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IYN Raises the Alarm Over Oil Thieves Fighting Their Way Back

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IYN Raises the Alarm Over Oil Thieves Fighting Their Way Back

By: Michael Mike

The Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has raised an alarm that there is an ongoing battle by some desperate oil thieves to sabotage ongoing war against them spearheaded by Tantita Security Services Limited, calling on the Federal Government and all Nigerians to give the requisite support to the ongoing campaign against oil theft in the country.

The pan-Ijaw group gave the admonition in a statement by its National Coordinator, Frank Ebikabo and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor,.on Sunday.

The IYN expressed deep worry over the arrest of operatives of Tantita Security Services Limited by the Navy in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, for alleged oil theft a few days ago.

The group said that it should be of concern to the government and the citizens of Nigeria and all those who mean well for the country that suspects of oil theft were shielded from arrest while those carrying out their legitimate duty of arresting them were picked up as alleged by Tantita with video evidence.

It noted that the Federal Government and the NNPC which took the commendable step to engage the private security outfits to fight the unprecedented theft of the nation’s crude resources in August 2022, should be firm against the surreptitious move to discredit the ongoing efforts.

The group said that it is indeed alarming, though expected, that those behind the criminal theft of the nation’s resources are deploying their massive intelligence, weight and resources to stifle the fight against oil theft.

It described the conflict in the statement made by the Nigerian Navy on the arrest of the rogue vessel MT Praisel and the arrest of five Tantita operatives for purported oil theft and the rush to the media to discredit the firm as confusing, unhealthy and suspicious.

It urged Nigerians not to forget in a hurry the terrifying facts about the daily theft of 200,000 barrels of crude oil by the rampaging oil thieves amounting to the loss over 120 million barrels of crude oil from January and September 2022 translating to $12.6 billion in less than a year.

The group recalled the frank statement credited to the Group Managing Director of the NNPC that the engagement of the private security firms to secure the nation’s pipelines had achieved tremendous result with the increase in the daily oil production from 900 barrels per day to between 1.4 and 1.5 million barrels.

It cautioned against public display of rancour between those entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating concerted action against the syndicates of oil thieves, describing the current situation as curious.

The group which called for the immediate release of the operatives of TSL in custody of the Navy, further said that what the nation needed at this critical phase was total onslaught against oil theft and not a show of division among the organisations fight the scourge.

The statement read, “We have watched with dismay the conflicting reports of arrests of oil thieves between the Nigerian Navy and Tantita Security Services Limited.

“We are indeed disturbed because these two critical stakeholders are supposed to put concerted efforts in the search for, and arrest of those perpetrating the criminal theft of the nation’s oil resources and the unconscionable sabotage of the nation’s economy.

“Recurrent indicators of seeming infighting among those entrusted with the responsibility of curtailing the massive theft of the nation’s oil resources seems to give the ominous sign that oil theft and its backers are fighting back.

“In the past one month, we have observed two incidents of conflicting reports on operational conflict between Tantita and the Navy on the arrest of rogue vessel MT Praisel at the Escravos, Delta State and the recent arrest of Tantita operatives at Lekki, Lagos.

“In these two incidents, while Tantita which arrested the MT Praisel said that it was on an illegal operation, the Navy said it was not. Similarly, Tantita has faulted the Navy’s rush to the media to claim that it arrested four operatives of Tantita for oil theft last week.

“We know that the campaign against oil theft is a tough job as the multi- billion naira crime project that has produced billionaires without conscience in various sectors of the Nigerian economy would put up a resistance.

“We therefore call on the President and indeed the NNPCL to be firm in sustaining the tempo of the ongoing campaign against oil theft.

“We also call on the Navy, a critical national institution, to keep a closer watch on the activities of its bases on the Niger Delta to avoid sending out a wrong signal to the society on this sensitive issue of the fight against oil theft.

“Nigerians remember the story behind the decision of the NNPCL to engage Tantita and two other private security firms to aid the efforts of the security agencies to fight the scourge which threatened the nation’s security.

“The Navy should not see Tantita as a competitor but a proactive ally making intensified patriotic efforts to rid Nigeria of a cancerous economic challenge.”

