The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has advised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase oil production in order to take part in the $14 trillion investment opportunity in the global oil market in the nearest future.

According to the Secretary General of OPEC, Haitham Al-Ghais, around $14trillion in investments will be required by the year 2035 to fulfill global demand for energy, even in the face of increasing pushback against oil and gas across the globe.

Al-Ghais made this disclosure during a visit on Wednesday to the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari, at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

A statement by the NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, revealed that OPEC agreed with NNPCL’s view of broad-minded perspective on energy, opposing the perspective being advocated in some quarters that consider certain energy sources as adverse.

The statement read in part: “Furthermore, the Secretary General of OPEC noted that the oil bloc is striving to ensure market stability, adding that only through a stable market climate can Nigeria attract investment.

“We will continue to ensure that the market is stable. The global market has to be stable in order for Nigeria to be able to attract investors. If there’s volatility, if there’s no stability in the market, it will only create havoc for everybody, whether it’s a producer or consumer country. So, we will continue to do that in OPEC. We count on Nigeria’s support.”

On his part, Kyari said NNPCL was working very hard to recover lost production and provide the right fiscal environment to attract investments.

Despite achieving the highest figures of oil production at 1.6 million bpd earlier this year, Nigeria is still falling short of its 1.8 million bpd quota set by OPEC.

Nigerian citizens have heard promises from major stakeholders like NNPCL and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources that the country will increase its oil production to meet the quota.

However, numerous challenges continue to hinder crude oil production within the country.

One of the major problems is crude oil theft. The Federal Government is collaborating with NNPCL, security agencies, and third-party security organisations like Tantita Security Limited to combat the menace.

Despite efforts, the problem of crude oil theft persists and keeps evolving with new dimensions emerging daily.

It is crucial to note that, despite plans by the Tinubu administration to transition to natural gas for various applications such as industrialization, transportation, clean cooking, and fertilizer production, gas supply remains unavailable due to crude oil theft.

On a weekly basis, NNPCL records hundreds of crude oil theft incidents across the Niger Delta.

These incidents encompass illegal connections, illegal refineries, vessel arrests, and vessel AIS infractions.

[Leadership]

A 20-year-old admission seeker, Miss Temitope Elemide, has been reportedly raped and killed in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The victim was killed at the family residence at Bosero community, Olodo, in Odeda LGA.

Sources said the incident occurred on Sunday when hoodlums stormed the residence, raped Elemide and smashed her head.

It was gathered that the suspects took advantage of her being the only one at home to carry out the heinous act.

The victim was preparing for the next Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) before the incident.

The police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Wednesday.

Odutola described the incident as a murder case reported to the police on Sunday.

She said one Jamiu Salihu, 29 years, the victim’s boyfriend, had been arrested in connection with the heinous crime.

“There was a suspected murder report on the 25th of February from Odeda. The complainant said he met a lifeless body of his sister-in-law, Temitope Elemide, 20 years, inside the room stabbed with a knife on her head and body.

“There is one Jamiu Salihu, 29 years, the boyfriend who is suspected to have committed the heinous crime. He was seen coming out from the bush on the said day of the crime while finding a clue to the murder,” she said.

Odutola said one knife, two iron rods and a Techno phone were recovered as exhibits.

She added that the body of late Tope Elemide had been deposited in a morgue.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Odeda Local Government, Dr Folashade Adeyemo, has condemned the murder, describing it as tragic and senseless.

He urged the police and other security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

“Her untimely demise is not only a loss to her family and Olodo community but to the entire local government.

“In the face of this appalling tragedy, I urge all people of Olodo community to remain vigilant and proactive in ensuring the safety and security of our neighbourhoods.

“We must stand united against the forces of darkness that seek to disrupt our peace and harmony. It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to mind the company we keep, businesses we transact and report any suspicious activities or movements to the relevant authorities promptly.

“Security is everybody’s business. The government cannot do it alone. It is difficult for the government to provide security for all citizens without sharing relevant information.

“I therefore extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Temitope Elemide and the good people of Olodo ward,” Adeyemo said.

Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, on Wednesday stormed the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and to demand Certificate of Return for the Primary conducted ahead of the September governorship election.

The deputy governor also raised alarm that he was being threatened with impeachment for insisting that the right thing be done in the PDP in Edo State.

Recall that Philip Shaibu and Asue Ighodalo had emerged as governorship candidates of the PDP in Edo after parallel primaries were conducted on February 22, 2023.

Shaibu was declared the winner with 301 votes by a faction of the party loyal to him while Ighodalo, in another primary, held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, won with 577 votes.

But addressing journalists at the party headquarters, Shaibu said 28 of February 2024 was set aside for the collection of certificate of return for the winner of the primary by the guidelines released by the National Working Committee of the party.

He however said he was told “someone came yesterday and was given the certificate of Return, well, the court will decide.”

Shaibu said he was not interested in reconciliation because the other group were threatening him with impeachment and harassing him and his supporters, adding that unless he was given the certificate of return, the court will decide who is the real candidate of the party.

Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District and Chief Whip on the Senate, Ali Ndume on Wednesday disclosed that plans were afoot to provide strict sanction against the rejection of people living with disabilities.

This, he said, would be done through amendment of laws establishing the National Commission for Persons with Disability.

Speaking on Wednesday, when the FCT Para-soccer Team honoured him with an award in Abuja the lawmaker lamented the discrimination and refusal of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to engage persons living with disabilities.

He said, persons living with disabilities with relevant qualifications in their field of study should be employed to contribute their quota to the system.

He said: “This is the Para-soccer team of the FCT. They want to honour me. We’ve been supporting people with disabilities. These people have families and they have made us proud. They’ve won laurels for Nigeria. This team was founded over 30 years ago.

