NEWS
Wipe terrorists off, Buhari charges military officers
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Nigerian military officers to fight terrorists and wipe them off the face of the earth.
Buhari spoke in Jaji, Kaduna State at the graduation ceremony of 247 students of the Senior Course 44 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College.
Full text of his speech:
I am delighted to once again visit the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji Nigeria, on the occasion of the Graduation Ceremony of Senior Course 44.
2.Command and Staff courses hold great promise to the careers of mid-level officers of the Armed Forces. They prepare officers for tactical and operational level leadership, focusing on national security, joint planning processes, interagency cooperation and operations as well as multinational integration.
3.I am pleased to note that you have since inception of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, over 40 years, steadfastly kept faith with the ideals of the College.
4. The Armed Forces Command and Staff College has been pivotal to the achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Furthermore the College provides a broad platform for training of members of the Armed Forces of friendly countries and Senior Course 44 is no exception.
5.This Graduation is a milestone in the careers of the 247 graduating students today. You have made a success of this Course after 48 daunting weeks and I say to you all, Congratulations!
6.It is particularly gratifying to note that amongst the graduating students are international officers from sister African countries. Gentlemen, I am confident that you have enjoyed our friendliness during your stay here. I am also sure you would have observed that despite our diversity and challenges, Nigeria is still one of the most hospitable and enjoyable countries to visit and stay.
7.Your participation on the Course is a further testimony of our national security aspirations to promote international peace, friendship and cooperation. To the graduating students from Nigeria’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies, you have indeed justified the confidence reposed in you by your respective organizations. Congratulations!
8.We must specially commend the spouses of the graduands here for keeping the home front and without whose sacrifices there would have been no celebrations for many here today.
9.Most of the security challenges facing the world today are both asymmetric and trans-border in nature, involving mainly non-state actors in different regions and sub-regions of the world. The West African sub-region and indeed our beloved continent of Africa are not immune to these threats.
10.We have witnessed recent terrorist attacks in Nigeria bearing the hallmark of national and trans-border insurgents trying to cause havoc in Nigeria as well as in neighbouring countries. It will be part of your duty to confront these terrorists and insurgents and wipe them off the face of the earth and bring peace to our countries.
11.Consequently, the specifics of your training which focused primarily on countering these security threats are important. Combating these prevalent security threats effectively demands that African countries continue to work together at all levels; be it tactical, operational and strategic.
12.To this end, the ongoing collaboration of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger Republic and Chad in a multinational operation to combat the Boko Haram Insurgency in the Lake Chad region has been productive and particularly commendable and successful.
13.The synergy achieved in operating together must have been enhanced by an understanding of the doctrines of the cooperating forces.
14.This occasion provides me another opportunity to briefly reflect on the state of the Nigerian nation, particularly regarding national security. The last 12 years have been very challenging for our nation, considering the different security threats that have besieged the country.
15.Our government is poised to promote national security and development, as well as to remain committed to promoting a vision of a secure, safe, just, peaceful, prosperous and strong Nigeria.
16.We shall be employing all elements of our national power in ensuring security, a just society, peaceful coexistence, national unity and sustainable development while promoting our good standing internationally.
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17.The Armed Forces of Nigeria are working tirelessly to enhance their combat effectiveness, operational capability and training necessary to eliminate the threats, in synergy with other institutions and nations. The response of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, militancy, kidnapping as well as the activities of separatists and armed militias amongst others have been commendable. This government will continue to provide the required guidance and support to ensure that the desired results are achieved.
18.I am duly informed that in recent times, a lot of work has been done to expand and upgrade the facilities of the College. This is to provide a conducive and amenable environment that is fit for purpose.
19.This, you are complementing by ensuring that the College’s curricula speak to the critical needs of the knowledge, skills and aptitudes of the officers to face the dynamic contemporary national security challenges.
20.Your efforts are maintaining the status of the College as a mid-level military training institution of repute. I therefore commend the College Board as well as the Commandant and staff for these remarkable achievements.
21.This government will continue to support the College in its developmental strides. My administration will also continue to give priority to the training and welfare of officers and men of our Armed Forces.
22.Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me now return to our graduating students in whose honour we are gathered here today. You, the graduating students, should realize that the nation has made a lot of investment in your training up to this stage of your respective careers.
23.I am confident that you have been sufficiently groomed in character and learning to take-up the challenges you will be confronted with hereafter.
24.For the Nigerian graduating students amongst you, the graduation today is a clarion call to duty in service to our country. Nigeria expects the very best from you in terms of loyalty, commitment to duty and service to your fatherland.
