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How Govt Officials Facilitated $1.2bn Crude Oil, Gas Theft – Source

Published

3 years ago

August 10, 2022

Security sources have disclosed that the real looting of Nigeria’s crude oil and its by-products is neither through illegal bunkering, refining nor pipeline vandalism, but via highly placed government officials-enabled undocumented shipments of large scale hydro-carbon products worth over $1.2 billion to Europe and the Americas.

The sources noted that while all eyes are on the fight against illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism, top government officials of agencies expected to perform supervisory and due diligence roles in the sale and shipment’s of the nation’s vast hydrocarbon resources are trading away the resources to cartels and reaping the benefits into private pockets.

The sources said Europe and the Americas were favourite destinations because the products, which are sold at giveaway prices, are paid for without delay.

Noting that the looting of the nation’s commonwealth has been going on for years, the sources said that the Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas were being shipped out of the country in millions of metric tonnes without records and documentation.

Some of the destination countries where these hydro-carbons are shipped to with the knowledge and protection of top government officials, according to the sources, include Mexico, Brazil, United States and Argentina.

Incidentally, the source said, the NLNG whose duty it is to supervise the operations of such shipments, is a joint venture organisation of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with 49% shareholding; Shell Gas B.V., 25.6%; Total Energies Gaz & Electricité Holdings, 15%, and Eni International N.A. N.V. S.àr.l with 10.4%.

The transatlantic looting route

A source noted that NLNG has a total production capacity of 22mtpa of LNG and five million tons per annum of Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) from its 6-train plant complex and boasts of 16 long-term Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs) with 10 buyers and controls about 6 per cent of global LNG trade.

The source said, “In five years, from 2009 to 2013, over $1 billion worth of hydrocarbon products were exported using backdoors from Nigeria to Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States.”

Emphasizing that the illegal exportation is still ongoing with the backing of top officials of government, the source said gave a breakdown of some of the under-the-table transactions, mentioning specific vessels’ names and their IMO numbers.

Escobar Port, Bahia and Blanca Port are the usual destinations of the products in Argentina.

“The total value of the products shipped to Argentina in 2013 by three vessels was $52.1 million. 354,018 metric tonnes of hydrocarbon products estimated at over $177 million were illegally exported to Brazil without trace and documentation.”

The transaction to cartels in Brazil showed that “one of the vessels shipped 62,608 metric tonnes of hydrocarbon products valued at $31.3 million; another shipped 60,000 metric tonnes of product valued at $30 million; while a third shipped 55,000 metric tonnes of hydrocarbon products valued at $27.5 million.

“Two other vessels shipped over 120,000 metric tonnes worth more than $60 million Brazil ports.

“A total of 354,018 metric tonnes of hydrocarbon products valued at $177 million was shipped to Brazil.

“Over $34 million worth of hydrocarbon products were illegally exported to the USA in six trips using six different vessels for transportation.”

Cove Port, Lake Charles Port and Sabine Pass Port are some of the popular US ports.

One of the destinations with the highest quantity of backdoor export, according to the source, is Mexico.

“Nigeria LNG products worth $981.5 million were exported to Mexico in 33 trips using different vessels to wade away any form of suspicion.

“Officials supervised the exportation of the products to Mexico with no official paperwork prepared for the export.

“Of the 28 seaports in Mexico, the vessels used for exporting products from Nigeria all docked Altamira ports.”

The source revealed that in total, over $1.2 billion worth of hydrocarbon products have been illegally exported through back and covered channels from Nigeria to Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and USA in the last five years.

VANGUARD

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Insecurity: US Congressman Riley Moore Reveals Trump’s Mission In Nigeria

Published

10 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

US Congressman Riley Moore has dismissed insinuations that President Donald Trump is attempting to bring war to Nigeria.

Moore made the remark in a post on his verified X handle on Monday.

His comments followed a US military airstrike on a terrorist enclave in north-west Nigeria on Christmas Day, reportedly carried out on the directive of President Trump.

“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death.

“The strikes against ISIS on Christmas, in coordination with the Nigerian government, have given hope to the Christians in Nigeria,” he said.

Recall that the lawmaker had previously stated that President Trump is focused on ending the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

It will be recalled that Moore led a US delegation on a fact-finding mission into alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria some weeks ago.

During his brief stay in the country, Moore travelled to Benue State, where he interfaced with religious and traditional leaders, as well as internally displaced persons.

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Russia Calls up 135,000 Military Personnel

Published

17 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

Russia has enlisted 135,000 conscripts for military service in 2026, following the conclusion of the autumn army draft by the Defense Ministry.

A statement on Monday said most personnel have been assigned to training units and military formations where they will “get a military specialty and learn to operate modern military hardware.”

The conscripts can choose to serve in any of the various military branches and armed services after an assessment of their health condition and the results of psychological examinations.

READ ALSO:Russian Strike On Odesa Region Kills Eight, Injures 27

The ministry disclosed that 680 recruits have joined scientific and research-production units, while 240 from the country’s national teams in Olympic disciplines joined sports companies.

However, military personnel who have served the established term of military service have been discharged and sent to their places of residence.

The latest enlistment confirms Russia is shoring up its troops deployed to the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine ahead of the new year.

A fortnight ago, European leaders reaffirmed their pledge to form a multinational force–under the aegis of the Coalition of the Willing–to assist Ukraine in securing land, skies, and seas.

The pledge is one of the six commitments the EU and heads of state developed for Ukraine’s security and economic recovery support measures.

In an interview with TASS on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned Europe’s insistence on sending military forces to Ukraine.

“We have said many times that our Armed Forces would view them as a legitimate target,” he said, warning that anyone who attacks Russia would face “a devastating blow.”

Headline

How Our Airstrikes Stopped Christmas Attacks In Nigeria — US Lawmaker

Published

3 days ago

December 27, 2025

Editor

Riley Moore, a member of the United States House of Representatives from West Virginia’s 2nd District, has linked the absence of Christmas attacks in Nigeria this year to US military airstrikes carried out against Islamist militants on Christmas Day.

In a post on his official X account on Saturday, Moore contrasted the situation with the past two Christmas seasons, during which he claimed Christians were killed in attacks across parts of Nigeria.

The lawmaker noted that this year’s response targeted extremist groups instead of marking another period of violence.

He added that US forces acted decisively against militants in coordination with the Nigerian government.

“For the past two Christmases, Christians have been murdered in Nigeria. This year, thanks to @POTUS, Radical Islamic Terrorists were on the receiving end of 12 Tomahawk missiles as a present.

“The successful strikes on ISIS, in coordination with the Nigerian government, are just the first step to secure the country and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” Moore wrote.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that American forces had conducted deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in north-western Nigeria.

Trump, who spoke via his Truth Social platform, warned that more attacks would follow if the militants continued killing Christians, adding that the Department of War executed numerous “perfect strikes.”