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BIG STORY

Borno Massacre: Boko Haram Mounts Checkpoints, Collects Levies, Says Senate, Reps Invite Buhari

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The Senate on Tuesday again asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to sack the service chiefs over their failure to secure Nigerians.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly, which said the security situation had deteriorated to a level, where Boko Haram mounted roadblocks in some parts of Borno State and collected levies from farmers, also asked the President to restructure the country’s security architecture.

Tuesday’s call for the service chiefs’ removal was the third by the Senate. The latest call followed a motion by Senator Kashim Shettima on the recent killing of rice farmers in Borno State by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Since Saturday when the Boko Haram insurgents killed no fewer than 43 rice farmers in the state, service chiefs have come under attack by Nigerians, who have demanded their removal.

On Tuesday, the Senate again joined the call for the removal of the service chiefs. The upper chamber of the National Assembly also demanded a probe into the allegations of corruption levelled against some military leaders.

The red chamber also stressed the need to urgently recruit 10,000 personnel into the civilian joint task force because they would know their areas.

Loss of Lives Too Many, Lawan Laments

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the session, lamented the recent killing.

Lawan said, “It is now important that the executive should implement the latest resolutions because they are not frivolous.

“Enough of excuses. Those who have nothing to offer in terms of securing the country should be shown the way out. The security of Nigerians should take the centre stage. Time has come to find a solution.”

In his contribution, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, said if the President should retain the service chiefs, he should retire them and constitute them into a presidential advisory council on security.

In the motion, Shettima noted that if Buhari refused to sack the non-performing service chiefs, it then meant that he had also failed in his responsibilities as commander-in-chief.

“Whatever it is that the present security chiefs are doing, is not working or at least not enough.

“If the President insists that the security chiefs are doing their work well, then the logical implication of such assumption is that the President himself as the constitutional commander-in-chief of the country has failed in his most rudimentary assignment of securing the nation. I hope the latter is not the case.

“Protecting the lives and property of citizens is the primary obligation of government and any government that cannot discharge this basic obligation loses any iota of legitimacy.”

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, who is from Bornu State, Ali Ndume, said the military should justify funds released to it because the soldiers at the war front were poorly kitted.

He said, “Soldiers at the forefront of the operations are sharing ammunition. They are not well kitted. Some of them don’t even have helmets or bulletproof vests.

“They don’t have new AK-47 rifles at the war front. Insurgents have started demanding levies to allow farmers into farms.

“Boko Haram has started mounting roadblocks. If the Federal Government is serious, we could wipe out an insurgency within six months.”

The Senators who contributed at plenary also demanded the return of foreign mercenaries to fight the insurgency.

Ndume said, “In the past, we had intervention in form of mercenaries which we rejected. We should stand up and do what it takes to secure our land.”

The senators also wondered why Buhari did not personally visit Borno State but resolved to send a delegation to commiserate with the beleaguered people

Buhari’s Senator Says President’s Best Not Good Enough

Also at the plenary on Tuesday, the representative of the President in the Senate, Baba Kaita, said Buhari had failed in his responsibility to secure Nigeria.

The Senator, who is representing Katsina North Senatorial District, stated this in his contribution during a debate on the motion moved by Shettima.

He also said the excuses for the poor performances of the military were no longer tenable.

Kaita condemned a statement credited to a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, describing it as irresponsible.

He stated, “I totally believe the President is doing his own best but then doing your best is not enough when we cannot see the result on the ground and this is what is happening.

“We cannot be mourning our citizens in and out every day. We cannot accept again the explanation coming from the military, every time there is an attack like this.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said hiring and firing of service chiefs remained prerogative of Buhari.

He said since their appointments were not tenured, they were free to remain in office once the President is satisfied with their performance.

Shehu said this in an interview with one of our correspondents amidst renewed calls for the sack of the service chiefs that trailed the last weekend’s killing of 43 rice farmers by insurgents in Borno State.

He said, “The answer has not changed. The same call was made during the time of Saraki (former President of the Senate).

“We have replied many times and our response has not changed. Service chiefs’ appointments are prerogatives of the President.

“Their appointments are not tenured, so the President can hire and fire. If the President feels satisfied with their performance, so be it.”

The presidential aide had, on Monday evening before the Senate joined in the call for the sack of the service chiefs, said a similar thing in an interview with Arise TV.

Reps Invite Buhari, Demand Explanation On Rising Insecurity

Also on Tuesday, the House of Representatives invited the President to appear on the floor of the parliament and explain the rising spate of insecurity in the country.

