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The Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, has revealed that former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, was against the appointment of his son, Cyril, into the cabinet of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Recall that Okpebholo after his inauguration last week, appointed Cyril Adams Oshiomhole as the Commissioner for Health.
In an interview on Channels Television, Dennis said Senator Oshiomhole was against the appointment, noting he did not want the position for his son.
According to him, Governor Okpehbolo found Cyril worthy of the position because he was competent, adding that it had nothing to do with his father’s influence.
He said, “Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s son (Cyril) is a seasoned medical doctor, he studied here in Nigeria and went to the United States to also study as a medical doctor, he has everything he takes to be in the cabinet. Because he is Oshiomhole’s son does not forbid him from occupying a seat he is competent to chair.
“He will be in the cabinet as the commissioner for health. Cyril’s position has nothing to do with Adam, in short, Adams did not want it, he went against it but because of the vision of the governor have for the people of Edo, he made his mind to have Cyril in his cabinet, not because of his father.
“His father did not have any role or influence about it. We have made up our mind and not because this person is a son of who. Cyril has the competence and has worked in several health sector and the governor found him worthy.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned members of the public against fake Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) messages, purporting to show that foreign currency funds have been transferred to them by foreign entities.
SWIFT is a network that banks use to communicate with each other securely, mainly to give instructions for transferring funds between accounts.
In a press release signed by its Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, the apex bank said that in recent times there has been an increase in cases of fake SWIFT messages being presented as evidence that funds have been remitted to a beneficiary’s bank account within the country whereas no such transaction actually took place.
The regulator, which advised members of the public to be careful with unauthentic SWIFT messages, said it will not hesitate to report any bank customer, “making unsubstantiated and illegitimate claims to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.”
The press statement reads: “Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been inundated with claims by private entities, individuals, law firms and government agencies that foreign currency funds allegedly transferred to them by foreign entities have yet to be credited to their accounts with Nigerian banks. In some instances, the claimants alleged that the funds were withheld by either the beneficiary bank in Nigeria or the CBN and requested the assistance of the Bank towards releasing the funds to them. The requests are usually supported with fake documents such as SWIFT MT103, SWIFT Ack copy, etc.
“It has become imperative to state that the SWIFT ack copy and SWIFT MT103 that these claimants usually attach as evidence of remittance to beneficiary banks in Nigeria are not reliable.
“The SWIFT messages are always not traceable on the SWIFT platform, and the funds have not been received to enable their application to the beneficiary’s account.
“In a situation where a fund transfer beneficiary’s receiving bank claims non-receipt of funds remitted by the foreign entity (sending customer), instead of escalating such issue to CBN or Law Enforcement Agencies, the standard practice is for the sending customer to contact the sending bank to send a tracer to trace where the fund is hanging and recall it.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state emphatically that the CBN neither provides correspondent banking services for Nigerian banks in foreign payments nor maintains accounts for private business entities.
“Consequently, the petitioners’ claim that the alleged expected inflows for onward credit into the accounts of private business entities are trapped in the CBN is not only spurious but deceitful.
“The general public is therefore advised to be careful with such unauthentic SWIFT messages and documents containing spurious claims of non-application of substantial foreign currency funds allegedly transferred into the beneficiary’s account.
“The CBN will not hesitate to report any bank customer making unsubstantiated and illegitimate claims to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution. Please be guided accordingly.”
Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, has asked the upper legislative chamber to support Uchenna, the wife of the late lawmaker, Ifeanyi Ubah, to succeed him.
Ndume spoke during a valedictory session held on Tuesday in the senate to honour the late Anambra south senator.
The lawmaker died in July at the age of 52.
Ndume told his colleagues that Ubah’s wife should succeed him in the senate to preserve his “legacy and aspirations”.
“This has happened before. When Chuba Okadigbo, a great politician, passed away, his wife, Margery, joined the senate and carried on his legacy,” he said.
“Similarly, our first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, served in this chamber, largely supported by the goodwill of Lagosians and the legacy of her husband, who was a former governor. In fact, she told me that her dream was to be a pastor.