25.Therefore, you must endeavour to make honest and positive contributions in the discharge of the constitutional responsibilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, your strategic Ministries, Department and Agencies and be good ambassadors of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College.
26.Let me once again congratulate the Commandant and his team for transforming these graduating students into the highly refined products they have become today. I also congratulate your families whom I expect would be proud of your successful completion of this Senior Course. I want to thank them once again for always holding the home front together as you are moved from place to place as duty calls. We must all join hands and play our part in order to take our country Nigeria to its rightful place of peace and prosperity.
27.I thank you all for listening and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has justified the activation of the Osun State Security Trust Fund on the ground of growing insecurity and public sector funding challenges facing all levels of government.
To show commitment of the state government, Gov Adeleke announced a contribution of three hundred million naira (N300m) to the trust fund.
On his part, billionaire philanthropist and brother of the state governor, Dr. Deji Adeleke donated five hundred million naira (N500m) while several businesses contributed various amounts.
The governor also used the occasion to announce the imminent sharing of refurbished Armoured Personnel Carriers and new patrol vehicles, declaring that “the administration is determined to maintain Osun’s record as one of the most peaceful states in the country”.
Launching the security trust fund at Osogbo, the governor decried the abandonment of the trust fund initiative by the Oyetola administration, describing the implementation of the trust fund as ‘long overdue’.
According to the governor, several states in Nigeria have established security trust funds. Osun started the process but this was abandoned under the immediate past administration of Mr Gboyega Oyetola.
“Our government decided to revive the initiative by updating the law and organising the launching today. A security trust fund is a matter of necessity considering the security climate in Nigeria and Osun state.
“We all know Nigeria faces security challenges. Yet, available public financing resources are limited. Governments at all levels then initiate public-private partnership to bridge the funding gap.
“It is neither a political project nor a self-serving policy. This is a necessary policy to secure our people. Only an irresponsible government will abandon the PPP arrangement that is working so well in Lagos, Kaduna, River states among others. Ours is a responsible leadership with people-oriented innovations, policies and programmes.
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“This Fund is designed to provide sustainable funding for modern security infrastructure. Through this Fund, we will establish a modern Situation Room with real time CCTV surveillance. We will continue the provision of operational tools required by our security agencies.
The governor appreciated all individuals, corporate organisations and stakeholders that have been contacted. “We appreciate your positive disposition. Today, I am inviting, for partnership, the private sector, financial institutions, development partners, professional bodies and all sons and daughters of Osun State.
“As a trust fund regulated by law, I assure you of strict accountability, transparency and due process in the management of the trust fund”, the governor said.
Secretary to the State Government who also doubled as the deputy chairman of the trust fund, Hon Teslim Igbalaye congratulated the governor for activating the Fund after its enabling law was passed as far back as 2012 while several special guests pleaded support for the initiative.
Public Policy analysts, government officials and other stakeholders have in Lagos hailed the strategic foresight and industrial courage of the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, describing the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a transformative national asset deserving of collective appreciation by Nigerians.
This position was strongly articulated at the 2026 Bullion Lecture, powered by the Centre for Financial Journalism, where the Director‑General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof Nnanyelugo Ike‑Muonso, declared that Nigerians owe Aliko Dangote a profound debt of gratitude for investing in the world‑class refinery.
Delivering the keynote lecture themed “From Resources to Prosperity: How Raw Materials Development, Value Addition and Innovation Can Catalyse Nigeria’s Industrial Renaissance,” Professor Ike‑Muonso said the refinery represents a decisive break from Nigeria’s long‑standing dependence on crude oil exports with minimal domestic value addition.
According to the RMRDC Chief, Nigeria had historically exported crude oil only to re‑import refined petroleum products such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), with little economic benefit beyond crude sales.
“That narrative has now changed. Instead of exporting crude and importing PMS alone, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery processes crude locally to produce PMS, diesel, dual purpose kerosene (DPK), and valuable by‑products for petrochemicals such as polypropylene. This represents complete domestic value addition.”
Prof Ike‑Muonso described the refinery as Nigeria’s most concrete example yet of how strategic industrial investment can unlock the full value of the country’s natural resources.
Against the backdrop of ongoing instability in the Middle East and its implications for global energy supply and price volatility, the RMRDC boss said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has emerged as a stabilising force and an African‑led solution to global energy challenges.
“With the far‑reaching consequences of the Middle East crisis on global energy markets, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery stands today as a monumental demonstration of strategic foresight, industrial courage and African self‑reliance,” he said.
