From Left: The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, PhD, and the Commanding Officer, 3 Battalion, (Rear) of the Nigerian Army, Effurun, Delta State, Major AE Ogegbe, during a courtesy call by the Amnesty Boss on Tuesday.
Hundreds Protest In Niger Demanding Departure Of US Troops
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxu51xz1N0U
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Niger’s capital to demand the departure of United States troops, after the military government further shifted its strategy by ending a military accord with the US and welcoming Russian military instructors.
Marching arm in arm through central Niamey on Saturday, the crowd waved Nigerien flags in a demonstration that recalled anti-French protests that spurred the withdrawal of France’s forces from Niger last year after the army seized power in a coup.
One hand-written sign in English read “USA rush out of Niger”, in a show of support for the military government and its decision in mid-March to revoke an accord that had allowed around 1,000 US military personnel to operate on its territory out of two bases.
We’re here to say no to the American base, we don’t want Americans on our soil,” protester Maria Saley told the Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the march.
The crowd was also heard chanting “Down with American imperialism” and “The people’s liberation is on the march.”
Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of France and the US, which used it as a base as part of international efforts to curb a decade-old rebellion in West Africa’s Sahel region.
In March the country suspended its military agreement with the US. The US military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress. The US military operates a major airbase in the Niger city of Agadez, some 920km (572 miles) from Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.
A drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez was also built at a cost of more than $100m. Since 2018 the base has been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region.
Naira Hits ₦1,000/$ Ahead Of CBN Sale To BDCs
Having opened at N1,130 to the dollar on Monday morning, the value of the naira gained strength midday as traders anticipate another round of dollar sales to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators this week.
By noon on Monday, the naira was selling at N1,000 to the dollar at the parallel market. Last week Monday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had offered $15.88 million to BDC operators at N1,101 to the dollar, pushing up the value of the naira on the streets.
The CBN sells dollars to the BDCs at the lower band of rate quoted on the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM). Last week Friday the value of the naira was between N1,265 and N1,100 to the dollar.
In anticipation of another liquidity push out by the apex bank, the value of the naira which opened trading activities on the parallel market at N1,130 to the dollar had firmed up to N1,000 by midday.
This corroborates with the projection of US Bank Goldman Sachs which at the weekend projected that the naira will be trading at N1,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc, had projected that the naira will be among the best performing currencies in the world.
Having predicted in February that the naira would strengthen to N1,200 per dollar this year, Goldman economists, say they see it potentially advancing beyond that level after a raft of measures by the central bank.
Those included 600 basis points of cumulative interest-rate increases at policy meetings in February and March, as well as other steps to ease the local scarcity of dollars that fanned volatility and forced companies to the parallel market.
Goldman’s Andrew Matheny told Bloomberg Newswire in an interview that “this probably can run further; we would see an extension of the move to 1,000 and maybe even sub-1,000, six weeks have gone by and they’re continuing to hold the line, so that’s encouraging.”
The group maintains its 12-month forecast for the naira at 1,200 per dollar, owing to uncertainty around the ability of the authorities to maintain the reform tempo, though it now sees risks to that upbeat projection.
Ife East Local Government Endorses Adeleke for 2nd term as they welcome Bamikole Omishore into the fold
The people of Ife East Local Governmen in Osun State have expressed confidence in Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration, endorsing him as their candidate for the next governorship election in the state.
They made the declaration in Ife on the 15th of April, 2024 as they welcome their son who’s the Special Adviser (cabinet) to Governor Adeleke on SDG and intergovernmental relations, Honorable Bamikole Omishore.
They appreciated the Governor for being their true friend and God faring person since his resumption into the office and expressed confidence in him that their wellbeing would be much improved, if Governor Adeleke re-elected for a second term.
Addressing journalists at the occasion yesterday, Hon. Bamikole Omishore said it was a spectacular comeback to his constituency in Ife East, Comprising of 7 wards in Ile Ife, and 3 in Modakeke in Osun State, he thanked all the leaders in the two Local Government areas and highlighted the significant area Governor Adeleke has taken in the area of Infrastructural Development, Healthcare and Educational reformation and prioritizing the civil servant and osun people wellbeing at large.
In addition to the meeting, Hon. Bamikole Omishore present palliative items to 300 families to support the ongoing empowerment programs that the State administration is working on to cushion effect of the economic challenges some indigens of the state might be experiencing.
