over 20 years. It is not enough to accuse someone of importing bad fuel into the country without evidence just because another businessman, seeking to protect his own turf, made the allegation.
“Matrix is an active player in the downstream sector. Whatever business arrangement the company has with NNPC has been on for many years before the current administration that is barely a year old.
“The company runs over 150 retail stations across the country and is reported to have three vessels for its operations. Matrix Energy, arguably, owns one of the largest independent product storage facilities in Nigeria.
“Certainly, it wasn’t the CEO’s membership of President Bola Tinubu’s Economic Council that made him an active player in the sector where he has operated for over twenty years.
“Members of President Tinubu’s Economic Council are drawn up from leaders of big businesses in critical sectors of the economy. Other members of the Council announced on March 27, 2024 include Mr. Segun Agbaje, Group CEO of GTBank Holding Company, Aliko Dangote, Mrs. Funke Okpeke, Tony Elumelu, Patrick Okigbo, Ms Amina Maina, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Dr. Doyin Salami among others.”
Seized Presidential Jets: Policemen Detained, Brutalised Our Top Officers – Chinese Firm, Zhongshan Alleges
AFOLABI
Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited, the Chinese firm involved in a high-profile contract dispute with the Ogun State Government, has accused Nigerian authorities of unlawfully detaining and brutalising its top officials.
The firm claims that these incidents played a significant role in its decision to pursue the seizure of Nigerian assets overseas.
The controversy took a new turn on Thursday when news broke that a French court had ordered the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets.
The jets, including a Dassault Falcon 7X and a Boeing 737, were part of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet, with one additional aircraft, an Airbus 330, purchased by Nigeria but not yet delivered.
The aircraft were seized following ex parte orders issued by the Judicial Court of Paris on March 7 and August 12, 2024.
Zhongshan initiated legal action after the Ogun State Government terminated its export processing zone management contract with the company.
An arbitral tribunal later awarded Zhongshan approximately $74.5 million in compensation, but the state government failed to comply with the ruling.
In response, Zhongshan sought enforcement through international legal channels, leading to the French court’s order to seize Nigeria’s assets.
In its statement of claim to the French court, Zhongshan detailed the alleged mistreatment of its management team in Nigeria.
The company claimed that the Ogun State Government, through the Nigerian police, assaulted, threatened, and unlawfully detained its personnel, including the Chief Financial Officer of Zhongfu Nigeria Ltd., a subsidiary of Zhongshan.
The company stated that these actions contributed to its decision to pursue international litigation.
Zhongshan also alleged that it suffered significant financial losses, estimated at $1.078 billion, due to the termination of the contract.
According to the company, the harsh treatment of its officials prevented it from engaging in meaningful settlement discussions with the Ogun State Government.
The company stated, “The draconian actions of the Nigerian authorities included the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (Taiwo Adeoluwa) directly threatening Zhongfu Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jianxin Han, to leave peacefully when there is an opportunity to do so, and avoid forceful removal, complications, and possible prosecution.
“As if this treatment were not appalling enough, the Nigerian authorities followed through on their threats of physical harm to the claimant’s management team in Nigeria. The police arrested the Chief Financial Officer of Zhongfu Nigeria, Mr Wenxiao Zhao, detained him without basis or explanation in terrible conditions, and physically beat him on two occasions before releasing him—without any charge—after a week in two jails.”
Recounting his ordeal in police custody, Zhao said, “One police officer in uniform came over to me and slapped me twice on the face. Then the police officers who brought me there took me to a room where they asked me to sign a piece of paper.
“They did not say or explain what this paper was or what it said. I refused to sign the piece of paper. The police officers then took my flip-flops and placed me in a courtyard with a number of cells surrounding it. It was dark and cold, and I was standing at the gate to one of the cells.
“Another prisoner came out of that cell and asked why I was taken. I did not speak. There were also some other people who had been brought to the courtyard, and the prisoner told us to stand side by side and asked whether we had money and why we were there. If someone had no money, he would slap them.
“Then the prisoner took me aside and asked me to speak. He said that if I did not speak, he would beat me with a club. Later, a second prisoner took me aside and told me not to be afraid. However, the first prisoner came back and threatened me with a club and asked me to speak, which I did not do.
“On what I think was the third day in the Abuja police station, a lot of people were brought into the office. The police officers moved me to another office. The police officer then approached me asking what happened. I did not respond, and he hit me twice, first on the neck and the second time on the head with a fist. It was painful, and I felt numb.
“Fearing for their safety, Zhongfu Nigeria’s management team was forced to leave Nigeria. Zhongfu Nigeria tried to take preventive legal steps in the Nigerian courts to preserve their rights, but the Ogun State Government, NEPZA, and the police orchestrated the complete evisceration of the claimant’s investment in Nigeria.”
