News

Oil Theft: Otuaro Pledges PAP Support For Defence Team

Published

1 year ago

November 22, 2024

Editor

Dr. Dennis Otuaro (left) and Major General Jamil Jimoh, during the visit in Abuja

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has assured the Defence Headquarters Joint Monitoring Team of PAP support on their mandate to curb crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.

Otuaro, who stated this when the joint monitoring team led by Major General Jamil Jimoh paid him a courtesy visit at the PAP Office in Abuja, on Thursday, noted that the joint monitoring team deserved support towards reducing the menace of illegal oil bunkering, and attacks on critical oil assets.

The PAP helmsman, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma, said the Office was willing to work with the joint monitoring team.

He stressed that it was part of the mandate assigned to him by President Bola Tinubu in the government’s determination to address the challenges in the region.

He expressed delight that the country’s oil production output had reached 1.8 million barrels per day due to the intensified fight against crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

Otuaro added that he was confident the increase would be sustained.

Otuaro said, “I know that the essence of the PAP is for national and human security in the country and the region. We are going to work with you at any time. It’s part of the things we can do within the mandate given to me by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Based on that, we will collaborate with you to ensure the eradication of oil bunkering and other related activities in the Niger Delta. The country’s oil production output is on the rise and has reached 1.8 million barrels per day as announced sometime last week by the NNPCL. We are confident that it will increase more than that.”

He said the PAP was vigorously implementing the reintegration phase of the programme through initiatives in formal education, vocational training, and post-training empowerment of delegates, beneficiaries and women while also deepening stakeholders’ engagement for sustainable peace and stability in the region.

Otuaro further told the joint monitoring team that with more funding, the programme’s expanding scope would be better managed and administered in the strategic interest of national security and stability.

Earlier, the leader of the team, Major General Jamil Jimoh, had solicited the support of the PAP to enable them to do their work very well and explained that the visit was part of the team’s tour of the Niger Delta to interface with stakeholders.

He applauded the PAP administrator for working hard to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the Niger Delta, stressing that Otuaro’s knowledge of the region was an asset to maintaining peace and stability in the area.

Jamil said, “We have been in the Niger Delta, and we have met with some stakeholders. But we felt that it is very important that we also visit the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme that was established by Federal Government and had brought peace to the Niger Delta.

“The Administrator knows a lot about that general area. He knows the people, and what is happening there and he will guide us on some of the things we want to do.

“We know that he has been doing a lot to make sure things are happening underground in the Niger Delta to maintain peace and stability. So we decided to meet him and his team today.”

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

8 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.