Breakdown are below:
– 250 bags of 3 KG rice to be shared in 10 wards
– 250 bags of 2kg semo to be shared in 10 wards
– 10 bags of 50 KG rice to be shared to Party leaders
– 300 bags of smoked fish
– 300 Gino tomato
– 300 jumbo
– 300 Party Jollof paste
– 300 Bama
– cash for party members
Don’t Devalue Naira After Implementing New National Minimum Wage – FWF Tell FG
Workers under the auspices of Federal Workers Forum, FWF, have advised the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to devalue the naira after the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
The forum said this during a meeting held on Sunday.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting was signed and made available to DAILY POST through the National Coordinator of the forum, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has been pushing for new national minimum wage since the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
The forum, while applauding the Federal Government for the introduction of wage award, however, enjoined the government not to devalue the naira after the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
Emelieze also tasked the government to clear all outstanding arrears owed the federal workers and announce the new minimum wage on Workers Day, May 1, 2024.
“While we appreciate Mr President for the ₦35,000 wage award, we make bold to say that the ₦35,000 palliative did not solve the economic challenges faced by the federal government workers in Nigeria. It has been an hellish existence for the federal workers since the removal of subsidy on petrol and the subsequent devaluation of the naira.
“That the new national minimum wage takes off officially on April 1st, 2024 and that we expect the announcement of the new national minimum wage latest on Workers’ day May 1st, 2024.
“Our position is very clear, President Tinubu has promised a living wage, federal workers will not accept anything less. With the present cost of living crisis ₦300,000 which is not up to 1% of the President’s salary, will not be too much for a federal minimum wage.
“For daily survival, a worker will need an average of ₦2,000 daily transport and at least ₦2.000 per meal hence,a worker will be needing an average of ₦10,000 ( at around $1 per hour) to manage to survive daily.
“We call for justice, we demand for a decent, fair and just living wage for the federal work force. We will resist and reject anything less than a living wage. Our government should also not forget to clear all outstanding arrears owed the federal workers.
“The Federal government is also called upon not to in anyway devalue the naira after the implementation of the new national minimum wage. Federal workers have suffered enough, it is time to end poverty among the federal government workers,” he said.
FG Now Paying More For Subsidy, But many Nigerians Don’t Know – El-Rufai
Former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, says fuel subsidy is back, but many Nigerians do not know this.
Fielding question from newsmen in Maiduguri , Borno State capital, on Monday, El-Rufai said the federal government is now paying more than before.
He observed that the packages of support that would reduce the impact of fuel subsidy were not effective, hence reversal of the policy.
In his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu had announced the removal of fuel subsidy, saying its payment was no longer justifiable.
But El-Rufai, who said he was in support of the policy, said the government had to make necessary adjustments.
“Fuel subsidy is another policy that has been implemented by the president, it’s the right policy. I always supported withdrawing fuel subsidy.”
“But, in the course of implementation as you can see the government has now realized that the subsidy has to be back because right now, we are paying a lot of money for subsidy even more than before.
“This is because the impact has been seen and the packages of support that would reduce the impact have not been so effective in reducing the impact, so the federal government is back now subsidizing Petrol.”
He said many people don’t know that fuel subsidy is back, “but, if they want to know whether we are subsidizing or not, they should compare the price of petrol and diesel because petrol should be more expensive than diesel but diesel is priced above a thousand naira while petrol is at N600 per liter.
“So, we are still subsidizing Petrol because the government has realised that they way it implemented the fuel subsidy initially required some adjustments. That’s what I keep saying about policy and policy pragmatism,” he said.
El-Rufai had earlier presented a paper titled: “Leadership and Public Policy: Navigating Challenges and Lessons”, at the Capacity-building workshop for Senior Government Officials of Borno State.
A feud between an illegal oil bunker, Endurance Okodeh alias Amangbein and a sophisticated cartel of powerful illegal oil bunkers led to the killing of 17 soldiers in the Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA of Delta, investigations revealed.
Findings unmasked how the leader of the cartel, ex-militant leader Government Ekpemukpolo alias Tompolo who operates a private security company, in a bid for total control of the creeks of Niger Delta, earlier warned Amangbein, who is an ally of a sitting governor in one of the Niger-Delta States, to stay off illegal oil business, a development the latter saw as oppression.
Amangbein, a known ex-militant, hails from the Igbomotoru community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa state. He is also a leading voice against Tompolo and the ex- Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) boss, Patrick Akpobolokemi, in both the creek business and the Okuama/Okoloba land dispute.
Investigations revealed that the military authorities zeroed in on Amangbein in search of the leader of the militant group that killed 17 officers and soldiers of the 181 Battalion of the Nigerian Army that went to Okuama community to free one Anthony Aboh, said to be an ally of Akpobolokemi.