The House, however, did not specify when Buhari would appear.

Members of the Borno State caucus had moved a motion of urgent national importance on the killing of farmers in the state.

The sponsors were Ahmed Satomi; Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno; Zainab Gimba, Muktar Betara, Bukar Gana, Haruna Mshelia, Ahmadu Jaha, Ibrahim Bukar, Usman Zannah and Abdulkadir Rahis.

Part of the prayers was to invite Buhari to appear on the floor of the House and address the lawmakers in plenary.

Efforts by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and Chairman, House Committee on Air Force, Shehu Koko, among others, to have the prayer dropped proved abortive, as the lawmakers were sharply divided.

Gbajabiamila’s plea that a state of emergency is adopted instead was also rebuffed.

Some members, who were visibly angered by the move to change the prayer, chorused “no” each time the Speaker and other leaders attempted to pacify them.

The Speaker was forced to ask the lawmakers to have an executive (closed-door) session.

Trouble began on Tuesday when Santomi presented the motion but excluded the prayer urging the House to invite Buhari.

Instead, the lawmaker asked for a declaration of a state of emergency on the insecurity in the country.

Jaha, who is one of the co-sponsors, however, raised a point of order to fault Santomi for excluding the prayer to invite the President.

The lawmaker stated that the lawmakers were not representing themselves in the parliament but their constituents.

Jaha insisted that the prayer to invite Buhari should be included. Gbajabiamila, however, pleaded with Jaha to withdraw the prayer due to the nature of the security issues.

Ado-Doguwa said though he was in support of the motion, it would be out of place to invite the President to come to House to explain the security situation in the country.

While Koko said the leadership of the House should, instead, interface with the President, lawmakers in support of the invitation shouted him down, screaming, “No!”

The Speaker, who was surprised by the outbursts, said, “I am a little disappointed by these shouting downs. So, we are going to dissolve into the executive session to resolve this issue.”

Emerging from the closed-door session that lasted about 45 minutes, Gbajabiamila asked Jaha to make an amendment to the motion. Jaha prayed the House to invite the President as proposed in the original motion.

Earlier in his opening address, the Speaker said the Federal Government or the military could not claim to have reclaimed territories occupied by insurgents if indigenes of the communities could not live and work in the areas.

BIG STORY

Court Remands Woman For Allegedly Stabbing Husband To Death In Ibadan

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An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered the remand of a housewife, Olajumoke Olalere, 33, at Agodi Correctional facility, Ibadan, for allegedly stabbing her husband to death.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, who did not take the defendant’s plea for lack of jurisdiction, ordered her remand pending the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

She, thereafter, adjourned the case until March 5, 2025 for mention.

According to The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the police charged Olalere with a count of murder.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Akeem Akinloye, had told the court that the defendant on October 30, at 9.00 p.m. allegedly caused the death of her 39-year-old husband, Oluwasegun Tinubu.

Akinloye said the defendant allegedly stabbed her husband with a knife during a disagreement at their house, at Zone 5, Gbelu, Iyana – Agbala, Ibadan.

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BIG STORY

UPDATE: EFCC Grants Former Delta Governor Okowa Bail Over Alleged N1.3trn Fraud

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The Port Harcourt zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, a former governor of Delta State, over allegations of diverting N1.3 trillion in 13% derivation funds from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

Okowa was arrested on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after reporting to the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC at the invitation of investigators handling his case.

Sources confirmed that the former governor left the EFCC facility around 9 pm on Wednesday night.

A source under anonymity stated: “He left the facility at about 9 pm yesterday (Wednesday).”

“Okowa is expected to return soon to provide documents and answer more questions before the matter will be charged to court.”

The former governor is accused of failing to account for the 13% derivation funds, as well as an additional N40 billion, which he allegedly claimed to have used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Specifically, Okowa is said to have purchased N40 billion worth of shares in one of the country’s major banks, representing an 8% equity stake in the offshore LNG venture.

The funds are also alleged to have been diverted for other purposes, including acquiring properties in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State.

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BIG STORY

Oil Marketers Respond To Dangote Refinery Claims, Say SON, NMDPRA Certify Imported Petrol

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The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) certify the imported Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, that is imported into Nigeria, oil marketers have said.

They disclosed this on Thursday in response to claims by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery that off-spec petroleum products were imported into the country by dealers.

On Tuesday, the refinery informed Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited and other oil marketers that the deregulation of the downstream oil sector should not be used as a justification for the importation of off-spec petroleum products or the undermining of Nigeria’s national interests.