The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, while speaking with Punch, said the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun knew nothing about the claims of the Chinese firm and could not respond to them.
Akinmade said, “The incident happened over three years before the present administration came on board. I can’t speak on something we know nothing about. We don’t know what happened at that time. But we will ensure our people are not shortchanged or defrauded through fraudulent judgment.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Office, Omolola Odutola, said the police were not involved in the matter.
She said, “It is not a police issue; we are not involved. It doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
The Police Command in Benue said yesterday that no fewer than 20 medical students from University of Jos were kidnapped in Otukpo on Thursday evening.
Benue Police Public Relations Officer Sewuese Anene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday by telephone that the incident happened at 5.30 pm.
Anene said that the students who were traveling to Enugu for their annual Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students convention were ambushed and kidnapped in Otukpo.
“A report was received that medical students from Jos were on their way from Jos to Enugu and were kidnapped around Otukpo.
“No fewer than 20 students were ambushed and kidnapped around Otukpo. They are coming from Jos,” she said.
[TheNation]
The Labour Party has strongly opposed the N2 million levy imposed by the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) on chairmanship candidates for the upcoming local government elections. The commission also set a fee of N500,000 for councillorship candidates.
In response, the Labour Party has threatened legal action against KAD-SIECOM if the fees are not reduced to the original amounts of N200,000 for chairmanship candidates and N50,000 for councillorship candidates.
Speaking to the press at the party’s state office in Kaduna, LP Chairman Alhaji Awwal Tafoki expressed the party’s dissatisfaction with the new fees. He suggested that the higher fees could be an attempt to discourage opposition parties from participating in the elections.
“Labour Party rejects the fees for the forms. We cannot afford N2 million for Chairmen and N500,000 for Councilors. This is unacceptable, and we call on KAD-SIECOM to revert to the previous fees or face legal action,” Tafoki stated.
He also raised concerns that the ruling party might use the sudden fee increase to prevent other parties from contesting in the elections. Tafoki called on Governor Uba Sani to intervene and ensure that KAD-SIECOM does not appear complicit in such actions.
Tafoki further doubts about KAD-SIECOM’s ability to conduct free and fair elections, noting that the Labour Party only gives the commission the benefit of the doubt. He also urged the federal government to allow the national electoral body, INEC, to oversee local government elections nationwide.
FIFA Ranking: Super Falcons Maintains Lead in African Women's Football Despite Olympic Disappointment
AFOLABI
Nigeria continues to lead African women’s football, according to the latest FIFA rankings released on Friday. The Super Falcons have retained their position as the top team in Africa and are ranked 36th globally.
This ranking comes despite a disappointing performance at the recent Women’s Summer Olympics in Paris. The Super Falcons failed to advance past the group stage, suffering three consecutive defeats.
Since March of this year, the Super Falcons have held their current position, despite dropping from 34th place in December 2023 to 36th.
In Africa, South Africa’s Bayana Bayana holds the second spot and is ranked 50th globally, up from their previous 51st position in June. Morocco ranks third in Africa and 59th in the world, while Zambia, which participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics, has moved up to 62nd globally and fourth in Africa. Ghana ranks out the top five African teams, though they are 66th worldwide.
The latest FIFA ranking of the top 10 female football teams globally includes the United States, England, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Korea DPR, and France.
The next FIFA Women’s World Ranking is set to be published on December 20, 2024.
Yusuf Tuggar, the minister of foreign affairs, says the federal government is working to resolve its dispute with Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, a Chinese firm.
A French court recently ordered the seizure of three presidential jets belonging to Nigeria over a contract dispute between the Chinese firm and Ogun state government.
The court ruled that the firm should use Nigeria’s jets at the Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports as “security for its claim of EUR 74,459,221”.
A US appeal court also ruled that Nigeria’s claim to sovereign immunity cannot stand in a commercial venture.
The court rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity defence to the enforcement of a $70 million investment treaty award won by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. in a free trade zone.
The Chinese company said it would release one of Nigeria’s seized presidential jets.
Speaking with reporters in Malabo, the capital city of Equatorial Guinea, on Friday, Tuggar said he and Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, are on top of the situation.
“This is part of the problem when sub-national actors like state governments take it upon themselves to go into agreements, go into international arrangements, without recourse to the ministry of foreign affairs, without recourse to the federal government, and then when it goes awry, we are left with the problem to deal with,” he said.
“That is why it is always important that such arrangements should be registered with the mission there, with the embassy, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with the federal government.
