NEWS
Crude Oil Theft: Why Peter Obi’s Allegations Against Nigerian Govt may be True
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
The deafening noise about crude oil theft in Nigeria has gotten to a level where no right-thinking person can continue paying a deaf ear to it.
With individual households carving in under prevalent economic pressure, which is biting hard with stagflation, there’s little doubt that the man on the street is being compelled to ponder what has become of the national wealth.
While those in authority have been quick to point accusing fingers at hoodlums, particularly the natives of the Niger-Delta region, those who know maintain that hydrocarbons are of such nature that they cannot be sneaked out of any part of the world without the authority being culpable.
This much the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi averred recently.
He also brought it to national consciousness that those behind crude oil theft, having been startled by his posturing that truth must be told are now masterminding his being taken out of circulation.
The elite class would rather that their well-thought-out, and overly played-out narrative, of pointing accusing fingers at criminal elements, especially in the Niger Delta continues to circulate.
But Nigerians appear to have had enough of that and have started going out of their way to share information with the public that buttresses why Mr Obi’s allegations might be true.
In a recent trending video making the rounds on social media, an anonymous vlogger went aboard what he described as “an anonymous vessel” which he categorically averred was capable of loading and lifting up to one million barrels of crude oil.
The male voice in the video described the vessel, as a Very Large Cargo Career (VLCC).
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The man who made or voiced the video appears very familiar with the operations of the oil industry and the security architecture in the sector.
Drawing from inside knowledge, he pinpointed universal vessel tracking standards, which the Navy of sovereign nations deploy to keep all vessels that sail into their territorial waters, for whatever purpose, under the radar.
The trackers, the voice said, aid the Navy in clearly identifying and monitoring vessels up to 1,000 nautical miles from the seaport.
The video showed a piece of equipment, that looked like a clock which he asserted was capable of helping the Nigerian Navy fish out each and every ship sailing into Nigeria’s territorial waters, and have it under the radar, each second of the day.
According to the voice, the Global Positioning System (GPS), Automatic Identification System (AIS) and, Long Range Identification Tracker (LRIT) were all at the disposal of the Nigerian Navy, which reinforces claims in an earlier interview by Obi, that the government officials were behind crude oil theft in Nigeria.
The 2’51” video showed vivid images of a vessel fortified with all the equipment the voice was referring to, to buttress that Obi was right that those, who have been raping the Nigerian economy by lending official channels for crude oil theft were capable of going after the presidential hopeful.
Beaming his camera on the VLCC, he said, “Now, there is no how that a vessel of this magnitude; ship of this size will sail into Nigeria’s territorial waters, load crude oil and sail out undetected, unnoticed.
“And they (the authorities) will be telling the world that nobody knows when the ships sail in, load Nigeria’s crude oil and sail out,” he retorted.
He emphasised that “the moment any ship enters Nigeria’s territorial waters, both the Navy and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) have good enough resources (human and equipment) to notice and bring it under the radar, even before it gets into any form of activities.
“And the authorities would be addressing the people as if they cannot reason anything out.”
It does appear that the increasing outcry has gotten to the authorities, though, as relevant agencies of government have begun responding to the issue.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), on Wednesday went public with a vow to clear the air on the narrative, by getting to the root of the matter, with a probe.
Chief Executive, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, who personally signed the statement to drive home the importance, vowed that the Commission would investigate the operational and commercial activities of companies licensed to explore and produce crude in Nigeria.
He said, “One of the steps, in line with its (NUPRC) technical and regulatory powers, is to probe into the operational and commercial activities of exploration and production companies operating within the country.
”Komolafe added that the NUPRC would busy itself with determining the level of compliance or otherwise of the oil majors with the terms of their licences.
According to the CE, the main purpose of the probe would be “to ascertain the level of compliance with the terms and conditions in their (oil firms’) operational contracts, as well as the challenges impeding expected deliveries.
“The commission will particularly be interested in the mode of operation of the companies in relation to the approvals as per their operational licences, the level of conformity with the technical provisions and production terms, their level of investments to enhance capacity utilisation, and the challenges they are facing, especially those contributing to the current unacceptable situation.
“Beginning from Wednesday, September 28, the commission will be engaging all the exploration and production companies individually to get to the root of the current situation as it believes strongly that there might be more fundamental issues in the industry affecting expected output and deliveries beyond the much-touted issue of crude theft.
