Following a successful one-year internship, intensive training and evaluation programme, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has deployed over 1,000 young professionals into its workforce.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this in a post on its social media handles, describing the exercise as a major milestone for the national oil company.

According to Ojulari, the newly deployed employees emerged from a rigorous process that included internships, training and performance assessment.

“Today marked a huge milestone for us as we officially deployed over 1,000 young professionals into NNPC Ltd after one year of internship, intensive training, and evaluation,” he said.

Ojulari noted that the recruitment exercise reflected the company’s commitment to merit-based employment rather than personal connections or background.

“Different paths, but the same door. And we opened it. That’s what NNPC Limited stands for today: not who you know or where you’re from, but what you can do,” he stated.

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According to Ojulari, while offer letters secured entry into the organisation, the employees’ performance during the internship year earned them permanent deployment.

“Their offer letters got them in, but their work this past year kept them here. They proved themselves day after day, under real pressure, and that’s the standard we’re building. Talent. Hard work. Fairness,” he stated.

Ojulari encouraged the new employees to contribute ideas, speak up, and take responsibility for their professional growth within the company.

He also urged them to remember the process that led to their deployment and to create opportunities for others in the future.

Charging the news employees to strive to make their marks, he stated, “To the over 1,000 newly deployed: you are not just our future. You are our present. Our energy. Our proof. So don’t hesitate to lend your voice, share your opinions, and challenge the status quo. Own your development.

“But don’t forget the wait. Don’t forget the process. Because one day, when you’re sitting where I am, you’ll remember this moment, and you’ll open that same door for someone else.”

The deployment comes as the state oil major continues efforts to strengthen its workforce and build capacity across its operations following its transition into a commercially oriented national energy company under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The NNPC Ltd announced its decision to employ new workers in July 2024 under the immediate past GCEO, Mele Kyari.

At least 18 migrants have died while attempting to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, following a large-scale rush by thousands of people trying to cross the border.

Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish city located on the northern coast of Africa, witnessed a surge in arrivals after migrants began making attempts to reach the territory, mainly by swimming from Morocco.

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A police source told AFP on Friday that authorities were unable to determine the exact number of people who successfully crossed into Ceuta after thousands gathered during the overnight attempt.

“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” the source said, adding that although the number of arrivals reduced compared with daytime movements, migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving” on Friday morning.

Reports of migrants heading towards Ceuta began emerging on Wednesday, with most of the attempts involving crossings by sea.

Footage from Thursday showed large crowds, mostly Moroccans, moving along the breakwaters at Tarajal Beach and into nearby roads. Among those attempting the crossing were young men, as well as families with women and children.

Rachid Sbihi, head of the local workers’ association representing Civil Guard officers, said most of the 18 fatalities were caused by drowning, while others died during a stampede as migrants attempted to force their way through the breakwater fence at Tarajal Beach.

The reason behind the sudden surge in attempted crossings remains unclear.

However, Spain’s Interior Ministry estimated that about 49,000 migrants entered Ceuta within a 24-hour period as they moved by both sea and land routes from Morocco.

In response to the situation, the Spanish government announced plans to deploy the military to support the Civil Guard in maintaining security in Ceuta.

Images released after the announcement showed Spanish soldiers patrolling areas around the Spanish-Moroccan border in the enclave alongside armoured vehicles.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is also expected to visit Ceuta alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to assess the situation.

Ceuta and another Spanish enclave, Melilla, have long been key entry points for migrants seeking access to Europe from Africa.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for defending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the electoral body should be allowed to address concerns over its credibility without presidential intervention.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Okonkwo faulted Tinubu’s recent remarks affirming INEC’s neutrality, arguing that the commission has not done enough to convince Nigerians of its impartiality.

“It is very sad. Any country that has a president who has morphed into the chief spokesperson of INEC is in trouble,” Okonkwo said.

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He maintained that unresolved issues from the 2023 general election, particularly the commission’s reported technical glitches, continue to raise questions about its credibility.

“You can imagine President Tinubu telling the whole world that INEC is neutral. The same Tinubu who, during the 2015 campaign, said they would form a parallel government if INEC rigged the election.

“The same people who were once critical of INEC are now saying INEC is neutral. An INEC that recorded a technical glitch in 2023 and has not satisfactorily explained it to Nigerians cannot simply be declared neutral. We are urging INEC to be neutral; as of today, it is not,” he stated.

Okonkwo also criticised the Tinubu administration’s performance in governance and security, arguing that it could affect the President’s chances of securing a second term in office.

“Tinubu should not even allow the election to hold; he should resign and go in peace,” he said.

The ADC chieftain also reacted to the recent Court of Appeal judgment that overturned an earlier decision directing INEC to deregister the ADC and four other political parties, describing the verdict as a victory for the opposition.

“I had boasted that ADC does not have any legal challenge because we know the only challenge it has is the APC trying to use some instruments in the judiciary to litigate us out of existence. We resisted them, and they are failing and falling like a pack of cards,” Okonkwo said.

He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to weaken opposition parties and limit democratic competition ahead of the 2027 general election.