“I want to donate N1 million to support FCT Para-soccer. I’ll arrange for you to meet the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. He will give you all the support.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in his Renewed Hope Agenda. We’ll have the national event in a grandeur manner and all major political leaders will be there. We can arrange that this year. This year will be a year of Renewed Hope for every Nigerian.

“We’ll make it mandatory for every MDA of the government to employ people with disabilities. They’ll be placed in offices and respected, become chief executives of such government agencies, and permanent secretaries. We’ve had a disabled senator who was the Chief Whip.”

[DailyPost]

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has instituted two separate judicial commissions of inquiry to probe the management of the state’s resources and assets under his predecessor, Samuel Ortom’s administration.

Alia charged the two commissions of inquiry, which he inaugurated on Monday night, to scrutinize the former administration between 2015 and 2023.

He urged the two panels—the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Income and Expenditure of Benue State Government (from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023) and the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Sale/Lease of Government Assets, Companies and Markets (both state and local government-owned markets), as well as Moribund Companies (from or before May 28, 2015, to May 28, 2023)—to do a thorough job.

The governor explained that the setting up of the two commissions of inquiry to look into the activities of the outgone administration has become necessary in response to the desire of the people of the state, who are the major stakeholders and owners of the resources.

In their separate responses, the Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Income and Expenditure of the Benue State Government 2015-2023, Justice Taiwo Taiwo (rtd), assured that they would do a thorough job within the space of time available to them in line with their terms of reference.

Also, the Chairman of the Judicial Commission on Sale/Lease of Government Assets, Companies, and Markets, Justice Apollos Paul Idi (rtd), expressed readiness to work in line with the terms of reference given to them and come up with recommendations that would help the government move the state forward.

The Commission of Inquiry on the Income and Expenditure of Government Funds from May 2015 to May 2023 has Chief John Ochoga, Henry Tor, Tom Ujah, Ode Igbade Nick, Iorpenda Tarnguhar, and Terfa Gbande as members, while Barr. Ajinge Sar and Dr. Abraham Gberindyer are to serve as government counsel and secretary, respectively.

The Commission of Inquiry on the Sale of Assets, Companies and Markets from 2015 to 2023 has Clement Nenge Beetse, John Ogah, Dr. Terungwa Adzende, and Hon. Abraham Atotse as members, while Victor Nyamtamen (Esq.) and John Edigbo serve as government council and secretary, respectively.

Meanwhile, Ortom has said he welcomed the inauguration of the two judicial commissions by his successor to probe the activities of his administration between 2015 and 2023.

The former governor, through his media aide, Terver Akase, on Tuesday expressed willingness to cooperate with the probe panels as long as the investigation is carried out in line with the law.

Ortom stressed that his administration was built on transparency, accountability, and good governance as he emphasized his readiness to provide any information or clarification as may be required, urging his former appointees to equally make themselves available whenever called upon to provide clarifications.

The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), repatriated another batch of 147 irregular Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya on Tuesday.

Amb. Kabiru Musa, Charge d’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement.

Musa said the evacuees who departed Tripoli International Airport on Tuesday aboard chartered flight UZ 189 were expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on the same day in the evening.

“Under the continuous evacuation exercise of the Federal Government, which is supported by the IOM in Libya, We successfully evacuated another batch of 147 irregular Nigerian migrants who were stranded in Libya.

“The evacuees included 78 males, 55 females, 13 children, and one infant.

“They departed Libya successfully and are expected to arrive at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, where they will be received by relevant officials.

“We would continue to evacuate stranded Nigerians who have expressed willingness to return to Nigeria under the IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) programme, in line with the ‘renewed hope’ agenda of the present administration to ensure all citizens have a better life.

“We are also pleased with the regular repatriation exercise, which shows that a lot of Nigerians are willing to return home to contribute to the nation’s development,” Musa said. (NAN)

The Senate has constituted a nine-man committee to investigate the N30 trillion Ways and Means advances the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) extended to the federal government.

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, announced Senator Jibrin Isah (Kogi East) as chairman of the panel during Tuesday’s sitting.

The Red Chamber had, last week, resolved to probe how the loan was used after adopting the report of its joint Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Finance, National Planning, Agriculture and Appropriations.

The Ways and Means is a loan facility the CBN gives the federal government to fund budget shortfalls.

The loan facility has been a subject of controversy, with experts expressing concern that CBN had exceeded its lending threshold to the federal government, against extant laws.

Barau, in his remark before announcing membership of the committee, said the excessive borrowing caused inflation in the country.

He said: ““The financial obligation to the CBN now stands at N30 trillion. It is therefore imperative to interrogate the loans of the N30 trillion Ways and Means with a possibility of recovering whatever possible.”

Other members of the ad hoc committee are: Ekpeyong Asuquo, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Victor Umeh, Olamilekan Adeola, Sani Mohammed Musa, Aliyu Wadada, Abdul Ningi and Ipalibo Banigo Harry.

They were given four weeks to turn in their report for further legislative action.

The Senate on Wednesday, February 28, approved President Bola Tinubu’s request for the removal of Babatunde Irukera as Chief Executive/Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

Tinubu had on Monday, January 9, sacked both the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, and the Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera with immediate effect.

The resolution of the red chamber followed its consideration and adoption of a motion to that effect moved by the Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti Central) that “the Senate do consider the request of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the removal of Chief Executive/Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in accordance with Section 8(1)(bb) & (2) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act, 2018.

Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West) in his contribution, observed that Irukera had not completed his term of office before he was removed.

However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio in his response reminded him that it was not the duty of the Senate to question the president’s nomination or removal of persons in official positions, but to either approve or reject it.

Senators approved President Tinubu’s removal of Irukera when Akpabio put the matter to voice vote.

[TheNation]