IYN Raises the Alarm Over Oil Thieves Fighting Their Way Back

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Police arrest suspect for killing 28-year-old in Yobe

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Police arrest suspect for killing 28-year-old in Yobe

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe state police command has arrested prime suspect Yunusa Isa, AKA Abba, 24 years for the gruesome killing of Lawan Adamu, 28 years of Nayi Nawa bypass, Damaturu, Yobe state capital.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, MNIPR, disclosed this to newsmen in a crime update report. He said the command has condemned the gruesome killing of a young man, Lawan Adamu, at the outskirts of Nayi Nawa bypass, Damaturu.

“On September 15, ‘A’ Division Police Headquarters Damaturu received a distress call reporting a corpse with deep cuts. Police arrived to find the victim with deep throat cuts and multiple stab wounds; a bloodstained knife was recovered at the scene.

The body was removed to General Hospital Damaturu, where it was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. The corpse has been deposited at the hospital morgue.

Deliberate efforts by the Division led to the arrest of the prime suspect, Yunusa Isa, AKA Abba, 24 years of Nayi Nawa bypass, Damaturu.

Yobe State Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, has directed detectives to expand their investigation to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.

He further assures the public that the investigation will be swift and thorough, as justice will certainly be served accordingly.

Police arrest suspect for killing 28-year-old in Yobe

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Maiduguri Flood: Zulum Flags off Distribution of Relief Materials to Victims

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Maiduguri Flood: Zulum Flags off Distribution of Relief Materials to Victims
…Acknowledges Donations from Agric Ministry, NEMA, NNPC

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has flagged off the distribution of relief materials to victims of the devastating Maiduguri flooding taking refuge in about 36 camps across the state capital Maiduguri and environs.

Maiduguri and parts of Jere and Konduga local governments were left submerged in water as a result overflowing water from Alau Dam due to massive rainfall, leaving about 2 million people displaced and properties put at several billions of Naira destroyed.

The flag-off ceremony took place on Monday, at Bakasi camp along Damboa Road in Maiduguri.

The relief materials shared include a bag of 25kg of rice, a carton of pasta and N10,000 cash.

Speaking to journalists at the venue of the distribution, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum decried the fact that many people not affected by the flood are troupling to the IDP camps, thereby making it difficult for smooth distribution of the palliatives to the people who were actually affected.

He said: “We observed that it is no more sustainable to continue receiving people in the camps because many people that were not affected are troupling to the camps.”

In addition to distributing relief materials, the governor also announced plans to comprehensively assess the affected areas, which will inform future interventions.

He stated: “So we decided to mobilise the resources and ensure that each affected victim had the relief items.

“We have also concluded arrangements that we shall do the assessment at the communities to verify the actual number of those that were affected.”

Also speaking, the senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Shehu Lawan, commended the governor for his leadership.

He said: “Let me commend the governor for providing leadership since the flooding started; he was out with his entire team trying to carry out search and rescue and assisting his people. I also joined His Excellency in commending our donors and urging others to complement the government in assisting victims.”

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, highlighted her agency’s interventions for victims of the flood disaster.

She said since the flooding started the agency has been providing shelters and mobile water purifiers to provide clean drinking water to those affected.

Meanwhile, Zulum has acknowledged the receipt of a food donation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to support the victims of the recent flood disaster.

The occasion was attended by the Senator representing Borno North, Barrister Mohammed Tahir Monguno, members of the House of Representatives, and Borno State Executive Council.

Maiduguri Flood: Zulum Flags off Distribution of Relief Materials to Victims

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Gov. Buni Condoles With Sen. Musa Mustapha Over Loss of Brother

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Gov. Buni Condoles With Sen. Musa Mustapha Over Loss of Brother

By: Our Reporter

Yobe State Governor Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, has condoled with Sen. Musa Mustapha, over the death of his senior brother, Alh. Tijjani Mustapha.

Gov. Buni who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Baba Malam Wali Mni, described the passage of late Tijjani as a very sad loss.

He said the death of Alh. Tijjani is a huge loss not only to the family but his community and the state.

Gov. Buni prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased “May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Al Jannatu Firdaus.

“May He grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss” Governor Buni further prayed.

The SSG was accompanied by the the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alh. Abdullahi Yusuf Gashua, Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Ustaz Babagana Malam Kyari, Permanent Secretary Protocol Alh. Kashim Kalli, the PPS Alh. Liman Ibrahim and DG Press Malam Mamman Mohammed.

Gov. Buni Condoles With Sen. Musa Mustapha Over Loss of Brother

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