“This is something that Ogun state, under a different administration, not this governor, entered into that we’re not aware of. All we know is that they’re going after Nigerian assets.
“That’s why, really, foreign or international negotiations are not the purview of sub-national actors.
“You should always have those that are experienced in such an area that have the necessary skills and the necessary training to negotiate these sorts of agreements.”
The minister said updates would be provided on the matter.
The Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) Chairman of Qua’an Pan Local Government Area, in Jos, Plateau capital, Hon Christopher Audu, is reportedly battling for his life after being attacked by delegates during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election.
Naija News learnt that the election, which was held on Thursday, became violent after the TIC Chairman was declared the winner.
An observer, Michael Bulus, who spoke with Daily Trust, said that the election exercise was initially peaceful, but some delegates and PDP faithful who were denied access to the hall forced their way in and went straight to the TIC Chairman.
Audu was said to have sustained severe injuries as a result of the attack and was rushed out of Ba’ap, the headquarters of Qua’an Pan LGA, to an undisclosed location for medical attention.
Bulus said, “The mob beat up Hon Audu without mercy while complaining that he manipulated the process to emerge winner of the primaries.
“It was further alleged that Hon Audu handpicked his loyalists to be delegates at the election while blocking the real delegates from accessing the venue to exercise their franchise.”
The angry delegates also allegedly beat up officials of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) who were present to oversee the election.
Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, the party has yet to issue an official statement on the embarrassing incident
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says Nigeria’s employment level declined in July.
In its purchasing manager’s index (PMI) report on Wednesday, CBN said the industry sector employment level index stood at 47.0 points.
CBN said this indicates a contraction in the level of employment.
The apex bank said eight employment sub-sectors recorded contraction, while seven sub-sectors reported growth in the reviewed month.
“Eight subsectors reported a contraction in the level of employment with the Printing & Related Support Activities reporting the highest contraction,” the apex bank said.
According to CBN, primary metal and transportation equipment sub-sectors reported stationary levels in July.
PRODUCTION INDEX INCREASES FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE MONTH
CBN said the industry production index recorded expansion at 50.5 points in July 2024 — indicating growth in production for the second consecutive month.
“Eight subsectors reported growth in production during the review month with Water Supply, Sewerage & Waste Management recording the highest growth, Printing & Related Support Activities Subsector was stationary, while the remaining eight subsectors registered declines in production with Transportation Equipment reporting the highest contraction,” the apex bank said.
On August 13, the CBN said it reintroduced the publication of several key economic reports.
CBN said the reports, including the PMI, business expectation survey (BES), inflation expectation report and other macroeconomic indicators, will provide stakeholders with timely and accurate insights into the country’s economic performance.
The last PMI report and business expectation survey released by CBN was on December 23, 2020.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has set up four panels to investigate the petitions against 27 judges of federal and state courts.
The decision to probe the judges was reached during the NJC’s 106th meeting on Thursday and Friday, presided over by Olukayode Ariwoola, the outgoing chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).
The NJC resolved to issue a letter of advice to Olusegun Olagunju, a judge of the Oyo high court, for using “uncouth language” in correspondence to Ariwoola, challenging the council on the appointment of the president of the customary court of appeal in the state.
The council also resolved to issue letters of commendation, appreciation, and non-performance to 215 judges of the federation.
“The National Judicial Council, presided over by the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its 106th meeting of 14 and 15 August 2024, resolved to issue a letter of advise to Hon. Justice O. M. Olagunju of the Oyo state high court to be circumspect as a judicial officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation,” Soji Oye, NJC director of information, said in a statement.
“The resolution was made after council considered the report of the committee it set up and mandated it to invite the Hon. Judge to appear before it to defend his uncouth language in a letter addressed to the chief justice of Nigeria, challenging council’s decision viz-a-viz its policy direction on appointment of president, Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo state.
“Council at the meeting considered the report of its preliminary complaints assessment committee on 22 petitions written against 27 judicial officers of the federal and state high courts and decided to empanel four committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.
“The remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lacking of merit, abandoned, or being subjudice.
“The discountenanced petitions are against Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, CFR, President Court of Appeal, Hon. Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru, and Abdulazeez Waziri, all of the court of appeal.
“Others are Hon. Justice J. T. Tsoho, OFR, Chief Judge Federal High Court, Hon. Justices Z. B. Abubakar, J. K. Omotosho, and Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court, and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Hon. Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Hon. Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court, and Hon. Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
“Petitions written against Justices Ayodele Oyeyemi Oyebisi, Amaobi L. Agara, Amina Garba, Bello M. Tukur, Omeka Elekwa, and O. A. Adetujoye who served at Asaba and Plateau National and State Assembly Election Tribunal Panels.
