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Pipeline Explosion Shakes Bayelsa Amid Political Crisis in Rivers State
By Divine Perezide
A pipeline explosion has rocked Gbarain Kingdom in Bayelsa State, adding to rising concerns over security and oil infrastructure safety in Nigeria’s oil-producing region. The blast occurred on Tuesday, March 19, 2025, the same day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State due to a worsening political crisis, TJ News online reported.
This is coming hours after President Tinubu made the announcement of a State of Emergency, included the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and the entire State House of Assembly. The move follows a prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
When contacted by newsmen, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, declined to make an immediate statement. “The president has made a declaration, and what do you think we can say? I think it is too hasty to make any comment about it,” Johnson remarked.
To stabilize the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) has been appointed as the administrator to oversee governance. However, concerns remain over how the situation will unfold in the coming days.
The explosion in Gbarain Kingdom is the latest in a string of similar incidents. Just hours earlier, another pipeline explosion was reported in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) in Rivers State, with another occurring Monday night in Bodo, Gokana LGA. These repeated incidents highlight the vulnerability of oil infrastructure in the face of the rising political powerplay in Rivers State.
Key concerns raised by these explosions include what considerations went into the environmental safety, loss of production, and maintenance cost of oil pipelines, risks to local communities in the face of avoidable political instability in the ever volatile Niger Delta.
Analysts suggest that the escalating political tension in Rivers State may be contributing to the surge in attacks on oil facilities within thelast 24 hours. The ongoing struggle for power in the state could have created an opening for criminal activities, including pipeline vandalism.
Given that Nigerian economy relies heavily on crude oil and gas production from states like Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa amongst others, disruptions to oil production could have serious economic repercussions on thecountry andwere quitefrankly avoidable,
analysts argue.
While NNPC and other oil operators have yet to release an official statement, reports indicate that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the explosions. Meanwhile, local communities in Gbarain Kingdom are calling for increased security presence around oil pipelines, environmental clean up, relief materals, environmental impacts assessment, and adequate compensations.
Environmental activists have also warned that repeated pipeline explosions could have devastating effects on agriculture, the ecosystem, and public health.
Urgent Need for Stability and Security have also been advised as the Gbarain explosion comes at a time of heightened political uncertainty in the Niger Delta. With Rivers State now under emergency rule, the federal government must also prioritize the security of the oil infrastructure, addressing environmental concerns, and ensuring local communities are not left to bear the consequences of political and economic instability.
As the nation watches the unfolding events in Rivers State, the need for decisive action to protect Nigeria’s oil resources and the people who depend on them has never been more urgent.
By Admin
In a major shake-up of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mallam Mele Kyari and Board Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure, along with all board members appointed in November 2023.
This development was announced early Wednesday in a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. The statement revealed that a newly constituted 11-member board will now oversee the affairs of NNPC Limited, with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari taking over as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida assuming the role of Non-Executive Chairman.
Additionally, President Tinubu appointed Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the Chief Financial Officer last year, as a board member. The board also includes six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), and Babs Omotowa, former Managing Director of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), representing North Central. From the southern regions, Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South-West), and Henry Obih (South-East) were also named as non-executive directors.
Further, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources will represent their respective ministries on the board.
The statement emphasized that “all the appointments are effective today, April 2.” It also outlined Tinubu’s rationale for the restructuring, citing Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. According to Onanuga, the move is aimed at “enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.”
Furthermore, President Tinubu has tasked the newly appointed board with conducting a “strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and joint venture assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.”
Under Tinubu’s leadership, the federal government has been implementing major reforms in the oil sector to attract more investment. In 2023, NNPC recorded $17 billion in new investments, with the administration now aiming to increase that figure to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
The government also has ambitious targets for oil and gas production. The goal is to raise daily crude oil output to two million barrels by 2027 and three million barrels by 2030. Likewise, gas production is expected to reach 8 billion cubic feet per day by 2027 and expand further to 10 billion cubic feet daily by 2030.
Additionally, Tinubu has charged the new board with increasing NNPC’s crude oil refining capacity. “The new board is expected to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030,” the statement noted.
The newly appointed board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, hails from Borno State. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a degree in civil engineering, Kida also holds a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.
His career in the oil and gas industry began at Elf Petroleum Nigeria before moving to Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985. He later rose to the position of Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services at Total Nigeria in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Beyond his contributions to the oil sector, Kida is well-known in the sports community as a former basketball player and the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed NNPC Limited Group CEO, is from Kwara State. Before his appointment, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His recent efforts led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
Ojulari is also a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a degree in mechanical engineering. His career started at Elf Aquitaine, where he became the first Nigerian process engineer before transitioning to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991. Over the years, he worked in various roles in Europe and the Middle East, excelling as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager.
In 2015, Ojulari was appointed Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). He also served as chairman and a board trustee member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the former NNPC board members for their contributions, particularly in overseeing the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries. Their efforts led to the resumption of petroleum product production after years of inactivity. He wished them success in their future endeavors.
By Divine Perezide
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, a former senator from Kwara Central, as the new Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). The appointment, which took effect on March 11, 2025, is set for an initial term of four years.
The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Sunday. Dr. Oloriegbe, a seasoned healthcare professional and policymaker, previously led the Senate Committee on Health between 2019 and 2023. He also chaired the Joint National Assembly Committee on Health, where he played a key role in shaping health policies.
Dr. Oloriegbe brings a strong academic background to his new role. He holds a Master’s degree in Coaching and Consultation from the University of Oxford and HEC Paris, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. His professional affiliations include membership in the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), and the International AIDS Society (IAS).
His appointment is expected to strengthen the NHIA’s leadership and enhance health insurance accessibility in Nigeria. This decision aligns with President Tinubu’s boader strategy of appointing experienced professionals to key positions in the health sector to drive meaningful reforms.
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Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa State bans the planned hosting of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike anywhere in Bayelsa State.
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