Ndume said Abdulaziz Yar’Adua sustained the political legacy of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua by joining the senate.
“Senator (Iyabo) Obasanjo, if you remember, is the daughter of general Obasanjo. Sitting in front of me is Dafinone, his father was a great senator.
“What I want to appeal to you, Mr. President, is that we keep the spirit and aspirations of Ifeanyi alive.
“His wife, fortunately, is around 50 years old and has been a wonderful support system to him.
“Finally, Mr. President, my appeal to you and distinguished colleagues, his wife, fortunately, is 50 years or so. A wonderful wife.
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“Let us support the family to have a spirit representative of Ifeanyi here in the chamber when the election of Anambra of the senatorial district that he represents comes up.
“This will ensure continuity and honour for the Anambra south senatorial district.”
MEMBERSHIP OF THE SENATE
Senate membership is neither automatic nor transferable from one individual to another.
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According to section 65 of the 1999 Constitution, a person can only become a member of the senate through election.
The person shall be qualified for election if he or she has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent, is a member of a political party, and is sponsored by that party.
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke on Tuesday approved payment of N75,000.00 as a new minimum wage for workers in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo.
According to the statement, “The Organised Labour in Osun State and State Government after exhaustive deliberations have decided on N75,000.00 as the new minimum wage in Osun State”
Details later…
Doyin Okupe, former director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign, has criticized Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, for lacking a concrete policy document to support his “consumption-to-production” mantra during the election campaign.
Speaking on Tuesday while reviewing President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Okupe claimed that Tinubu presented a superior policy framework compared to his opponents in the 2023 elections.
He argued that the president has been methodical in implementing the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which includes paying off crippling debts to stabilize the economy.
“Tinubu has a better policy document than any of his two rivals during the 2023 presidential election,” Okupe stated, as reported by NAN.
Okupe also criticized Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, stating that his plans were overly reliant on theoretical loan arrangements.
He claimed that Atiku’s proposals were impractical given Nigeria’s financial situation at the time, as international institutions were unwilling to provide loans.
Addressing Peter Obi’s campaign, Okupe noted that the Labour Party failed to provide a policy document that could guide its vision.
“All we were saying was that we wanted to take Nigeria from consumption to production; good rhetoric, but it was not grounded either in policy development or principle application,” he said.
Okupe praised Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly his efforts to address foreign exchange challenges and tax reforms, which align with his campaign promises.
He highlighted Tinubu’s focus on systematic and practical solutions, adding, “Though I never supported Tinubu ahead of the election and we were not in the same party, in retrospect, his reform agenda is the most credible.”
Okupe concluded by emphasizing that Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” is effectively addressing Nigeria’s current challenges and has the potential to elevate the country to new heights.
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have ambushed a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) monitoring team on Monday in Farin-Kasa, Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack occurred while the operatives were inspecting the National Grid installation in Shiroro, Niger State.
In a statement, NSCDC spokesperson DCC Afolabi Babawale revealed that the team, consisting of nine officers and 71 other ranks, had been deployed to address recent power line attacks that caused blackouts in northern Nigeria.
While patrolling, the operatives encountered stranded expatriates near Dagwachi Village and offered them safety in their convoy. However, the team fell into a deadly ambush by over 200 armed Boko Haram militants positioned on a hilltop, who unleashed heavy gunfire on the convoy.
Despite the ambush, the NSCDC operatives fought back with resilience, neutralizing more than 50 insurgents during the clash.
“As they patrolled vulnerable areas, they encountered stranded expatriates near Dagwachi Village and allowed them to join the convoy for safety. Unbeknownst to the team, over 200 armed Boko Haram militants had laid a deadly ambush from a hilltop, ready to unleash a torrent of gunfire on the unsuspecting convoy,” he said.
“Determined and resourceful, the NSCDC operatives fought back valiantly, managing to neutralise over 50 insurgents during the exchange. However, the chaos left seven officers unaccounted for, prompting an urgent search in the bush for their whereabouts. Those who sustained injuries are currently receiving medical treatment.”
NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly act against those safeguarding the nation.