“Council also considered the report of its performance evaluation of judicial officers of superior courts of record and resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, no submission, and non-performance to 215 judges all over the Federation.
“It also placed five judges on its pre-sanction watch list register for poor performance. They would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance.”
More...
The federation account allocation committee (FAAC) says the three tiers of government shared N1.358 trillion in July.
This represents N4 billion increase compared to the N1.354 trillion shared in June.
On Friday, FAAC held its August meeting chaired by Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy.
According to a statement by Mohammed Manga, director, information and public relations, ministry of finance, FAAC shared the amount from a total revenue of N2.61 trillion available in July.
The revenue breakdown showed that statutory revenue was N161.5 billion, value-added tax (VAT) was N528 billion; electronic money transfer levy (EMTL) was N18.8 billion, exchange difference stood at N581 billion, and solid mineral provided N13.6 billion revenue, bringing the total distributable amount for the month to N1.358 trillion.
Out of the distributable revenue, FAAC said the federal government received N431 billion, the states received N473 billion, and the local government councils got N343 billion.
Also, oil-producing states received N109 billion as derivation fund (13 percent of mineral revenue).
The committee said the sum of N99.7 billion was given for the cost of collection, while N109.816 billion was allocated for transfer intervention and refunds.
Gross revenue available from the VAT for July was N625 billion — up by N62 billion compared to the N562 billion distributed in the preceding month, according to the statement.
Also, out of the distributable VAT revenue of N582 billion, the federal government got N87.3 billion, states received N291 billion and local governments got N203 billion.
“Accordingly, the Gross Statutory Revenue of N1,373.503 Trillion received for the month was lower than the sum of N1,432.667 Billion received in the previous month by N45.517 Billion. From the stated amount, the sum of N73.959 Billion was allocated for the cost of collection and a total sum of N1,137.951Trillion for Transfers, Intervention and Refunds,” FAAC said.
In addition, the gross statutory revenue balance was N161 billion, and out of this, the federal government got the sum of N58.5 billion, states received N29.6 billion, and N22.894 billion was allocated to local governments, while N50.4 billion was given as 13 percent derivation revenue to oil-producing states.
However, from the N19.6 billion ETML revenue shared, the committee said the federal government received N2.8 billion, states received N9.4 billion, and local governments received N6.5 billion, while N0.784 billion was allocated for the cost of collection.
FAAC added that oil and gas royalty, petroleum profit tax (PPT), VAT, import duty, EMTL, and external tariff levies (CET) increased significantly.
On the other hand, the company income tax (CIT) recorded a decrease, while excise duties increased only marginally.
The balance in the excess crude account (ECA) as of August 2024 stands at $473,754.57.
Nigeria was awash with news recently about the quantum leap in the quantity of fuel imports from Malta after revelations by Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
In 2023, Nigeria’s petroleum importation from Malta surged significantly to $2.8 billion, compared to zero between 2017 and 2022, and a mere $13.32 million in 2016.
Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), immediately denied Dangote’s claim, saying he did not have interest in any plant in Malta.
TheCable can now reveal the identity of one of the biggest importers via the tiny European country.
He is Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu, owner of Matrix Energy and member of the presidential economic coordination council (PECC).
In an interview with TheCable, however, Aliu strenuously denied any wrongdoing in his business practices and promised a full response to the newspaper’s questions.
‘SMALL PLAYER, BIG CONTRACTS’
In July 2024 alone, over 200,000 tonnes of petrol from Malta were discharged into the Matrix jetty in Warri, Delta state, according to an insider who shared confidential documents with TheCable.
“This represents about 25 percent of Nigeria’s monthly PMS consumption going to a relatively small player with only 150 retail stations,” the insider said.
The insider said Aliu is also leveraging his close relations with the top management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) to secure crude oil cargoes from the national oil company for his company.
“Crude cargoes are discretionarily allocated to Matrix Energy by the NNPC monthly,” the person familiar with the company’s operations said.
The crude allocations to Matrix are traded by Gulf Transport & Trading (GTT), a trading company registered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the insider.
“Two of the three crude cargoes of the recently launched Utapate grade were allocated to GTT,” the source said.
“The crude cargoes are typically sold at a $3 per barrel premium which translates to $3 million per cargo with no sweat. This implies a tax-free take of almost $150 million per year or N240 billion, at N1,600/$.”
On August 5, NNPC introduced the Utapate crude oil blend into the international market.
The new crude oil grade is from an oil mining lease (OML) 13, fully operated by NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL), an upstream subsidiary of NNPC.
