IN-THE-NEWS

Dangote Accuses IOCs Of Manipulating Crude Oil Prices

Published

2 weeks ago

June 24, 2024

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Devakumar Edwin, the vice-president of oil and gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has accused international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria of frustrating the survival of Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Edwin said the IOCs are deliberately and wilfully frustrating the refinery’s efforts to buy local crude by jerking up the high premium prices above the market price, thereby forcing it to import crude from countries as far as the United States, with its attendant high costs.

Edwin spoke to journalists at a one-day training programme, organised recently by the Dangote Group.

He said, “The Federal Government issued 25 licences to build refinery and we are the only one that delivered on promise. In effect, we deserve every support from the Government,” the vice-president said.

“It is good to note that from the start of production, more than 3.5 billion litres, which represents 90 per cent of our production, have been exported. We are calling on the Federal Government and regulators to give us the necessary support in order to create jobs and prosperity for the nation.

“While the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are trying their best to allocate the crude for us, the IOCs are deliberately and willfully frustrating our efforts to buy the local crude.

“It would be recalled that the NUPRC, recently met with crude oil producers as well as refinery owners in Nigeria, in a bid to ensure full adherence to Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligations (DCSO), as enunciated under section 109(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“It seems that the IOCs’ objective is to ensure that our Petroleum Refinery fails. It is either they are deliberately asking for ridiculous/humongous premium or, they simply state that crude is not available. At some point, we paid $6 over and above the market price.

“This has forced us to reduce our output as well as import crude from countries as far as the US, increasing our cost of production.

“It appears that the objective of the IOCs is to ensure that Nigeria remains a country which exports crude oil and imports refined petroleum products.

“They (IOCs) are keen on exporting the raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for their countries, adding to their GDP, and dumping the expensive refined products into Nigeria – thus making us dependent on imported products.” READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Edwin further said the strategy of the multinationals has been adopted in every commodity, making Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa face unemployment and poverty, adding that “they create wealth for themselves at our expense”.

“This is exploitation — pure and simple. Unfortunately, the country is also playing into their hands by continuing to issue import licences, at the expense of our economy and at the cost of the health of the Nigerians who are exposed to carcinogenic products,” he added.

“In spite of the fact that we are producing and bringing out diesel into the market, complying with ECOWAS regulations and standards, licences are being issued, in large quantities, to traders who are buying the extremely high sulphur diesel from Russia and dumping it in the Nigerian Market.

“Since the US, EU and UK imposed a Price Cap Scheme from 5th February 2023 on Russian Petroleum Products, a large number of vessels are waiting near Togo with Russian ultra-high sulphur diesel and, they are being purchased and dumped into the Nigerian Market.

“In fact, some of the European countries were so alarmed about the carcinogenic effect of the extra high sulphur diesel being dumped into the Nigerian Market that countries like Belgium and the Netherlands imposed a ban on such fuel being exported from its country, into West Africa, recently.”

Edwin said it is sad that the country is giving import licences for “such dirty diesel to be imported into Nigeria when we have “more than adequate petroleum refining capacity locally.”

According to the vice president, the decision of the NMDPRA to grant licences indiscriminately for the importation of dirty diesel and aviation fuel has made the Dangote refinery expand into foreign markets.

He said the refinery has recently exported diesel and aviation fuel to Europe and other parts of the world because the refinery meets international standards as well as complies with stringent guidelines and regulations to protect the local environment.

“The same industry players fought us for crashing the price of diesel and aviation fuel, but our aim, as I have said earlier, is to grow our economy,” Edwin said.

“Recently, the government of Ghana, through legislation has banned the importation of highly contaminated diesel and PMS into their county. It is regrettable that, in Nigeria, import licences are granted despite knowing that we have the capacity to produce nearly double the amount of products needed in Nigeria and even export the surplus. Since January 2021, ECOWAS regulations have prohibited the import of highly contaminated diesel into the region.”

Edwin appealed to the federal government and the national assembly to urgently intervene for speedy implementation of the PIA and to ensure the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians are protected.

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IN-THE-NEWS

Man Brutally Assaults His Ex-Girlfriend In Minna, Says She Was Lucky He Wasn’t Carrying A Knife

Published

1 hour ago

July 7, 2024

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Mohammed Abba Yahaya, a 26-year-old man, has been arrested by the Niger State Police Command.

He was arrested for assaulting a 400-level student of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident said the suspect was arrested by police operatives attached to the Chanchaga Division in Minna on June 30, 2024, for criminal force and assault against the victim, Hussena Sani, who is his ex-girlfriend.