He commended the bravery of the operatives and reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure amidst growing security threats.
A 17-year-old male, Samuel Onyeme, was reportedly assaulted and confined within a dog cage last weekend for visiting a female classmate, Miss Anastasia Celestine.
The incident occurred when Onyeme arrived at his classmate’s home at approximately 6:00 PM.
The victim’s mother, Mrs. Onyeme, informed journalists on Monday, noting that her experience at Mr Celestine’s residence was more helpful.
She said, “My son, Samuel, a 17-year-old Senior Secondary student of Redeemers International High School, Asaba, Delta State, on Sunday, visited his classmate, Anastasia Celestine, at her residence after she invited him.
“My son said they were having a discussion outside the house of Mr Celestine when he was brutally assaulted by her father and his two sons.
“They attacked him on the street, dragged him into their compound, and inflicted severe physical injuries on him. You see his head, he said they used wooden planks and locked him inside a dog cage.
“During the assault, they confiscated his mobile phone and called me (mother), deceiving me into coming to the scene. Upon my arrival, I was deprived of seeing him for two hours.”
She said her daughter, Jessica, who was outside attempting to seek help, was also subjected to assault by members of the Celestine family when she tried to re-enter the compound.
“The situation escalated when Ben, the other of my sons, who is the elder brother to Samuel, contacted a family friend, who then reached out to a human rights organisation before they mobilised police, officers were mobilised to rescue Samuel from the dog cage around 10:00 pm that night,” the mother added.
A human rights advocate, Victor Ojei, who alerted the Delta State Police Command about a troubling incident, stated on Tuesday that he took the initiative to engage the police, leading to the rescue of Samuel from a dog cage. He condemned the act as both barbaric and inhumane.
In a formal petition directed to the Commissioner of Police at the Delta State Police Command, Ojei urged for an immediate investigation and prosecution of Celestine and his sons on charges of kidnapping, unlawful detention, assault, and attempted murder in accordance with Nigerian Criminal Law and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Laws.
The petition was also sent to the Attorney General of the Ministry of Justice in Asaba, Delta State, and the State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission in the same city, emphasizing the need for justice in this matter.
The petition reads: “One Onyeme Ben contacted a family friend, who then reached out to our organisation. Following our report to the Delta State Police, officers were mobilised, and Master Onyeme Samuel was rescued from the dog cage around 10:00 pm that night.
“Based on the above facts, Mr Celestine and his sons have committed criminal offences, which include unlawful detention of Mrs Onyeme Onome for two hours against her will and the forcible confinement of Master Onyeme Samuel in a dog cage from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. which contravenes Section 364 of the Criminal Code Act.
“The brutal assault on Master Onyeme Samuel using wooden planks, resulting in multiple injuries and psychological trauma, is a violation of Section 355 of the Criminal Code Act.
“Attempted murder; threats to pour fuel and set Master Onyeme Samuel ablaze amount to attempted murder under Section 320 of the Criminal Code Act.”
The victim, Samuel, is presently undergoing treatment at the Asaba Specialist Hospital due to physical injuries and psychological trauma sustained during the incident.
Upon inquiry, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, SP Bright Edafe, stated that he had not received any report regarding the incident at the time this report was prepared.
The lawmaker representing Imo West senatorial district, Osita Izunaso, on Tuesday disclosed that he attended a meeting in London during which late Anambra South senator, Ifeanyi Ubah, promised Senate President, Godswill Akpabio that he would join the ruling party, APC.
Izunaso stated this during the valedictory session organised by the Senate in honour of the late senator.
According to Izunaso, part of the agreement reached during the meeting held in London was that Ubah would dump the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Izunaso said, “When Ifeanyi Ubah was about to join the All Progressives Congress, he invited me as a witness to have our popular London meeting with you Mr President.