‘FROM RUSSIA TO NIGERIA VIA MALTA AND LOME’
Matrix — which has three old ships (Matrix Pride, Matrix Triumph, and Matrix S.ILU) — reportedly loads diesel products exported from Russia in Lome, Togo.
It is understood that the diesel from Russia is typically off-spec and is often corrected in places like Lome and Malta through blending with other components.
However, on June 16, about 15,000 tonnes of diesel — loaded on May 26 from Novorossiysk, Russia, and transported by a vessel, MT Kallos — were reportedly transloaded into Matrix Triumph offshore Lome without corrections and discharged into Matrix jetty in Warri, Delta state, Nigeria, on June 21.
On June 19, another 15,000 tonnes were transloaded into Matrix Pride and then discharged into the Obat Oil terminal on June 22.
In documents seen by TheCable, the products from Malta were transported through intermediate ships and sometimes through intermediate companies like Poly Pro Trading registered in Dubai Free Trade Zone.
Their listed office at OneJLT Towers 05.015, Dubai, is a business centre without any physical presence, according to checks by TheCable.
“Malta is now the top European destination for blending and ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products ever since the Greek navy decided to stop such activities in their offshore zone,” the source said.
“About 35 percent of shipment into Malta is naphtha and other components which are blended into gasoline to produce lower quality ‘African Spec’. This lower quality spec is then transhipped into various vessels for delivery into Nigeria to be sold to unsuspecting public who suffer frequent vehicle and equipment breakdowns.”
An oil blending plant has no refining capability but can be used to blend re-refined oil (a used motor oil that has been treated to remove dirt, fuel, and water) with additives to create finished lubricant products.
Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm, says it is ready for a resolution of its dispute with Nigeria.
A Paris court recently ordered the seizure of Nigeria’s assets — including three aircraft — over the contract dispute.
The court ruled that the Chinese firm should use Nigeria’s jets at the Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports “as security for its claim of EUR 74,459,221”.
BACKGROUND
In 2010, Zhongshan, through Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Group Co. Ltd. (Zhuhai), its Chinese parent company, acquired rights to develop a free trade zone in Ogun state.
A year later, Zhongshan set up Zhongfu International Investment (NIG) FZE (Zhongfu), a Nigerian entity, to manage the project with the permission of the Ogun state government.
However, things took a different turn in July 2016 when the investor accused the state government of abruptly moving to terminate its appointment while attempting to install a new manager for the free trade zone.
Subsequently, Zhongfu initiated an investment treaty arbitration against Nigeria under the bilateral investment treaty between the People’s Republic of China and Nigeria (the China-Nigeria BIT).
The arbitrators had ruled that Nigeria was in breach of its obligations under the China-Nigeria BIT and awarded Zhongshan a compensation of around $70 million.
In January 2022, the Chinese company initiated a case to seek enforcement of the arbitration award.
Nigeria pleaded state immunity but was turned away by Sara Cockerill, a high court judge in the UK, who said the country abused the time frame for appealing arbitral awards.
On August 9, a US appellant court affirmed the judgment of the US district court for the District of Columbia, that held that the arbitration award is enforceable.
The court rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity defence.
‘READY TO SETTLE THIS CASE’
On Thursday, the presidency accused the Chinese firm of deploying “unorthodox and subterfuge” means in a bid to seize the assets.
Refuting the allegations in a statement sent to Premium Times, Zhongshan said it has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law and is confident in its case.
“The independent arbitral panel was found unanimously in its favour, and courts in multiple countries have upheld the view that the panel’s compensation should be enforced. The French court was fully aware of the facts when it reached its decision,” the firm said.
“Far from being just a fence, the Ogun Free Trade Zone was featured as a significant international investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“Zhongshan has for a long time been ready to enter serious negotiations with the federal government of Nigeria to settle this case and still awaits an indication that the government is equally willing.”
A lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on Friday, described Nigeria’s sovereignty as under threat following a report of the seizure of Nigeria’s three presidential jets in France.
Ejiofor spoke while commenting on the issues surrounding the report of the seizure of Nigeria’s presidential jet in Paris.
It was his view that; “We are no longer under any form of illusion that Nigeria’s sovereignty is under serious threat amid mountain debt concerns. unfortunately, Nigerians are not paying commensurate attention to this impending disaster.
“On August 15, 2024, three presidential aircraft undergoing maintenance in Paris were temporarily seized in strict compliance with a court order.
What an international disgrace!”
“The unfortunate reality is that with the Nigerian government’s growing habit of excessive and reckless borrowing, it is increasingly likely that we may one day wake up to find Nigeria’s assets and the entire Nigerians tied to foreign judgments. It is only a matter of time,”he said.