”Biztellers gathered that to demonstrate its seriousness over the matter, the NUPRC had already sent invitations to the identified oil majors to appear before it.
Other voices who have been speaking against crude oil, include elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), reinforcing his administration’s legislative engagement strategy.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, follows the resignation of Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who stepped down from the position to pursue an elective office in his home state.
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The announcement was made in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the Presidency, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart brings a wealth of experience in public policy, governance and legislative affairs to the role.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that the new adviser would strengthen collaboration between the Presidency, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the House of Representatives.
Olanrewaju-Smart holds a PhD in Educational Management from Lead City University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.
He is also an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
The 40-year-old policy expert was also a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In addition, he earned a Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations and served as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI, USA, where he focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.
His career in the National Assembly spans several strategic positions.
He served as Research and Media Assistant to the Minority and Majority Leaders of the House of Representatives during the 7th and 8th Assemblies before rising to become Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and later Chief of Staff to the Speaker during the 9th and 10th Assemblies.
In October 2023, Olanrewaju-Smart joined the Presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he held until his latest appointment.
His public policy portfolio includes contributions to several landmark legislations, including the Interest-Free Student Loan Act, among other reforms.
The Presidency stated that the appointment takes immediate effect, adding that President Tinubu is confident Olanrewaju-Smart will deploy his experience, intellect and commitment to strengthen legislative coordination and relations between the Presidency, MDAs and the House of Representatives.
Suspected bandits have abducted a serving High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, during a midnight attack on his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road, where the gunmen reportedly stormed the judge’s home shortly after he returned from Sokoto State.
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Sources familiar with the incident said the attackers fired several gunshots into the air to create panic before whisking the judge away.
No member of his household was injured during the operation.
Confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was taken from his residence around midnight.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” the police spokesman said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, immediately ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to begin an intensive search for the abducted judge.
“As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” Usman added.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, described the incident as a tragic development for the judiciary.
“Though I’m not authorized to speak formally to the press, this is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted at his residence is very disturbing,” the official said.
The official also disclosed that the management of the Kebbi State High Court has already met with heads of security agencies in the state to coordinate efforts aimed at securing the judge’s immediate release.
The kidnapping has heightened concerns over the security situation in parts of northern Nigeria, where attacks by armed groups and kidnappings for ransom continue to pose significant challenges despite ongoing security operations.
Authorities have assured the public that efforts are ongoing to rescue Justice Bunza safely and bring those responsible for the abduction to justice.
International News
Deadly Xenophobic Violence: Ghana Evacuates 1,000 More Citizens from South Africa
The Government of Ghana has commenced the final phase of evacuating its citizens from South Africa as deadly xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant unrest continue to escalate across the country.
According to Ghana’s Foreign Ministry, about 1,000 Ghanaian migrant workers are expected to return home on special flights scheduled for Sunday and Monday. The latest evacuation follows the successful
repatriation of 926 Ghanaians in recent days.
The ministry described the latest operation as the “final phase” of Ghana’s emergency evacuation programme for its nationals living in South Africa.
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The move comes amid growing violence targeting foreign nationals, with reports indicating that more than 160,000 migrants have fled South Africa over the past two months as hostility against undocumented foreigners intensified.
Among those who have returned to their home countries are citizens of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda.
South African authorities have confirmed that at least four migrants have been killed during the unrest, although some affected countries claim the number of casualties among their citizens is higher.
The protests have been driven by vigilante groups accusing undocumented migrants of taking jobs and contributing to crime.
However, analysts argue that migrants are being unfairly blamed for South Africa’s broader economic and governance challenges, including high unemployment and poor service delivery.
Ghanaian President John Mahama has strongly condemned the attacks, calling on the African Union to place the issue of xenophobic violence on its agenda.
He also criticised the South African government, saying it has not done enough to protect foreign nationals.
In a further diplomatic response to the crisis, Ghana earlier postponed a planned visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The West African nation also joined Nigeria in urging the African Union to address what both countries described as “Afrophobia” at its next summit.
The ongoing evacuations highlight growing concerns among African governments over the safety of their citizens in South Africa as efforts continue to rescue those affected by the violence.
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