NEWS
Atiku Tackles FG on AGIP/ENI Purchase, Subsidy, Detained Whistleblower
By David Torough, Abuja
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has asked the Federal Government to explain why Oando Plc owned by the President’s nephew, got an accelerated approval to buy the onshore assets of AGIP and ENI while other transactions such as the Shell/Renaissance deal and the Mobil/Seplat continue to suffer delays.
In a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President also slammed the Bola Tinubu administration for implementing a sham subsidy regime as revealed in the financial statement recently released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). “Tinubu visited the FMDQ in New York, visited Qatar, visited France where he told lies about removing petrol subsidies. Obviously, this is not a man who is serious about attracting FDI. More worrisome is that he is not even brave enough to admit that subsidy is being paid. The NNPCL admits that N7.8tn is owed to the national oil company by the Nigerian government.“IMF estimates that subsidy payments this year will constitute 3% of GDP, which is about $7.5bn. This will be about N11.8tn. Yet, the petrol scarcity continues to linger while the Tinubu administration continues to frustrate the Dangote Refinery and even its own NNPCL facilities. Obviously, the subsidy regime has become an even wider conduit pipe through which monies for funding the 2027 election will come from,” Atiku said.The former Vice President doubled down on his allegation that Oando was being given undue and preferential treatment in the oil and gas sector to the detriment of more competent investors.The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election also knocked the House of Representatives for failing to take proper action on the NNPCL which has now gone ahead to “mortgage the country’s national oil assets to vested interests”.Atiku said, “Within just eight months, the Nigerian Upstream Production Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) approved a deal which saw the divestment of ENI/AGIP onshore assets to Oando. Within that same period, Nigeria controversially withdrew all litigation against Shell/ENI in the OPL 245 scandal in what has been described as a quid pro quo.“However, the attempt by SEPLAT to buy Mobil’s onshore assets has continued to stall for the last three years even as the consent letter remains on Tinubu’s table. The deal between Renaissance and Shell continues to stall. In fact, the only deal that has fully scaled through so far is the one involving Oando. We now know why it got accelerated approval.“Ideally, democracy ought to be the government of the people, for the people, and by the people. But democracy in Nigeria has become the government of Tinubu, by Tinubu, and for Tinubu and his family members.”Atiku added, “In July 2023, the House of Representatives, following the adoption of a motion moved by Miriam Onuoha directed NNPC Ltd to suspend the acquisition of OVH assets pending an investigation by its committee.“The House ad-hoc committee requested the NNPC Ltd to furnish it with information about registration documents/history from CAC for OVH, Nueoil, and NNPC Retail Limited (NRL), Board Resolution of NNPCLtd on purchase of OVH, Audited Financial Statement and Management Accounts from 2015 to date of OVH, Nueoil, NRL and NNPC Ltd and the payroll from 2015 to date for NRL and OVH; Board Resolution of NRL/CHQ for movement of head office to Lagos and evidence of Tax Payments for NRL and OVH from 2015 to date.“The NNPC ignored all these and went ahead to transfer its ownership and properties in its retail arm to OVH, thereby mortgaging the future of Nigerians.“Despite the rot in the oil sector, the head of the NNPC, the head of the NUPRC, and the head of the NMDPRA continue to keep their jobs. This is clear evidence that they are fulfilling the mandate given to them by Tinubu.”Furthermore, Atiku pointed out that the NNPC lied in its vacuous response to their statement last week, as it is on record that the Kyari-led management appointed Huub Stoksman, a former Chief Executive Officer of OVH Energy, as Managing Director of NNPC Retail, and Mumuni Dangazau, the former Chief Operating Officer of OVH Energy, as his Special Adviser Downstream, long before the consummation of the incestuous marriage of the entities.In a related development, Atiku also lambasted the Tinubu administration for the rise in human rights abuses.Waziri Adamawa said Tinubu who rose to power over exaggerated claims of being a freedom fighter, had turned against the people by allowing the Department of State Services (DSS), police and even the military to abuse the rights of citizens without any consequences.He said that in some instances, citizens were arrested in a gestapo manner without the knowledge of their relatives who go about looking for them for several weeks.The former Vice President said the most affected since Tinubu took office have been journalists whose only crime is reporting the news and exposing government indiscretion.He argued that the Cyber Crime Prevention Act 2015 had become a tool with which officials in the Tinubu administration were abducting citizens while the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) had transmuted into the defunct SARS.Atiku added, “The dangerous trend of enforced disappearances has become a national embarrassment for a country which claims to be practising democracy. On May 1, 2024, Daniel Ojukwu of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism went missing and was presumed abducted by kidnappers until he was later discovered to be in police custody on the orders of IGP Kayode Egbetokun.“Ojukwu’s crime was that he exposed the corruption of a government official who currently serves in Tinubu’s administration. On July 23, the DSS arrested one Aliyu Sanusi in Sama Road of Sokoto, the state capital for printing and distributing materials ahead of the #EndBadGovernanceProtest Even the arrest and release of the former BBC Pidgin Editor and current West Africa Regional Editor of the Conversation, Adejuwon Soyinka, clearly shows a pattern, which objective is to intimidate journalists for speaking truth to this government.