“In that London accord, you (Akpabio) asked Ifeanyi Ubah two questions – ‘are you (Ubah) sure you are going to join APC?’ Ifeanyi said ‘yes, I’ll join APC.’ You asked him this question: ‘but I am aware that your (Ubah) matter is still in court. Are you going to tell us that it is after you finish with the court battle that you will join us?’ Ifeanyi said ‘No, I am joining APC.’ That deal was sealed and Mr President of the Senate said, ‘the moment I (Akpabio) return to Nigeria, I will go and see the Commander-in-Chief and I (Akpabio) will tell him that Ifeanyi Ubah wants to join APC.’
“Mr President, that London accord, Ifeanyi Ubah kept to his words and you also kept to your words and within a very short period of time, he (Ubah) joined our party and transformed APC in Anambra State. That is the man Ifeanyi Ubah.”
Ubah defected to the ruling APC in October 2023. He was the sole YPP senator from 2019 till his defection.
Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has called upon Mkor Aondona, the Special Adviser to the current Governor on Research and Documentation, to retract the recent allegations of financial misconduct he made against him.
He added that should Aondona fail to do so, he must be prepared to substantiate his claims in a court of law.
Naija News reports that formal notice from Ortom’s legal representative, Barr. S. E. Irabor, was sent to Aondona and delivered through the office of the Secretary to the Benue State Government. The notice asserts that Aondona’s actions constitute cyberstalking, criminal defamation, malicious falsehood, and libellous online publication against the former governor.
Irabor stated: “On November 8, 2024, you published a damaging post on your Facebook page (Mkor Aondona Donatus) with the title – ‘May God Almighty Never Allow The Wickedness Of An Ortom To Overshadow His Glory!
“What followed this banal headline was a godless cacophony of mischievous, malicious and malevolent webs of lies that bothered on the utterly ridiculous.”
He went further to allege that Mkor’s publication on social media deeply harmed Ortom’s hard-earned reputation in the eyes of the public.
“By your deliberate design, you ensured that these defamatory and libellous falsehoods received prominent attention on social media platforms where gullible persons took turns to pour invectives on our client.
” By your latter Facebook post of 9th November 2024, you sustained your incontinence against our client and even scoffed at the suggestion of legal action against you.
“It is the brief of our client that the said publication is in all material particular false, unsubstantiated, concocted, malicious, mischievous, wicked, offensive, in bad taste and made in utmost bad faith to bring him to public ridicule, hatred and opprobrium,” he stressed.
He asserted that, contrary to Mkor’s claims, the previous administration led by Ortom did not allocate any funds from Benue for the proposed Cargo Airport at Daudu or the Igumale Cement Factory, nor did it make any payments related to any Memorandum of Understanding.
He further clarified that Ortom does not possess any water factory along the banks of the River Benue and has never been involved in any legal proceedings, either within the state or outside its jurisdiction, concerning tax evasion.
Additionally, he emphasized that Ortom never utilized imported industrial machinery intended for Benue State for personal purposes, as alleged by Mkor.
As a result, the demand notice requires Mkor to issue a letter of retraction and apology to the former governor regarding his false, defamatory, and libellous statements.
Furthermore, it stipulates that the Special Adviser to the Governor must ensure the retraction/apology is published in at least five national newspapers that circulate in Benue State, along with paid advertisements to the same effect during prime time slots on Arise News, Channels Television, AIT, TVC News, Nigerian Television Authority, Radio Benue, and Harvest FM Makurdi.
Mkor must also provide a written commitment not to engage in any similar false publications against Chief Ortom in the future.
Lastly, he must compensate the former governor with N1 billion as exemplary, aggravated, and general damages.
‘Would You Say This If Your Father Is Part Of This Government’ – El-Rufai’s Wife, Son Tackle Each Other On Presidency’s Response To Obasanjo
AFOLABI
Hadiza el-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai, has taken on her son Bashir on X (formerly Twitter) after he criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The heated exchange began when Bashir described Tinubu’s media team as “ineffectual clowns” for their response to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent comments on the 2023 elections and INEC.
Obasanjo, in his remarks on Sunday, referred to the 2023 elections as a “travesty” and called for credible leadership at INEC with short tenures to prevent corruption and restore public trust.
The presidency, through spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, fired back, accusing Obasanjo of presiding over Nigeria’s most fraudulent election and leaving behind poor economic policies.