The former NIMASA chief allegedly built a mansion in the disputed land between Okuama and Okoloba communities. The building of the house on the disputed land is said to be the genesis of the debacle that led to the killing of the soldiers.
Amangbein’s mother hailed from Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ughelli South LGA, in Delta state. He is now said to have fled to his paternal community in Bayelsa state, apparently informed of the military’s raid of the Igbomotoru community, which left several residents injured and properties destroyed.
A general and the chief of defence staff, Christopher Musa, had earlier said that the 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in relation to illegal bunkering business. But Okuama community insisted that the soldiers stormed the community, accusing them of being in possession of one Anthony Aboh, whose lifeless body has since been recovered floating in Forcado River near Ayakoroma community.
Sources said the lifeless body of Anthony Aboh was recovered floating on River Forcados close to the Ayakoromo community in Delta state. One of the sources in Okoloba said, “We found the lifeless body of Mr. Anthony Aboh floating on River Forcados near Ayakoromo community.”
How the illegal oil cartel works
The illegal oil cartel in the Niger Delta comprises influential Nigerians and foreigners, including top military operators, government officials, highly-placed and retired oil industry players, politicians and business persons, and they are the financiers of oil bunkering syndicates, which over the years have plunged the country’s economy in the abyss of decline.
Their oil bunkering cartel, working with insiders, steals crude directly from major crude oil pipelines in the oil-rich region while officials pump crude to the different terminals. They know the time and duration of pumping and the exact pipelines.
The damage inflicted by small oil bunkers who illegally refine crude oil in the Niger Delta region is child’s play compared to the havoc the almighty cartel that owns giant vessels and equipment wreaks on the nation’s economy
Investigations revealed that the military authorities zeroed in on Amangbein in search of the leader of the militant group that killed 17 officers and soldiers of the 181 Battalion of the Nigerian Army that went to Okuama community to free one Anthony Aboh, said to be an ally of Akpobolokemi.
The former NIMASA chief allegedly built a mansion in the disputed land between Okuama and Okoloba communities. The building of the house on the disputed land is said to be the genesis of the debacle that led to the killing of the soldiers.
Amangbein’s mother hailed from Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ughelli South LGA, in Delta state. He is now said to have fled to his paternal community in Bayelsa state, apparently informed of the military’s raid of the Igbomotoru community, which left several residents injured and properties destroyed.
A general and the chief of defence staff, Christopher Musa, had earlier said that the 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in relation to illegal bunkering business. But Okuama community insisted that the soldiers stormed the community, accusing them of being in possession of one Anthony Aboh, whose lifeless body has since been recovered floating in Forcado River near Ayakoroma community.
Sources said the lifeless body of Anthony Aboh was recovered floating on River Forcados close to the Ayakoromo community in Delta state. One of the sources in Okoloba said, “We found the lifeless body of Mr. Anthony Aboh floating on River Forcados near Ayakoromo community.”
How the illegal oil cartel works
The illegal oil cartel in the Niger Delta comprises influential Nigerians and foreigners, including top military operators, government officials, highly-placed and retired oil industry players, politicians and business persons, and they are the financiers of oil bunkering syndicates, which over the years have plunged the country’s economy in the abyss of decline.
Their oil bunkering cartel, working with insiders, steals crude directly from major crude oil pipelines in the oil-rich region while officials pump crude to the different terminals. They know the time and duration of pumping and the exact pipelines.
The damage inflicted by small oil bunkers who illegally refine crude oil in the Niger Delta region is child’s play compared to the havoc the almighty cartel that owns giant vessels and equipment wreaks on the nation’s economy
There are local oil mafias who also siphon from major pipelines and later sell their product to the big oil players, who use superior tubes and experts to drain off crude oil.
Every security officer involved in the business is well ‘taken care of’ and so, secrecy is maintained. Security operatives who mount sentry on waterways also collect levies from local oil bunkers, and many want to serve in such lucrative beat. They also make returns to superior officers, an insider told this reporter.
This reporter gathered that even with the militarisation of the waterways and the award of security contracts to Tompolo to secure crude oil, the illegal oil business has continued to blossom in Niger Delta. A development the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) GMD, Mele Kyari ascribed to Nigerian professionals and elites as the brain behind oil theft in the region.
This claim was controverted by Niger Delta elder statesman Edwin Clarke, who fingered the NNPC and the military as the big-time oil thieves.
