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Adeleke Credits Judiciary with Key to Survival of Nigeria’s Democracy
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has highlighted the importance of equitable, just and fair administration of justice as a condition for the survival of democracy in Nigeria.
He made the declaration at the 2026 annual national conference of Egbe Amofin Oodua held at Ile Ife where he tasked judicial stakeholders to uphold the rule of law and ethical conduct on both the bar and the bench.
Represented by the Deputy Governor for Osun State, Prince Kola Adewusi, the governor recalled the current challenges facing the democratic process and concluded that the survival of the democratic process can be further enhanced when judicial officials and legal practitioners uphold the ethics of profession.
The governor spoke further in the keynote address: “The legal profession occupies a unique position in every democratic society because it serves as the bridge between power and justice, between authority and accountability and between the government and the governed.
“The theme of this conference, “Advancing Constitutional Democracy, Accountability and Responsible Governance: The Role of Law” goes to the heart of the challenges confronting our nation and indeed, every democratic society.
“Enduring democracy can only flourish where the rule of law reigns supreme. No society can attain sustainable peace, development or prosperity where laws are applied selectively, justice delayed or where citizens lose confidence in the institutions established to protect their rights.
“The Constitution remains the supreme expression of the collective will of the people. Institutions of Government, public office holders and the citizens are subject to its provisions. The strength of our democracy therefore lies not merely in the existence of laws but in our willingness to obey them and our determination to enforce them fairly and impartially.
“The judiciary has rightly been described as the last hope of the common man. However, for the judiciary to remain the hope of the ordinary citizen, its decisions and processes must continually inspire public confidence. The strength of the courts lies not in physical force but in the trust and credibility they command among the people.
“Our judges must therefore continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity, independence, courage and impartiality. They must remain guided solely by the law, the facts before them and the dictates of justice.
“Similarly, legal practitioners must see themselves not merely as advocates for clients but as ministers in the temple of justice whose ultimate responsibility is the preservation of the legal system and the advancement of justice.
“As a society, we must continue to insist on accountability within our justice system. Every perception of bias, favouritism, corruption, undue influence or sentiment in the administration of justice weakens public trust and diminishes the moral authority of the courts.
“Our nation cannot afford a situation where citizens continue to doubt the capacity of the legal system to protect their rights or resolve disputes fairly. Public confidence in the judiciary is one of the most valuable assets of any democracy and must be protected at all costs”, the governor posited.
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Gov Adeleke said the issue of judicial transparency has even become more critical in our electoral and democratic processes, noting that “judicial interventions in electoral matters must continue to be guided by law, evidence, fairness and constitutional principles.
“The confidence of citizens in democratic governance depends substantially on their confidence in the institutions responsible for interpreting and applying the law. When justice is seen to be fair, transparent and impartial, democracy is strengthened. When judicial outcomes inspire confidence, political stability is enhanced and national unity is reinforced”, the governor said in his keynote address.
He urged all stakeholders to remain committed to lawful conduct, democratic values and peaceful engagement, advising that “political competition should never undermine respect for the law or the integrity of our institutions”.
Personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta have exposed a camouflaged crude oil storage used to perpetrate crude oil theft in the creeks of the Niger Delta.
The naval personnel uncovered the illegal storage site during an operation code-named, Delta Sentinel, following intelligence received on suspected crude oil theft activities around the Ugbokodo Creek area of Delta State.
This was detailed in a statement on Wednesday by the Director, Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.
According to the statement, the naval personnel first carried out a search of the area with the backing of aerial surveillance.
“Although the location initially appeared free of suspicious activity, further observation and analysis of drone imagery revealed a large freshly dug reservoir deliberately concealed beneath leaves, planks, wood, and thick vegetation to evade detection.
“Subsequent exploitation of the site uncovered approximately 17,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil stored within the camouflaged reservoir”, the statement added.
The Director, Naval Information, added, “The site also showed clear indications of recent crude oil theft and was assessed to have served as a temporary storage point within an illicit supply network.
“The discovery highlights the increasingly sophisticated concealment methods being adopted by criminal elements to sustain crude oil theft operations.
“However, the integration of intelligence-led operations and aerial surveillance capabilities continues to enhance the Nigerian Navy’s ability to detect and disrupt such illegal activities.