Oil marketers denied this claim on Thursday, with the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, Robert Dickerman, revealing that his firm signed a 13-year agreement with the Dangote refinery to distribute the refinery’s petroleum products through pipelines.

Dickerman pointed out that independent inspectors, NMDPRA, and SON, among others, “inspect our products, so we can’t bring in off-spec products into this country.”

His position was confirmed by SON, as an impeccable source at the agency told one of our correspondents that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria was involved in the testing of imported petroleum products.

The official added that the organisation operates its own laboratory facility to check if the commodities are off-spec or not.

“Yes, We are involved in the testing of petroleum products when they come into the country. We are involved in that. We have our laboratory facility where these tests are conducted. It’s to ensure if the commodities meet regulatory standards or off-spec,” the official said.

A major marketer also kicked against the claim that dealers import off-spec products into the country, particularly since the downstream oil sector was deregulated by the Federal Government.

“I once told you what we went through when we brought in our imported cargo of petrol. The product underwent a lot of laboratory tests. I know the NMDPRA carries out tests on imported products. They took a sample of our recent import when it was still in the mother vessel at Atlas Cove before it was moved to Apapa.

“At the point of discharge, they took the sample again before allowing us to put it in our tanks. The NMDPRA has certified laboratories that they use. We have our laboratory, but the NMDPRA will not allow you to do your test without them certifying the product by themselves.

“The testing is in three stages, the one in Atlas Cove when the vessel lands in Nigeria. When the product moves to your point of discharge, they will do another test before they allow it into your tanks and aside from that, the day you want to start loading they will carry another test,” the marketer, who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, Dickerman said the clarification became necessary to debunk the statement from the Dangote refinery, which accused Pinnacle of plans to blend substandard petrol in Nigeria.

The Dangote refinery had also said the Pinnacle MD approached it, pleading with the refinery to extend pipelines to its tank farms in order to blend substandard imported petroleum products with its ‘high-quality’ ones.

Reacting, Dickerman described the statement as defamatory, inaccurate, and intentionally misleading.

The managing director said it proposed and invested in pipelines to distribute petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, saying pipeline transfer is far less costly than distribution by ship or trucking across the country.

According to him, when the project was proposed to Dangote, it wholeheartedly agreed and signed a 13-year interconnection agreement with Pinnacle Oil.

“On November 5, Dangote issued a Press Release titled, ’Pinnacle Oil and Gas FZE: Our Stand’. It is unfortunate and deeply concerning that this release contained several statements that are defamatory, inaccurate and intentionally misleading. Further, it advocated a national policy that would cause severe economic damage to Nigerians by raising the cost of petrol above global market prices and higher than they are today.

“In our effort to further enhance distribution efficiency, we proposed and invested in pipelines to distribute petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, as pipeline transfer is far less costly than distribution by ship or trucking across the country. When we proposed this project to Dangote, they wholeheartedly agreed and signed a 13-year interconnection agreement with us.

“In addition, Dangote facilitated our process of achieving regulatory approval by writing two Letters of No Objection to the regulator to enable our project to proceed. The agreement to allow us to interconnect our pipeline to them was agreed actually in 2022 and I think it was signed in early 2023. So it was about two years ago that we actually reached this agreement, and it was done very comprehensively, from a commercial and a legal standpoint,” Dickerman stated.

He narrated that a lot of processes had gone into the project since it was signed, including the engineering design for the pipelines, surveying, getting the right of way, and letters of no objections from anyone who could be affected by the pipeline.

“There’s a whole bunch of stages to a project. This is not unlike any other construction project. It’s a very simple and straightforward process. This was done first. There was never a hint that this was not a good deal for both parties ever. So, it’s just not true that they opposed it. It’s simply not true that they opposed it. They supported it,“ the Pinnacle boss stated.

This came as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited denied a video clip that claimed the oil firm was selling dirty fuel from an NNPC Retail outlet at Keffi Flyover.

“We have carried out spot checks at all our outlets and found this claim to be false. The product was not, and could not have been bought from any NNPC Retail outlet as the company does not dispense petroleum products into bottles or jerrycans as displayed in the video,” it said in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye.

It added, “NNPC Retail Ltd does not deal in adulterated products as it adheres to rigorous standards and quality control measures at every stage in its operations to ensure that only high quality, safe, and reliable petroleum products are available at its stations nationwide.

“Members of the public should discountenance the spurious claims made in the video and be wary of selfish and unpatriotic elements pushing such a narrative as they do not mean well for the country.”

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