“Now, the police have arrested Bristol Tamunobiefiri, who owns the PIDOM Nigeria blog on X, formerly Twitter. After detaining him for over two weeks, he was granted an administrative bail, which will be impossible to meet. This is despite the fact that the Appeal Court, in the case of EFCC V. Emem Uboh (2022) LPEIR – 57968 (CA) held that administrative bail is illegal. Bristol should, therefore, be arraigned in court immediately or released.”Atiku advised Tinubu to take cases of human rights abuses seriously or Nigeria would remain at the risk of being slammed with sanctions which would prevent western powers from selling weapons, a development he argues could undermine Nigeria’s ability to tackle insecurity.“Amnesty International still has a pending petition before the Foreign Committee of the US Congress against the sale of weapons to Nigeria due to human rights concerns in line with the Leahy Law. Tinubu would do well to curb these cases of rights abuses by law enforcement authorities who all report to him as commander-in-chief,” the former Vice President said.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed the allegation suggesting that internal sabotage within the Nigerian military contributed to the tragic events in Yelwata, Benue.The Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, in a statement on Tuesday, said the claims were unfounded and not supported by credible evidence.
Gusau said the Nigerian military had consistently denied any involvement in the massacre. According to him, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has publicly stated that the military was not responsible for the killings in Yelwata.“Furthermore, the Nigerian Military has emphasized its commitment to protecting civilians and upholding the rule of law.“There is no credible evidence to substantiate claims of internal sabotage within the military related to the Yelwata incident.“Investigations by independent bodies, including human rights organizations, have not found any links between the military and the perpetrators of the massacre.“The violence in Yelwata is part of a broader pattern of intercommunal clashes in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, primarily between farmers and herders.“These conflicts are driven by longstanding disputes over land and grazing rights, ethnic tensions, and competition for resources,” he said.Gusau said that while the military had been deployed to maintain peace, the root causes of the violence lied in complex socio-economic and political factors.He added that attributing the Yelwata massacre to internal sabotage within the Nigerian military was misleading and detracts from the real issues at play.According to him, it is essential to focus on addressing the underlying causes of intercommunal violence and to support efforts aimed at fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and sustainable peace in the affected regions.“The CDS has only called for a holistic approach and the need for the cummunities and the security agencies to work closer to address the issue.“He also call on the communities not to hide criminals and also assure them the military ans other security agencies are there to protect lives and properties of law abiding citizens,” he added. (NAN)
As part of sustained efforts to restore peace and stability across the North Central region, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed additional air assets under Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS).This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ejodame said the strategic move had reinforced the NAF’s commitment to enhancing security, supporting ground operations, and reassuring communities affected by banditry, kidnapping, and communal unrest. He said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, conducted a firsthand evaluation of air operations under OPWS, to assess the effectiveness of these expanded efforts.According to him, the visit included a high-level strategic engagement held on Tuesday, at the Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.Ejodame said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; a representative of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira; the Commander of OPWS; and the Maritime and Air Component Commanders, alongside other key stakeholders, were part of the meeting.According to Ejodame, critical updates were provided on the current tempo of joint operations aimed at restoring lasting peace across the region.In his remarks, the CAS revealed that the newly deployed air assets had been successfully integrated into ongoing operations, delivering real-time intelligence and precision targeting support.He stated NAF aircraft had continued to conduct surveillance, armed reconnaissance, close air support, and precision strike missions with remarkable success.Abubakar noted that the current deployment aligns with the Federal Government’s overarching mission to stabilise the Middle Belt region.He highlighted the impact of recent coordinated air and ground operations across Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States, which have led to the dismantling of several militia camps, bandit enclaves, and criminal hideouts.“These outcomes reinforce our unwavering commitment to protecting innocent lives and supporting national peace-building initiatives.“As long as peace is threatened, our resolve remains unshaken.“The NAF will continue to deliver timely, decisive air support in synergy with sister services, ensuring the protection of lives and properties while advancing our mission of restoring peace to the Middle Belt and beyond,” he said.The Service Chiefs jointly emphasised the importance of synergy among the armed forces and other security agencies, noting that jointness remains a cornerstone for operational success under Operation Whirl Stroke.They reiterated that the ongoing operations are part of a broader goal to create a secure environment where residents can live and conduct their legitimate activities without fear. (NAN)
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday restated the determination of his administration to fast-track approvals for viable infrastructural projects in the country.Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made this known at the 2025 Nigeria Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Summit on Tuesday in Abuja.