“On 29/6/2024 at about 1630hrs, a case of criminal force and assault, causing injury, was reported at Chanchaga Division against the suspect, one Mohammed Abba Yahaya, 26, of Tungan-goro, Minna. At about 2100hrs, he assaulted one Hussena Sani, 25, of the same area, and inflicted serious injury on her,” the PPRO said.

Yahaya claimed that he saw his female friend, Hussena Sani, being dropped off by a vehicle at Tungan-goro and, upon inquiring about the driver, did not receive a satisfactory response.

An argument ensued, leading to a physical altercation in which Yahaya punched Sani in the face.

The victim was taken to the hospital for medical treatment, while the suspect has been transferred to the State Headquarters of the Niger State Police Command in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.

However, in a swift reaction, the victim debunked the suspect’s confessional statement to police investigators, though she confirmed that Yahaya was her former boyfriend.

Sani, whose eyes were swollen and tightly closed, likely due to the beating by Yahaya, recounted her ordeal.

She explained that the incident occurred on Saturday, 29/6/2024, at about 2100 hrs after she had seen off a visitor in his private car near her residence.

Sani stated that Yahaya, who saw her alight from the visitor’s car, angrily approached her and demanded to know the identity of the car owner and her relationship with him.

When she replied that it was none of his business, he slapped her, followed by heavy blows to her face and body, causing her to fall to the ground with one eye bleeding profusely.

She further explained that Yahaya, upon realizing she was struggling in pain and crying for help, forcefully took her iPhone/Android phone and fled. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Sani managed to walk slowly, holding her left eye, towards Yahaya’s house to report the incident to his parents.

Yahaya accosted her again, hitting her on the remaining eye.

She shouted at him, “Do you still want to kill me?” Yahaya responded that she was lucky he wasn’t carrying a knife, or he would have stabbed her to death.

Sani was later rushed to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Specialist Hospital in Chanchaga, Minna, for urgent medical attention and was subsequently referred to eye specialists at Minna General Hospital.

She has started responding to treatment, though she still cannot see with one of her eyes as of Thursday, July 4.

Meanwhile, Hajiya Fatima, Sani’s mother, in a brief interview with the Nigerian Tribune, described the injuries suffered by her daughter from her former boyfriend as unacceptable, wicked, and ill-treatment.

She sent a passionate appeal to the Niger State Government and the State Police Command to ensure that Yahaya is held accountable for his alleged dastardly acts.

The visibly distraught mother, who was crying throughout the interview, said her daughter’s precarious health condition was a great concern.

She added that Sani was supposed to have returned to the university for the continuation of her academic program since last weekend, prior to the unfortunate incident.

Hajiya Fatima described the suspect as a brute, heartless, and a thief for snatching her daughter’s phone after inflicting serious injuries on her.

She advocated for justice against Yahaya and a serious penalty to serve as a deterrent to others.

She expressed appreciation to the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, and his officers for the immediate arrest, detention, and investigation of the suspect, with plans for his prosecution upon completion of the investigation.

Fatima expressed fears that her daughter may be left with a permanent scar and trauma from the incident, emphasizing that justice must be served.

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IN-THE-NEWS

A Married Man Who Lives In His Family House With His Wife And Kids Is Still A Boy

Published

1 hour ago

July 7, 2024

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Stella Justice, a Nigerian lawyer, has caused a stir with a statement she made online.

The lawyer opined that a married man who lives in his family house with his wife and children is still a boy. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“If you are MARRIED as a MAN and YOU are STILL LIVING in your FAMILY HOUSE with your WIFE and CHILDREN, you are still a BOY. Such a man is not ready to take up his RESPONSIBILITIES,” she wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday.

“You and wife needs PRIVACY. You don’t need to HIDE to MAKE LOVE for FEAR of anyone KNOCKING. YOUR WIFE needs to be FREE to wear transparent night gown for you as the husband.”

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IN-THE-NEWS

President Tinubu Re-elected ECOWAS Chairman

Published

1 hour ago

July 7, 2024

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Tinubu, whose first tenure is to elapse on July 9, 2024, was elected by a unanimous decision of fellow Heads of Government at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority held at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government for another one-year tenure.

In his acceptance speech, the President said, “I have accepted to continue to deliver on this service with the great men and women on this democratic journey, to serve our interest and build democratic values on the structure we inherited.” READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Presidency sources had on Saturday night told our correspondent that Tinubu may be elected for another tenure.

“Some people say he should hand over, and others say he should continue. But they will decide tomorrow,” said the source who preferred to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak on the issue.

Tinubu was elected Chairman of the Authority at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the regional bloc held last July in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau.

Details shortly…

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