Bashir took to X to question the priorities of Tinubu’s media team, saying, “Instead of addressing inflation at 33 percent, they are attacking Obasanjo. A mental illness seems to be permeating the team.”
Hadiza, in her reply, questioned her son’s stance, asking, “Would you be saying this if your father were part of this government?”
Bashir retorted, asserting that his father would have resigned by now due to the administration’s failures. “If my father were part of this government, he would have dissociated himself by now,” Bashir wrote.
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A medical doctor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Dr. Adebayo Orire, has stated that Nigeria must break up for it to experience meaningful growth and development.
Speaking in an interview with journalists at his country home in Ikoro-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Orire argued that the deep divisions and disunity among the country’s ethnic groups are major impediments to national progress.
The APC stalwart attributed the challenges facing Nigeria to structural and systemic flaws, which he said would continue to hinder the nation’s progress unless fundamental changes were made.
Positing that Nigeria’s break-up is inevitable, the chieftain said, “A nation like Nigeria cannot go on; it must break up. Either it prospers, expands, and flourishes, or it will break up into pieces. Either it is degrading, dispersing, or self-destructing, it must break up. The way forward is a break-up without killing and without bloodshed.
“If you prosper, you expand, and you multiply, but Nigeria is not even growing. Nigeria is not even sustaining itself, and when you are not sustaining yourself and you are a dry bone like Nigeria, then you break into pieces, and that is what is going to happen.”
Speaking further, he said, “IPOB wants to break, the Yoruba want to break, the middle belt is agitating, the Hausa people, either as Hausa or Arewa, they want to break.
“There is no way, if you look at it, that they will not break up because everybody is either Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, or Efik before they are Nigerian. Nobody is a Nigerian before their tribe, and we have not been able to synchronise ourselves; we have not been able to unite in the last 100 years. Why are we forcing ourselves? Why are we actually acting dumb?
“There is no Igbo nation, Yoruba nation, or Arewa nation that will allow what is happening in Nigeria now to happen to its nation, but you can allow ten times of it in Nigeria. We are destroying Nigeria.
“Everybody is a Nigerian as a bad species, but everybody is a good person as a family man and as a tribal man. So, why don’t we just be good? Why don’t we just give peace a chance? Why don’t we just give development a chance? Why don’t we just give sense a chance? How can people be killing one another, and nothing will happen? How can people be stealing trillions of naira, and nothing will happen? How can people be stealing political positions, and nothing will happen? It is all prolonging the evil days. I will always tell the truth and nothing but the truth.”
Speaking on the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the challenges in the country, Orire described the President as a very brilliant, seasoned, and experienced politician who could proffer solutions to the situation in the country outside the presidency, but expressed disappointment that since he became president, he has not been able to solve Nigeria’s challenges.
He said, “Call Tinubu out of the presidency, without being the president, and let him proffer a solution to the situation in this nation; he will do it in two minutes. I don’t know what has happened to him now that he is the president.”
The Secretary to the Delta State Government, Kingsley Emu, says the allegations against former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa are frivolous and politically motivated.
He alleged that the allegations against Okowa are sponsored by his political enemies in order to tarnish his image ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Arise News, Emu maintained that Okowa is a man of impeccable character and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has no case against him.
“From the allegations on expenditure and the projects that most of these resources were tied to, it’s obvious it is political. Because diversion could come in different ways, but to say that they were taken totally and completely to build private estates and for personal gains is one wrong assertion. Those are frivolous allegations. They are strictly political, they are targeted at 2027 and targeted at impugning the personality of Okowa.
“Okowa’s character is impeccable, that is the target. Okowa has a good history, a good record, and a good reputation country-wide,” he said.
The SSG insisted that Okowa, during his tenure as the Delta State Governor implemented several developmental projects in the state, insisting that unnamed detractors and political jobbers are behind the accusations.
“They are unknown political jobbers; they are faceless, using cheap propagandists to do the job. Senator Okowa has been to EFCC, and EFCC has the right to do every iota of interrogation,” Emu noted.