“Nigeria should, in fact, be praying for Aliko Dangote at this time.”
Prof Ike‑Muonso also presented comparative data on raw‑material value addition across countries, including the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and Kenya, revealing that Nigeria records the lowest percentage of value addition.
He disclosed that the country loses an estimated $29 billion annually due to the export of raw materials without processing partly due to the energy deficit.
“Rather than exporting raw materials, Nigeria should be exporting processed raw materials and finished products,” he argued.
Identifying obstacles to achieving full value addition, the RMRDC Director‑General highlighted key structural challenges such as: Private infrastructure tax, resulting from companies’ reliance on self‑generated power; Logistics gaps, noting that only about 30 percent of Nigeria’s road network is paved; and Capability gaps within the industrial ecosystem.
He stressed that sustained industrialisation remains Nigeria’s most viable pathway to broad‑based economic prosperity, citing Dangote Industries’ investments as a model for the country.
Earlier in his remarks, Otunba Kelvin Dele Oye, Chairman of the Economic Research and Ethics Committee and former President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), also commended Dangote’s industrial contributions.
He decried what he described as an imbalance in the exploitation of Nigeria’s raw materials by foreign investors, often without meaningful value addition to the local economy.
Otunba Oye called for deliberate government policies and stricter regulatory vigilance to ensure that raw material exploitation benefits Nigerians, while enabling local investors to compete favourably with foreign players.
The event, which marked the 10th anniversary of the Bullion Lecture, also featured the unveiling and launch of a commemorative book titled “Pathways to Nigeria’s Socio‑Economic Transformation.”
The book, authored by Mr. Ray Echebiri, Chief Executive of the Centre for Financial Journalism, documents all lectures delivered since the inception of the Bullion Lecture series.
Photo Caption
From Left: GMD/CEO, Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak; Chairman, Sinoma International Engineering Co. Ltd., Yin Zhisong; Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, Yan Yaqing; President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; Chairman of the Board, Sinoma International Engineering Co. Ltd., Lin Zhisong and Vice President Oil & Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, during the Sinoma International visit to Dangote Head Office in Lagos
NEWS
Dangote Refinery Exports 1.1bn Litres of Aviation Fuel to Europe, Supplies 95% of Nigeria’s Jet A1 – AON
The Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as a critical pillar of support for Nigeria’s aviation industry, disclosing that the refinery currently supplies over 95 per cent of the Jet A1 fuel consumed nationwide.
Biztellers reports that the company also exported 1.1 billion litres of aviation fuel to Europe between March and April 20.
Speaking during a televised interview, AON spokesperson Obiora Okonkwo said the refinery’s output has played a vital role in sustaining domestic airline operations at a time of global supply disruptions arising from tensions in the Middle East and rising fuel costs.
“It is a matter of fact that over 95 per cent of aviation fuel supplied across the country comes from the Dangote refinery. To airline operators in Nigeria, Dangote is not just a refinery; it is a game changer and, indeed, a lifesaver,” Okonkwo said.
He noted that despite the refinery’s consistent supply, airlines continue to face severe operational strain due to escalating Jet A1 prices, which he attributed to sharp practices within the downstream distribution chain.
According to Okonkwo, some fuel marketers are allegedly creating artificial scarcity in spite of available supply from the refinery, leading to disproportionate price increases. He disclosed that airline operators have recorded Jet A1 price hikes of up to 300 per cent since the onset of the Middle East crisis.
“We consider this exploitation. The refinery has not indicated any shortage, yet we are witnessing artificial scarcity and unjustifiable price increases. What airlines pay does not reflect depot prices,” he said, suggesting the presence of racketeering within the market.
Echoing these concerns after a closed‑door meeting between the AON and the Federal Government, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, described the situation as deeply troubling, particularly given that the Dangote refinery sells its products at comparatively lower rates.
“The truth is that marketers must be called to account. How do prices rise by as much as 300 per cent when Dangote’s supply remains the cheapest and some marketers source directly from the refinery?” Onyema asked. “So, why the astronomical increase?”
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Meanwhile, the Dangote Refinery continues to expand its footprint in the international aviation fuel market. Industry data indicate that the facility exported approximately 876,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel to Europe within the period under review—about 456,000 tonnes in March and an additional 420,000 tonnes by April 20.
These export volumes underscore the refinery’s growing capacity and improved logistics, further reinforcing Nigeria’s emerging role in the global downstream oil and gas market, even as it strengthens domestic energy security.
Photo Caption
From Left: President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Museveni; President of Kenya, H.E. William Ruto, and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, Samaila Zubairu, at The Africa We Build Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday.
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