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Oil Bunkering: Security Agencies’ Involvement Frustrates Govt Efforts, Wike Laments

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2022

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the Nigeria’s economy will remain vulnerable and weak if illegal bunkering and artisanal refining of crude oil continues unabated, alleging that security agencies are involved in the act of criminality.

Wike made the observation at the commissioning and presentation of 14 ballistic gunboats, donated by the Rivers State Government, to the Nigerian Navy, Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, at NNS Pathfinder, Naval Base, Rumuolumeni in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, on Friday.

The governor said the seeming frustration in the fight against illegal refining of crude oil was caused by security personnel who were deeply involved in the illegal activity or providing cover for the criminals.

Wike’s assertation was contained in a statement signed by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, and made available to newsmen.

“Most of the problem we have with illegal oil bunkering is that security agencies are fully involved in this illegal oil bunkering.

“That’s the truth. Civil Defence is involved. Army is involved. Police is involved. Navy is involved. Let us tell ourselves the simple truth,” Wike stated.

He explained that the Oil and Gas sector was the mainstay of the nation’s economy and Nigerians owe it as a duty to ensure that the country’s economy is salvaged.

“All of us owe it a duty to see how we can salvage this country. 80 per cent of the revenue of this country comes from oil and if we cannot reduce or stop this illegal oil bunkering, this country is in for problem. And so, we must all work together to help this country,” he added.

He said his administration has remained committed to the fight against illegal bunkering and achieved tremendous results leading to reduced soot and oil theft.

Governor Wike said, instead of the Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation commending the Rivers State Government for the feat, which has made oil production level go up, he should rather discharge requisite corporate social responsibility due Rivers State similar to what NNPC is doing elsewhere.

The governor dismissed notions in some quarters that governors put their state’s security vote in personal pockets.

According to him, provision of gunboats, other equipment and logistics to the security agencies to strengthen their capacity to fight crime and criminality are evidence of how the security vote is being deployed.

He charged the security agencies to confine the use of the gunboats to Rivers State for which they were provided to tackle the menace of sea piracy and illegal bunkering activities.

Commissioning the 14 ballistic gunboats, the Chief of Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, said maritime terrorism, oil theft and piracy are major challenges that the Navy has continued to confront concertedly.

Gambo, who said Nigeria has exited the International Maritime Bureau global list of countries prone to piracy, thanked the governor for the donation.

He said Governor Wike’s initiative in the war against artisanal refining activities has given more impetus to the security agencies to brace up to the fight.

The CNS said there was need to emulate Wike, who has mustered the political will to wage war against operators of illegal refineries, with the support of Local Government chairmen who have identified and destroyed bunkering sites and arrested some perpetrators.

On his part, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral I.A. Dewu, lauded the governor for the donation, which he noted will complement the Navy’s efforts to eradicate illegal oil bunkering and refining in the state and the entire Niger Delta.

Headline

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Finalise Regional Alliance Project

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans to form a confederation after turning their backs on former colonial ruler France to seek closer ties with Russia.

Their foreign ministers met Friday in Niger’s capital Niamey to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)”, said Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare as he read the final statement late Friday.

He said the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a summit, without specifying the date.

“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born,” Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said after meeting General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Nigerien military regime.

The third foreign minister at the meeting was Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.

The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which they accused France of not being able to curb.

The three countries said late January they were quitting The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they said was under French influence, to create their own regional grouping.

AFP

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Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aig-Imoukhuede, Other Africans Make Top 100 Influential Global

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Combo of Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede,Remi Dairo.

Rwanda President, Paul Kagame, Nigeria’s Chimamanda Adichie, and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, have been listed among top 100 influential global voices 2023/24.

Others list are president, the president , Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation, Africa and the Chief Operating Officer of Productivate Plus LLC, headquartered in Houston, Texas, Mr Remi Dairo; Adebayo Ogunlesi; Jumoke Adenowo, Ibukun Awosika; Malala Yousafzai, Strive Masiyiwa, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

In recognition of this groundbreaking record, Dairo was honoured by the Leaders Without Borders Development Centre at the event which took place on 19th April at House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, United Kingdom in recognition of being a global voice.

Commenting, Dairo said, “I feel so excited and motivated for the journey of my efforts and contribution to productivity in the community is globally recognized. The journey started in Nigeria as the School of Productivity in 2007 and metamorphosed into the Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation (IPBiM) in 2017.”

Remi Dairo is the president of the Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management (IPBIM), a distinguished African institution with global outreach that globally focuses on African institutions of productivity and innovation learning. The institution is in partnership with some of the world’s best institutions around the globe.

Headline

Disregard Claim Of Me Bringing Investors To Nigeria – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Published

16 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied sending a WhatsApp message claiming she’s bringing investors to Nigeria due to Tinubu’s “commendable policies”.

A message had been circulating on Whatsapp alleging that former Minister of Finance has been contacted by President, respected instutitions and investors who congratulated her because Nigeria has finally found a “focused leader.”

Anything forwarded to you purporting to be a WhatsApp message from me is fake – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala debunks news claiming she?s bringing investors to Nigeria due to Tinubu?s ?commendable policies?

Reacting via her X handle, Okonjo-Iweala described it as fake. She wrote;

‘’It’s been brought to my attention that another FAKE message has been manufactured and is being forwarded on WhatsApp in my name. I want to make clear that this fake message is not from me. I am pleased that those who know me instantly recognized this as fake.

“Thanks to friends who brought this to my attention. Please be aware that I do not use WhatsApp broadcasts, thus anything forwarded to you purporting to be a WhatsApp message from me is FAKE.

“This is a bad example of the use of social media. I want to warn those in the business of manufacturing FAKE messages, that they will not succeed.”