Crux of the killing
The incident leading to the current crisis is said to have started as unrest in January 2024, following an age-long land dispute between the people of Okoloba and Okuama, leading to a deadly conflict that has brought about loss of lives on both sides. Consequently, the military command unit of the JTF at Bomadi was invited to the scene. It was, however, said that the invitation of the military was at the behest of the ex-NIMASA boss, who had allegedly used his influence to skew the military intervention in favour of his community, Okoloba.
According to Okuama community president-general James Oghoroko, Akpobolokem is an ally of Tompolo, who works closely with the military to secure the creeks. The military’s involvement in the dispute has elicited great suspicion from the people of Okuama, who feel unfairly treated.
Consequently, the attempt by the military personnel to invite the leaders of Okuama was greatly resisted, as it was believed that it was merely an attempt to unduly victimise the people of the community. Until the military authorities can explain the exact nature of the ‘peace mission’ warranting the soldiers’ presence in the community, the street narrative of the military intervention of working under the dictates of Tompolo and Akpobolokem may become attractive and may snowball into a nationwide narrative.
The ICIR also gathered that Akpobolokem, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a N754 million fraud, built a white mansion on the disputed land, a development that Amangbein and Okuama community elders challenged. It was gathered that an ally of the ex-NIMASA boss, Anthony Aboh, was taken hostage by Okuama people rising from the house built on the disputed land. Residents said that it was this person’s abduction that the military had come to investigate and, perhaps, effect his release, not any peace mission as claimed by the military authorities.
Who killed the 17 soldiers?
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the soldiers, according to Army sources, 17 military personnel, including a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and 12 soldiers were murdered by suspected youths of Okuama community. Insiders confided to The ICIR that the soldiers used a speed boat owned by Tantita security outfit, Tompolo’s private security outfit.
The soldiers: Cpl Yahaya Danbaba; Cpl Kabir Bashir; LCpl Bulus Haruna; LCpl Sole Opeyemi; LCpl Bello Anas; LCpl Hamman Peter; LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi; Pte Alhaji Isah; Pte Clement Francis; Pte Abubakar Ali; Pte Ibrahim Adamu, and Pte Adamu Ibrahim. Others include, Lt. Col. AH Ali (Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion); Major SD Shafa; Major DE Obi; Capt. U Zakari and Sgt. Yahaya Saidu were reportedly lured into the creek opposite Okuama community and were all killed but no one has questioned why trained soldiers were killed and those that conveyed them with speed boat survived. The question begging for an answer is, does Tantita security rent their speed boats? Does it mean that the 181 Amphibious Battalion has no speed boat they use for routine patrol?
Tompolo refuses to speak.
Since there were allegations that the speed boat used by the slain soldiers belonged to Tantita security firm, which Tompolo owns, The reporter went to Oporoza on Saturday, March 30, 2024, to obtain comments from the ex-militant leader but was told that all media activities of the ex-militant leader is being handled by his media consultant, Paul Bebenimibo.
The ICIR contacted Paul Bebenimibo on his known MTN cell phone number but he did not take his calls. Short message service (SMS) and WhatsApp messages were sent to him on March 31 and April 1, 2024, asking him to clarify his boss’ stance on the use of the Tantita speed boat by the soldiers and whether the firm rents out its speed boats and whether Tompolo was in cold war with Amangbein. However, all attempts were unsuccessful, as he did not return calls or respond to the SMS or WhatsApp messages sent to his cell phone.
Who are the oil mafia?
According to a Port Harcourt environment activist, Imabong Cliff, the government has not demonstrated seriousness to fight the oil theft, and “whatever tough measures are said to have been adopted have not put off the cartel.”
An activist with Young Nigerian Rights Organisation based in Asaba, Delta state, Victor Ojei, also criticised government efforts at dealing with the issue of oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
“The tenacious ascent in oil robbery despite significant interests in securing oil pipelines brings up issues about the adequacy of the public authority’s methodology. It is conceivable that the actions taken to this point by the federal government of Nigeria have not sufficiently tended to the main drivers of the issue or have been inadequate to counter [quote]the refined strategies utilised by the oil criminals.
A knowledgeable source said that the cartel, over the years, successfully sold a decoy, making successive governments believe that oil theft was being carried out by small-time oil bunkers and Niger Delta militants bent on destroying the country’s economy, and so they must be eliminated. The Presidency believed that the big-time oil thieves continued their brisk business with protection from security operatives.