Addressing concerns about contracts awarded through the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Emu said all appropriations were done transparently.
“DESOPADEC is a well-structured organisation. Those appropriations are right. If you go to oil-producing areas, you will see major road constructions and bridges,” he explained.
On the allegations of financial misappropriation of ₦1.3 trillion in derivation funds and other financial irregularities against Okowa which has pitched the former Governor against the EFCC, Emu stated, “Most of, if not all, of those allegations are pretty spurious. We can’t even be talking about ₦1.3 trillion when the total receipt was about ₦2.65 trillion. So you’re talking about 50 percent of it diverted—that is not possible.
“EFCC have been writing letters to inspect and verify some of the projects that most of these alleged funds were attached to. I dare say that they have been very satisfactory because they are physical projects; you can feel them and you can see them,” he said.
Regarding reports that some officials who served under Okowa went into hiding following the allegations, Emu refuted the claims, saying, “That is very strange. I served under him… EFCC has not declared anybody wanted. If EFCC carries on a major investigation of this nature, which has been on for over four years, EFCC should have declared some of them wanted.”
Emu expressed confidence that the EFCC would clear Okowa of all the charges against him, maintaining that the allegations are all lies.
“Senator Okowa is very strong and confident because he knows, and the world knows, the discerning people know, that 80, 90, if not all, 100 percent of those allegations are lies,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of time, and this will pass,” he concluded.
The founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, says he is constantly facing threat to his life by the powerful people behind oil theft in the country.
According to him, the oil thieves are powerful people outside of the Niger Delta.
Tompolo, speaking at Oporoza, the headquarters of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, on Monday, alleged that some naval personnel, a few days ago, forcefully attacked operatives of the private outfit during the arrest of some suspected oil thieves along the Port-Harcourt creeks.
Speaking during a working visit of the Nigerian Bar Association national executive, led by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), to the oil-bearing community, Tompolo called for synergy between the Navy and other security outfits.
Tompolo noted that in the course of the surveillance operations to round up crude oil barons, Tantita had stepped on toes and had become the target of revenge missions.
He said, “While doing this work, we have stepped on a lot of toes of people over there in Lagos and Abuja. We have stepped on a lot of toes. As I am here, after my court cases, I cannot travel anywhere because of me and the key people (barons) fighting this battle.
“If I want to travel to Abuja to visit you, I must go with security. Even with two or three security personnel, none of them are happy with me, and they are now collaborating with top players involved in oil theft.
“Most times, you see that Tantita Security now has confrontations with the Navy and every well-meaning Nigerian knows the function of the Nigerian Navy and Tantita, but nobody wants to come out to face the truth.
“If we happen to arrest anybody now, we would get a lawyer from Abuja, Lagos or Ibadan to do the case very well.”
Tompolo expressed worry that efforts to checkmate crude oil theft were being sabotaged in some quarters.
“Some few days back, our people intercepted a vessel in Port Harcourt, where the Nigerian Navy was shooting at Tantita Security, with police, Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“We want to implore and beg you (NBA). You must play in this present situation, because if we are not careful in this country, maybe we will not have money to do any reasonable thing.
“All of us here know that Nigeria is facing hardship. A bag of rice is over N100,000.
“We are going to do our part locally. But you (NBA) are there at the top. If we make arrest today, lawyers would stand on the other side and this side.
“Can somebody come to load a vessel of 500 metric tonnes in this community? Nobody has that capacity; the person comes from Lagos, Abuja, or neighbouring countries.
“The man here would be a water boy for the people in charge. That is the one we would arrest,” he said.
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, for comments on the issue, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
A female official in the Naval Public Relations Office who picked up telephone calls from our reporter simply said she “had been transferred to Lagos,” just as she maintained that “Commodore Adams-Aliu is in the best position to react to the issue.”
Speaking earlier during a courtesy call on the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, in his palace, the NBA President expressed delight over the recent announcement from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that oil production had risen to 1.8 million barrels per day, with a promise to increase it up to 2 million bpd by the end of this year.
“If the oil production keeps going up, it will benefit all of us and the government will be able to provide for the needs of the people,” he stated.
