News
Refining Fraud Through Oil
Refining fraud through oil
By Emeka Obasi
The Nigerian oil industry is a multi billion naira venture capable of creating one of the leading economies in the globe. It is the mainstay of robust nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait where results of transparency visit investors.
Unfortunately, this same Black Gold has become a curse in one of the largest oil producing nations of the world. There is nothing to show for the trillions of naira earned by successive governments, either military or civilian.
It is criminal that all the four refineries in Nigeria, with a capacity of 450,000 barrels per day (bpd) have been grounded since 2019. The two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri and another in Kaduna are not different from war relics, reminding compatriots of the pains of failed leadership.
The truth is that Nigerians have been told more lies by the government and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited, than those who colonised Africa during the years of Imperialism. Deceit has become an official policy.
Port Harcourt refinery was built to turn out 210,000 bpd. There are reports that about 1.5 million dollars went into it in 2015 for Turn Around Maintenance (TAM). The only visible result is a moribund site that continues to create long lines in filling stations nationwide.
Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, made several attempts to show how much he cared about the people. He began to issue statements of fact, raising hope that Port Harcourt refinery was ready to roar back to life.
It is impossible to determine how many times those promises turned empty and evaporated through the rough creeks of the Niger Delta. Hope was raised, D Day fixed for December 2022. Nearly two years after, D Day has moved as many times as it takes water to pass under the bridge.
The Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company attracted positive attention when the Managing Director, Desmond Inyamah, announced a December 2023 date as definite period of production. There are worries that after another year, nothing has happened. The story in Kaduna is not different.
While Nigerians remain in perpetual agony, some politicians and importers are growing fatter, gaining from the corrupt system that allows crude oil to be exported, refined and brought back to the country at perilous costs.It takes only the devil to understand why an oil producing nation enjoys the death of its refineries.
The shame is that there are citizens who are blessed with the ingenuity to stem this robbery. During the Civil War, the only refinery was in the Garden City, under the breakaway Republic of Biafra. When Port Harcourt fell in May 1968, the war did not end.
Biafrans went to work. A new refinery was built in Uzuakoli, by the Petroleum Management Board (PMB). How striking that one former Nigerian Oil Minister chose the acronym, PMB. Another refinery emerged in Amandugba, through the Research and Production Board. It took impoverished and landlocked Biafra months to build two refineries. For decades, Nigeria in peace time, has been unable to maintain four refineries.
Dangote Refinery is here; why are we unhappy? By Dele Sobowale
Dangote Fallout: Scotland’s only oil refinery to close next year, 400 jobs to go
During the war, Biafra found an alternative to oil. Dr. Clement Onyemelukwe, regarded as the Father of Electricity in Nigeria led efforts to produce fuel from coal. Today, there are coal deposits in the Enugu area, no attempt has been made to think out of the box.
What Nigerians gain from oil is lamentation. When President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015, a litre of Premium Motor Spirit was less than 100 naira. He was Petroleum minister as a soldier. The first thing he did as Oil minister and President, was to hike the price astronomically.
His successor, President Bola Tinubu, who is also the Oil minister jumped from 165 naira per litre to over 600 naira per litre. Today, Nigerians are struggling to see fuel to buy at over 1000 naira per litre after yet another hike.
This price hike is strange, coming less than one year after the NNPC flaunted a three trillion naira profit. It is only in skewed climes that a company that made trillions in profit will blame fuel scarcity on debt it owed global partners.
Aliko Dangote has been in a cat and mouse game with the NNPC. His resolve to open a new refinery was met with blackmail, politics and all sorts of damaging stories. Behind the facade, is the feeling that he has come to block leakages that gave thieves access to free loot.
In 1999, Dangote and his friend Femi Otedola, pioneered Blue Star Consortium to acquire 75 percent stakes in Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries. They were frustrated. He is back with Dangote Refinery. The oil bandits are fighting him and punishing the people.
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. If Biafrans could build refineries while killer bomber jets hovered around the them, why is the same not happening in Nigeria where there is no Civil War? It is obvious that those who decide our fate are killers of talent.
I feel so bad anytime news is made of government agencies raiding communities in the Niger Delta and destroying refineries. All the brains managing our oil feel threatened by the ingenuity of people who have no degrees in Petrochemical Engineering or any formal training but are able to do what government failed to do.
The world cannot understand how Nigerians continue to tolerate their leaders in big offices who relax at the back seat of fuel guzzling Sports Utility Vehicles while the masses spend days and nights watching over chaos in gas stations that grind them with high prices.
News
Tantita Security Commissions Modern Police Station, Reaffirms Commitment to Security and Community Development
By Favour Bibaikefie
Chief Engr. Kestin Ebimobowei Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has reaffirmed the company’s dedication to both national security and grassroots development. He made this assertion over the weekend during the official commissioning of a newly constructed and fully equipped police station for the Nigerian Police Force at the Ugborikoko Divisional Headquarters in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
While addressing the attendees, Chief Engr. Pondi remarked:
“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey at Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited. We are beyond proud to commission the new Ugborikoko Divisional Police Station—a symbol of our unwavering commitment to security, peace, and community development.