How Tompolo was awarded a surveillance contract
But the real challenge is not the small-time oil thieves, it is the influential cartel that is strongly connected and has continued to operate with impunity despite the security measures in place.
Dangote, Modular Refineries To Pay Naira For Crude
The Federal Government has eventually complied with the demands of domestic crude oil refiners and other operators in the sector, as it declared on Monday that indigenous refineries can now buy crude oil in naira or dollars.
It also declared that the total crude oil and condensate reserves in Nigeria increased to 37.5 billion barrels as of January 1, 2024, with a life index of 68.01 years.
The government disclosed this through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission at a briefing in Abuja, where it unveiled the new template for domestic crude oil supply obligation.
It stated that in compliance with the provisions of Section 109(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the NUPRC in a landmark move, had developed a template guiding the activities for Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation.
“The commission in conjunction with relevant stakeholders from NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, representatives of Crude Oil/Condensate Producers, Crude Oil Refinery-Owners Association of Nigeria, and Dangote Petroleum Refinery came up with the template for the buy-in of all.
“This is in a bid to foster a seamless implementation of the DCSO and ensure consistent supply of crude oil to domestic refineries,” the Chief Executive, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, told journalists in Abuja.
Responding to a question on the currency of transaction for crude oil purchase, as approved in the new template, Komolafe stated that it would be either in naira or dollar, adding that naira transactions would free the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange rate.
The NUPRC boss also pointed out that the template had become effective because all necessary parties had signed up for it.
He said, “The PIA intends to make the implementation (of crude oil obligation) very easy for the parties, both for the producers and refineries. So the answer simply is that the currency for the transaction would either be in naira or dollar. That is the simple answer.
“But we all know that if the transaction is carried out in naira, that itself will free the pressure on the exchange rate. That will help the exchange rate. So that is the intent and besides, the overall intent of the Petroleum Industry Act is to develop our midstream, which is a very laudable provision of the PIA.”
In the currency of payment section of the new template, it was stated that “the payment shall be in either United States dollar or naira or both. Where the payment is in both currencies, the payment split shall be as agreed in the SPA between the producer and the refiner.”
On February 26, 2024, The PUNCH exclusively reported that modular refineries in Nigeria were facing the threat of shutting down operations following their inability to access foreign exchange for the purchase of crude oil, a commodity priced in United States dollars.
Nigeria has 25 licenced modular refineries with a combined capacity of producing 200,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
Although not all of the plants are currently operational, the report stated that the functional ones were increasingly finding it difficult to purchase crude due to the foreign exchange crisis in the country.
The facilities, which produce Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, Dual Purpose Kerosene or kerosene, naphtha and black oil, were finding it hard to make the refined products available to oil marketers for distribution to consumers.
Operators of the plants explained that the scarcity of dollars had made it almost impossible for dealers to purchase crude oil, as the modular refinery players and oil marketers demanded the sale of crude oil in naira from the Federal Government.
The modular refinery operators, who spoke under the aegis of the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria, lamented at the time that the Federal Government had not been able to keep its part of the bargain concerning the provision of feedstock to local crude oil refiners.
The Publicity Secretary, Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, had stated that modular refineries might close shop if nothing was done to ameliorate the situation.
CORAN is a registered association of modular and conventional refinery companies in Nigeria, while modular refineries are simplified refineries that require significantly less capital investment than traditional full-scale refineries.
Idoko said, “The purchase of crude oil in dollars is currently the major challenge to modular refineries. We buy crude in dollars and sell our refined products in naira, and this is a major challenge. And apart from that, where do you get the dollars to pay for the crude?
“You heard the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria crying out recently about the dollar saga. We have requested that crude oil be sold to us in naira. And when you do this, you ease the pressure on the naira and this will make our diesel cheaper.
“It will encourage more investors to build and patronise the local refineries. If you take petroleum products off the foreign exchange market, you would have helped the naira by 60 per cent.”
Crude reserves rise
At the briefing on Monday, the government revealed that the total crude oil and condensate reserves in Nigeria increased to 37.5 billion barrels as of January 1, 2024, with a life index of 68.01 years.
It also announced an increase in the country’s gas reserves, as this moved up to 209.26 trillion cubic feet as of January 1, 2024, while its reserves index life was put at 97.99 years.
Komolafe said, “I am pleased to present to you an overview of the nation’s oil, condensate, associated gas, and non-associated gas reserves as of January 1, 2024, as follows: 1. Crude oil and condensate reserves stand at 31.56 billion barrels and 5.94 billion barrels respectively, amounting to a total of 37.50 billion barrels.