Consequently, the NBA president maintained that “there is a need to stem the theft of our commonwealth.
“The fight against oil theft is more desirable now, more than ever before, because Nigeria is borrowing so much to fund its budget and cannot meet the needs of Nigerians.”
While lamenting over continuous borrowing by the Federal Government to fund the budget, the NBA President maintained that “if the leakages in oil production are well blocked, it will go a long way in boosting the country’s earnings.”
The NBA team also noted with concern that oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta had adversely impacted the region “as manifested in the environmental pollution and degradation of most of the host communities.”
On this, the NBA President said, “We resolved to make an on-the-scene assessment of the oil-bearing communities to see the hardship they are suffering.
“The NBA is interested in the issues of oil theft coupled with the effects of environmental pollution and environmental degradation as a result of oil exploration on the host communities.
“The irony is that these communities that bear the responsibilities of the nation’s oil wealth do not enjoy the wealth as most of the cities in the country.”
He continued, “Our branches in the oil-bearing areas should be interested in the issues of oil theft which goes on in many communities because it has affected our national economy and also impacted negatively on the ability of the government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“It has also impacted negatively on our foreign reserves. It has adversely affected Nigeria’s ability to meet its minimum OPEC quarter for oil production. We felt that the matter should be taken seriously.
“We know that Gbaramatu Kingdom plays host to a company called Tantita Security Services which has been working with the NNPCL and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“It has done a lot of good work on the issue of pipeline protection and the issue of oil theft. We thought that it would be a good place for us to come, first to get first-hand knowledge of how this battle has been fought, what the challenges approached, and how the fight has helped improve the Nigerian economic standing.”
The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, in response, called for infrastructural development of the host communities, noting that “presently, the government is far from us.”
He added, “I want to let you know that the presence of the government is even far from us. All these you are seeing is from the efforts of our elite, our big boys.
“So we are also calling on the government, we produce the oil, from our territory we feed the coffers of this country. So they should draw closer to us and do the needful for us to also reciprocate.”
He specifically made a case for the establishment of a magistrate’s court in the Gbaramatu Kingdom just as he also appealed to the leadership of the NBA to mentor members of the Gbaramatu Lawyers Association to further brighten their career prospects in the legal profession.
“We need people like this to come to see things here. This is Gbaramatu. Before now, people were making all sorts of allegations against Gbaramatu Kingdom, but now you are here.
“We always tell people, if you are coming to Gbaramatu Kingdom, don’t be afraid.
“We are working for the peace of the Niger Delta, extending hands of fellowship to other kingdoms. Ijaw people stand for truth. We are a peaceful people.
“Today, I want to tell our lawmakers that the judge in the court should conclude in the court. But as the chairman here, I want to extend this to you, I know I’m not a lawyer or lawmaker, but before concluding your judgments, if it is needed, maybe, a land case, you should come to see for yourself before the final judgment.”
The Jigawa State Government has reinstated the Commissioner for Special Duties, Auwalu Danladi Sankara, following his clearance by a Kano Upper Shari’a Court of alleged involvement in adultery.
The court presided over by Ibrahim Sarki Yola, dismissed the case filed by Nasiru Buba, who accused Sankara of having an illicit affair with his wife, Tasleem Baba Nabegu.
While delivering the verdict, Sarki Yola emphasised the need for thorough and cautious investigations by law enforcement and regulatory bodies like the Hisbah Commission.
He noted that allegations against prominent individuals must be handled with care to avoid unnecessary tarnishing of reputations.
The court observed that the complainant and his legal representatives failed to appear to contest the police findings.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi lifted Sankara’s suspension on Tuesday, effective immediately.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of Jigawa State, Malam Bala Ibrahim, and shared with newsmen.
The statement reads, “It would be recalled that the commissioner was suspended based on alleged involvement in an incidence reported before Kano State Hisbah Board.
“The lifting of the suspension followed his discharge and acquittal by an Upper Sha’riah Court in Kano, Kano.”
Already, Sankara has been directed to report back to his duty post.