The president therefore urged private sector partner to be focused and more committed. According to him, what matters to the average Nigerian is the availability of basic infrastructure such as power, roads, health facilities and quality schools. He called for a more strengthened public-private sector partnership that emphasises innovation, efficiency, commitment and integrity above mere capital and investments.” We need more than investment. We need innovation, we need efficiency, and above all, we need integrity.” I urge you to look beyond the risks and recognise the immense opportunity to shape a nation that is not just rising, but ready.“The projects that emerge from this summit must not gather dust on paper or linger in bureaucratic limbo.” We will fast-track approvals for viable projects. We will ensure coordination across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to enable swift implementation.“We do this because we know that what matters to the average Nigerian is not promises, but power in their homes, roads to their farms, access to clean water, modern hospitals, and quality schools. We must build.” We must deliver. And we must do it together,” he said.He observed that a 21st-century economy cannot be built on 20th-century infrastructure, pointing out that the “old model of public-only infrastructure funding is no longer sustainable.“Our national aspirations far exceed what public budgets alone can deliver. That is why we must innovate, and why we must work together.” We are not looking for investors to carry burdens. We are offering opportunities to create value.” We seek long-term partners who are ready to help us bridge our infrastructure gap with purpose and precision,” he added.Tinubu recalled that his administration, on assumption of office two years ago, was quite aware “that a functional relationship between the public and private sectors would be the magic wand of transformation.”He reaffirmed that the administration was still fully committed to that very public-private partnership that is passionate about delivering sustainable and inclusive infrastructure.” We have strengthened the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and enhanced its capacity to regulate, superintend, and de-risk PPP transactions.” We are determined to deliver infrastructure that is both sustainable and inclusive. Our economic reforms have laid a stable foundation.” From the removal of unsustainable subsidies to the liberalisation of the foreign exchange regime and the optimisation of government revenues, we have acted boldly and responsibly.“We are streamlining bureaucratic bottlenecks and improving transparency in our project pipelines.” We have aligned our processes with global best practices and investor expectations.”The President urged participants to ensure the event is “remembered not for fine speeches, but for bankable projects, signed deals, and enduring progress.”The Minister of Interior, Mr Tunji Ojo, commended the ICRC for championing game-changing projects across diverse sectors.Ojo noted that with President Tinubu and Vice-President Shettima in the saddle, Nigeria is taking its rightful place in the comity of nations.The Regional Director, Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, IFC, Dahlia Khalifa, applauded the ongoing reform in Nigeria’s PPP framework.Khalifa acknowledged IFC’s collaboration with authorities across key sectors to achieve the country’s overall objectives and strengthening the existing relationship between the organisation and Nigeria.She added that Nigeria under President Tinubu has demonstrated strong commitments to timely and transparent resolution of disputes arising from PPP projects.Solomon Quaynor, the Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation at the African Development Bank, said the theme of the summit implies that partnerships are not just optional but are essential.He said the infrastructure deficits “demand that the government and the private sector work together in commercially viable PPPs.”Quaynor added that the bank was working with other partners on the Lagos-Abidjan highway project to boost regional economic integration in West Africa.“PPPs are complex long-term projects. They need to be designed properly and designed to survive different political administrations because by their very nature, they are long-term,” he stated. (NAN)
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