“2. Associated gas and non-associated gas reserves stand at 102.59 trillion cubic feet and 106.67TCF respectively, resulting in total gas reserves of 209.26TCF. The reserves life index is 68.01 years and 97.99 years for oil and gas respectively.”
Komolafe stated that positive gross additions to oil and gas reserves of 1.087 billion barrels and 2.573 trillion cubic feet respectively were recorded.
“Given the above, and in furtherance of the provisions of Chapter 1, Part III, Section 7 (g), (i), (j), (k), (m), (q), (r) (of the Petroleum Industry Act) and other powers enabling me in this respect, I declare the total oil and condensate reserves of 37.50 billion barrels and total gas reserves of 209.26 trillion cubic feet as the official national petroleum reserves position as of January 1, 2024,” he stated.
Before the latest increase announced by the government, Nigeria’s total crude oil and condensates reserves as of January 1, 2023, was 36.96 billion barrels, while its total associated gas and non-associated gas reserves as of January 1, 2023, was 208.83 trillion cubic feet.
Nigeria has been looking for new sources of oil by exploring what are called frontier basins. These are areas where little or no exploration has been done before.
Some of the basins being explored include the Anambra Basin, Benue trough
Bida basin, Chad basin (Nigerian section), Dahomey basin, Sokoto basin Deep and Ultra-deep offshore Niger Delta.
The Federal Government hopes that these basins will contain significant reserves of oil and gas. However, there have been some controversies about how much money should be spent on exploration, and how the benefits should be shared.
Notwithstanding the concerns, there is the potential that these basins could help to increase Nigeria’s oil production and boost its economy.
Meanwhile, while commenting on the significance of the reserves, Komolafe said the figures showed the abundance of crude oil and gas that the country could produce within a stipulated period, adding that Nigeria boasts 33 per cent of gas reserves in Africa.
Ganduje’s Ward Exco Debunks Ex-Governor’s Suspension, Blame NNPP
The All Progressives Congress executives in Dawakin Tofa Local Government and the Ganduje Ward Executive Committee members have faulted the purported suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, from the ruling party.
The Chairman of APC Ganduje Ward, Alhaji Ahmed Koko, said the purported suspension of the national chairman was announced by non-APC members in the ward.
“Those who addressed the press conference were sponsored by the NNPP state government, and from the record of the party at the Ward, Local Government and State, are not card-carrying members of the APC,” Koko said while addressing a press conference in Kano late Monday evening on behalf of the Ward and Local Government Executive Committee members.
He, therefore, said the purported suspension was null and void and would have no effect on the national chairman.
“The Ward and Local Government Executives, having identified the persons involved in this unfortunate situation, have already prepared to charge them to court for impersonation and calculated attempts to embarrass and dent the image of the Party and that of the National Chairman,” Koko added.
He called on all party members to disregard the purported suspension and remain calm.
Recall that Halliru Gwanjo, who claimed to be the party ward legal adviser, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano on Monday.
Earlier, the Kano APC chapter, State Working Committee suspended ward party leaders who suspended Ganduje from the party.
But the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area APC thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind the suspension of Ganduje.
The Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told newsmen shortly after suspending Ganduje that those behind the suspension of the party’s national chairman were caught in anti-party activities, and their records of meetings with the opposition were exposed.
Work On Akaba-Okodi Road Impressive, Says Gov Diri
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed satisfaction with the level of progress on the Akaba-Okodi road which links Yenagoa to Ogbia local government area.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection tour of the project on Monday, Senator Diri said he decided to visit to personally assess the level of work on the road project.
According to the governor, “l came to see things for myself to ascertain the work that has been done so far. I was here last year before the November 11 governorship election and l can see the difference between then and now. So much has been achieved.”
Diri, who reaffirmed his administration’s resolve not to play politics with development of the state, pointed out that the road connects Ayakoro community in Ogbia council area, which is the hometown of All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku.
“This is a road linking two local government areas between Yenagoa and parts of Ogbia local government area. This road links Ayakoro, which happens to be the community of the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku. So, it shows that we are not playing politics with development of our state and our people.
“I have a deep knowledge of what our people have gone through and l do not think that under me, having known all of that, will begin to play stupid and unreasonable politics and allow our people continue to suffer. We want to end the suffering of our people to the best of our ability.”
Diri also berated those who criticised his administration unfairly, saying they do not mean well for the state.
Project Manager of the construction company, Emrock Concept, Engr. Bolaji Animashaun, explained that the 10km project will be completed in April 2025.