Nigeria’s senate has established a special committee to investigate allegations made by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, the deputy majority leader.

This decision comes after Ashiru filed a motion on an order of privilege, following the NDLEA’s claim that they discovered illicit substances at his residence and arrested two of his aides in 2023, an allegation Ashiru vehemently denies.

NDLEA’s allegation came after the senator representing Kwara south said the agency is “the most corrupt and compromised government agency” in the country.

The senator said this while contributing to a debate on a bill seeking to establish an institute for drug awareness and rehabilitation last week.

While speaking on the floor of the senate, Ashiru said the NDLEA is attempting to undermine his privileges as a senator to speak on issues by making “unfounded allegations”.

“I want to assert that I don’t know what cannabis is, I don’t take alcohol,” he said.

“For my protection and that of other senators, we must do something about this.”

Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said there is a need for an ad hoc committee to look into the matter “holistically”.

“Dear colleagues, we must take this issue seriously. Injury to one is injury to all. We should set up an ad hoc committee to look at the issue holistically,” Akpabio said.

Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, was appointed chair of the ad hoc committee.

The committee is expected to submit its report within a week.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has refuted allegations of initiating a new lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Reports had suggested the refinery sought to nullify import licenses granted to NNPC and other oil marketers for refined petroleum products already produced domestically.

However, according to Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, the lawsuit in question has been ongoing since June and is slated for withdrawal by January 2025.

“This is an old issue that started in June and culminated in a matter being filed on September 6, 2024,” the company said.

“Currently, the parties are in discussion since the President Bola Tinubu’s directive on Crude Oil and Refined products sales in Naira Initiative, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).”

Dangote refinery said it has made tremendous progress in that regard and events have overtaken the development.

“No party has been served with court processes and there is no intention of doing so. We have agreed to put a halt to the proceedings,” the company said.

“It is important to stress that no orders have been made and there are no adverse effects on any party. We understand that once the matter comes up January 2025, we would be in a position to formally withdraw the matter in court.”

On October 5, the federal government said Nigeria officially commenced the sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in naira.

Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, has finally regained his freedom after serving a five-year jail term for bribery.

He was released from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Tuesday.

Lawan’s story is quite notable, as he was once the chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee tasked with investigating the multi-billion naira petrol subsidy fraud back in 2012.

However, his involvement took a dramatic turn when he was convicted and sentenced to prison in 2021 for accepting a whopping $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, the then-chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life as I step out of Kuje Custodial Centre, with a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial,” Lawan said in a statement.

“My gratitude is deep, I’m alive and in good health and high spirits to be with my family, friends and associates. I don’t take that for granted.

“I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life.”

Recall that Lawan, who represented the Bagwai/Shanono constituency of Kano state in the house of representatives, was accused of demanding $3 million from Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited (Otedola’s former company) from the list of oil companies allegedly involved in the petrol subsidy scam.

Video clips had made the round on social media at the time, showing Lawan stuffing wads of currency notes in his traditional outfit and underneath his cap.

He was arraigned on seven counts of bribery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

On June 22, 2021, Angela Otaluka, judge of a federal capital territory high court in Apo, convicted Lawan on all three counts and sentenced him to seven years in prison.

In February 2022, a court of appeal discharged and acquitted the former lawmaker on two of the three counts on which he was convicted.

The appellate court affirmed his conviction on one count.

The jail term was also reduced to five years from seven years.

In January 2024, the supreme court affirmed Lawan’s conviction and upheld the verdict of the court of appeal.