“This station is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a tangible manifestation of what can be achieved when communities, governments, and the private sector unite with a common purpose. For us, it’s about creating safe spaces where citizens and officers alike can thrive, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to live in security and peace.”
He went on to emphasize that the company’s objective extends well beyond securing oil and gas pipelines, stating:
“Since 2022, our mission has always gone beyond security—it’s about contributing to national prosperity and local empowerment. As we hand over this new facility, we’re reminded that true progress isn’t just in improving infrastructure, but in uplifting the very people who protect it. With state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering focus on operational efficiency, this police station is built to serve you—our community.”
Concluding his remarks, he offered a message of dedication to the local residents:
“To the people of Warri, Effurun, and Ugborikoko, this station is for you. Together, we’ll continue working towards a brighter, safer future where security is not just a priority, but a reality for all,” the statement added.
The event marks another significant step by Tantita in supporting law enforcement and fostering a secure environment in the Niger Delta region.
By Divine Perezide
The ongoing political tension surrounding the state of emergency declared in Rivers State has escalated, as 11 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have assembled a formidable legal team to contest the decision at the Supreme Court.
According to an April 14 report by NijaNews, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is currently drafting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official response to the lawsuit. The suit stems from the March 18, 2025, emergency proclamation that led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara—who also serves as Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum—alongside his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
President Tinubu had appointed Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as a sole administrator to oversee the state during the six-month emergency period. The National Assembly backed the President’s move through a voice vote.
In response, PDP governors from 11 states—Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa—filed a legal challenge at the Supreme Court. Their suit, identified as SC/CV/329/2025, questions the constitutionality of the emergency rule and the President’s authority to suspend a sitting governor and deputy, replacing them with an unelected administrator.
To press their case, the governors have enlisted a high-profile legal team featuring seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), including Bolaji Ayorinde, Eyitayo Jegede, Kamaldeen Ajibade, J.A. Mumuni, Musibau Adetunbi, Samuel Atung, and Yunus Abdulsalam. They are joined by six other experienced attorneys.
The core of the legal challenge revolves around the interpretation of Nigeria’s Constitution, particularly concerning the limits of presidential power and the principles of federalism. The governors are asking the Supreme Court to clarify whether the President can suspend elected officials under the guise of emergency rule and whether such actions undermine constitutional democracy.
A source within the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the AGF’s office is fully engaged. “As we speak, my colleagues are in the office working on the processes,” the source disclosed.
In a related development, the House of Representatives is forming an ad-hoc committee to take over legislative responsibilities in Rivers State. This move is part of an effort to ensure continuity of governance under the emergency rule.
According to House spokesman Akin Rotimi, the National Assembly subjected the President’s emergency declaration to “rigorous legislative consideration,” resulting in amendments aimed at enhancing democratic checks. He explained that one of the key changes “was to designate the National Assembly, rather than the Federal Executive Council, as the oversight authority for all regulations issued under the emergency arrangement.”
The ad-hoc committee will be chaired by House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, with the Minority Whip serving as deputy. Other committee members include Isiaka Ibrahim, Idris Wase, Muktar Betara, and Sada Soli. Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi will lead the committee’s secretariat.
Rotimi emphasized the House’s commitment to constitutional integrity. “This development highlights the House of Representatives’ commitment to upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and ensuring that the extraordinary measures taken during the emergency period remain subject to legislative oversight, guided by principles of transparency and accountability,” he said.
The Supreme Court is yet to announce a date for the hearing of the high-stakes case.
Former Deputy Governor of Delta State, His Excellency Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, has extended heartfelt birthday wishes to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, as he marks his 54th birthday.
In a personally signed message released to the press on Saturday morning, Deacon Otuaro, speaking on behalf of the “Oporozawei House,” praised Tompolo’s unwavering dedication to justice and his selfless leadership in the Niger Delta region.
The birthday message, titled “BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO HIGH CHIEF GOVERNMENT EKPOMUPLO (A.K.A. TOMPOLO),” reads in part:
> “On this special day, on behalf of the “Oporozawei House,” I join the good people of the Niger Delta and well-meaning Nigerians across the globe to celebrate a rare gem, my brother — High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo.
“You are not just a leader by title, but by sacrifice. You have consistently stood for justice, for equity, and for the liberation of our people in the Niger Delta. Your voice has been a shield, your actions a testament to the strength and resilience of the Ijaw spirit.
“As you add another year, I thank God for preserving you. I pray that His wisdom, strength, and protection continue to abound in your life. May He bless you with long life, good health, and greater influence to keep championing the cause of justice and development for our land.
“Today, we celebrate more than just your birthday — we celebrate your unwavering love for your people and your courage to always do what is right, no matter the cost.
“Happy Birthday, High Chief!
Continue to shine as a beacon of hope and a pillar of truth.”
“Signed with brotherly affection,
H.E. Dcn. Kingsley B. Otuaro
The immediate past, Deputy Governor of Delta State”
Deacon Otuaro’s tribute highlights Tompolo’s enduring influence and acknowledges his role as a symbol of hope and integrity within the Niger Delta and beyond.