“The reservoir, recovered products, and associated materials were handled in accordance with extant operational procedures, effectively denying economic saboteurs access to resources intended to support further criminal activities”.
The statement assured that the Nigerian Navy remains committed to sustaining pressure on crude oil theft networks under operation Delta Sentinel through persistent surveillance, intelligence-driven operations, and coordinated actions aimed at protecting Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and economic interests.
Global energy major, Shell has appointed former Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SN EPCo), Elohor Aiboni, as Executive Vice President and Country Chair Nigeria.
The appointment makes her the first Nigerian and first woman to hold the combined position in the company’s more than six decades of operations in the country.
The appointment takes effect from August 1, 2026.
Aiboni succeeds outgoing Executive Vice President and Country Chair Nigeria, Marno de Jong, who is leaving Shell after a distinguished 34-year career with the company.
Aiboni brings a rare blend of operational, technical and international leadership experience gained across Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Brunei.
With over 24 years in the Shell Group, Aiboni has built an impressive record across the company’s offshore, shallow-water and onshore operations.
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In 2021, she made history as the first female Managing Director of SNEPCo, Shell’s deepwater subsidiary in Nigeria, becoming the first woman to lead a Shell exploration company in Nigeria.
Under her leadership, the flagship Bonga deepwater asset achieved the landmark production of its one-billionth barrel of oil in 2023 while maintaining strong operational performance.
She later moved to Brunei Shell Petroleum in 2024 as Asset Director, where she has been responsible for asset performance, production delivery and project execution.
Industry observers view her return to Nigeria as a strategic move at a critical period for Shell’s business, as the company advances major investment projects including Bonga North and offshore gas developments aimed at boosting Nigeria’s energy output.
Announcing the transition, Marno de Jong expressed confidence in his successor’s ability to build on recent gains.
“I leave with fond memories of warm friendships and strong support from colleagues in Shell and our partners. I’m confident that Shell operations in Nigeria will continue to deliver value and growth under Elohor, given the strong leadership credentials she brings to the roles,” he said.
De Jong, who joined Shell in 1992, led the company’s Nigerian operations through a period of significant transformation, overseeing strong performance at the Bonga asset and helping advance key investment decisions, including the HI gas project and the Bonga North development.
Responding to her appointment, Aiboni pledged to build on the foundation laid by her predecessor.
“I’m excited at the opportunity to continue to contribute to the efficient delivery of Shell’s business in Nigeria and thereby power progress in a country we’ve been part of for more than 60 years. Marno has led from his heart these six-plus years, sustaining operations and breaking new ground in project delivery and growth. It’s a legacy I’m keen to build on with the support of colleagues and other stakeholders,” she said.
Aiboni’s appointment further reinforces the growing influence of Nigerian professionals in the global energy industry and represents a major milestone for diversity and local leadership within Shell’s worldwide operations.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has expressed confidence that Nigeria can increase crude oil production to 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd), following recent gains that pushed output to a peak of 1.86 million bpd in May.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, made teh disclosure on Wednesday at a meeting with the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, at the NRS headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement, Eyesan said the country’s oil sector has returned to a growth path, noting that production is steadily improving despite existing challenges.
“We are back to production. We are ramping up now, and we want to continue working,” she said.
She said addressing infrastructure gaps and improving asset integrity across the sector would be critical to sustaining output growth.
“We still recognise the constraints. Infrastructure and asset integrity are major constraints, but we will work on these,” she added.
Eyesan also noted that human capacity development in the sector remains important for sustaining production expansion.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between NUPRC and the Nigeria Revenue Service to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in revenue collection from the oil and gas industry.
She commended reforms at the revenue agency, noting that the transition under the new framework had been smooth.
Eyesan said the commission remains focused on creating an enabling environment for investors and operators in the petroleum sector.
“We are here to enable their businesses, ensure that they survive, and that they succeed. And we want to grow the pie because when you grow the pie, everybody benefits,” she said.
She also disclosed that digitisation of NUPRC operations has been largely achieved as part of its reform agenda.
Responding, NRS Chairman Dr. Zacch Adedeji pledged continued collaboration with the commission to boost revenue generation and strengthen transparency in the petroleum sector.
“It is in the interest of Nigeria that we work together to grow revenue for the country in a transparent manner,” he said.
He added that the NRS would continue supporting royalty collection and other revenue processes in the upstream petroleum industry.
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