News

Militants Threaten To Resume Attacks On Oil Facilities

Published

2 years ago

October 11, 2023

Editor

A dreaded militant group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, has threatened to resume attacks on oil pipelines, accusing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Limited, of sidetracking indigenous Niger Delta contractors.

Specifically, the coalition of militants said it would sabotage the multi-billion dollar contract for the maintenance/rehabilitation of the Escravos Terminal to Warri Refinery crude oil pipeline, in Delta State, awarded to a northern company.

Leader of the militant group, a coalition of agitators, self-styled “General” Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, issued the threat in a statement.

It reads in part: “Despite the fact that the multi-billion dollar pipeline maintenance and rehabilitation contracts are to build, operate, and supply refined petroleum products to the nation’s depots, and transfer crude oil from the creek to the nation’s refineries located in the Niger Delta region, the NNPCL deliberately denied and sidelined the people of the Niger Delta region for selfish interest.

“The LOT 2 contract comprises Escravos- Warri crude oil pipeline (60km); Warri- Benin Products Pipeline (90km); and Benin- Ore pipeline products (110km) , which is Escravos Terminal products crude pipeline – Warri Refinery – Benin Products pipeline – Ore depot.

”They awarded LOT 4, covering Mosimi- Ore products pipeline (151.3km); Ibadan depot, Ilorin depot, Ibadan-Ilorin products pipeline (168.9km); Atlas Cove-Mosimi/satellite products pipeline (72.8km); and Mosimi depot, Mosimi- Ibadan products pipeline (79.1km) which is the juiciest LOT among all to another northern company.

“They also awarded LOT 1 comparing the Bonny- Port Harcourt crude oil pipeline (54.8km); Port Harcourt – Aba- Enugu products pipeline (210km); Port Harcourt depot, Aba depot and Enugu depot; and Port Harcourt Refinery -Bonny Export Terminal products pipeline (35km); and Bonny Export Terminal -Loading Jetty products pipeline (32km) – Bonny Export Terminal facilities to an Igbo man from the South East

“The same man is currently handling the multi-billion dollar (614km long AKK Gas pipeline being developed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company from Escravos Gas line in the creek to Ajoakuta in Kogi State, Kaduna and Kano state, in which NNPCL is operating a Joint Venture, JV, partnership with the northern oil companies.

“The RNDA with the coalition of the nine militant groups decided and declared to resume attacks and destruction of pipelines and other oil and gas installations along Trans-Escravos-Warri Refinery with other NNPCL major delivery lines in the creek of Niger Delta, if the GMD, NNPC Mele Kyari, refuses to back down.

“We are deeply pained and have no other option than to resort to hostilities that Nigeria has never experienced in the creeks of the Niger Delta region should the NNPCL go ahead with the wicked plan of undermining and totally neglecting Niger Delta indigenous oil companies.

“We are going all out to stop the nepotic award of secret contracts on the Trans Escravos- Warri Refinery to Benin Depot Pipeline maintenance, and others by a cartel of northerners at the NNPCL towers.

“We will not allow the contracts by the cartel to see the light of the day. We have started mobilizing our forces to strike at strategic pipeline locations and pipelines in the creek.

“The RNDA also strongly warn NNPCL and the northern contractors not to take our long silence, and patience for granted. They should stay where they are , if not, they will regret going to the various sites of these project”.

“We see it as an affront on the entire Niger Delta people and contractors, who are also in the oil and gas industry, and are more experienced with requisite expertise in marine and oil equipment in the downstream sector.

” We will not sit and watch them have their way this time around on this pipeline contract.”
VANGUARD

News

FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

Published

1 hour ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

3 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

3 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.