News
NNPCL-Dangote Refineries rift: HOMEF Demands Transparency, Investigation of Claims on Import of Toxic Fuels
NNPCL-Dangote Refineries rift: HOMEF Demands Transparency, Investigation of Claims on Import of Toxic Fuels
By: Michael Mike
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has demanded transparency and an investigation into allegations of importing and foisting ‘dirty’ fuels on Nigerians.
HOMEF, in a statement on Wednesday, advocated this in reaction to the feud between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refineries, noting that the NNPCL’s inability to refine petroleum products has been an enormous shame and embarrassment to the nation.
The statement said over the decades, NNPCL’s poor performance has forced Nigeria into the vice grip of forces of exploitation of colonial proportions, making her the largest exporter of crude oil and, at the same time, the largest importer of refined products of dubious quality.
Executive Director, HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, in the statement, noted that the company has epitomised one of the worst that can be imagined of any raw material exporter post- colonial state anywhere in the world.
He explained that while HOMEF acknowledges the high ecological costs of the entire petroleum industry value chain, it regrets that the failure of the comatose NNPC refineries is a critical factor that has allowed toxic bush refineries to proliferate to fill the yawning gaps.
Bassey said: “The importation of refined petroleum products has equally foisted heavy economic pressures on the hapless citizens of Nigeria. The arrival of the Dangote Refinery has its own huge ecological baggage, especially regarding the plight of neighboring communities and the general environment. Besides, there are bigger issues related to the creation and operation of what has come to be known as economic zones of exemption.
“HOMEF is alarmed by the cloudy controversies around the Dangote Refinery. The role of the NNPC in the unfolding disputes highlights the opacity of the sector and the inbuilt boobytraps in the regulatory frameworks under which the sector operates. Nigeria entered the oil refining business shortly after independence, with the first refinery built in Port Harcourt to meet domestic needs and curb overreliance on importation.
“The Nigerian government acquired the refinery by successive increase of shareholding starting at 50% in 1965 and increased to 60% in 1972 and taking up sole ownership by 1978. The name also had a systematic shift from the Nigeria Petroleum Refining Company to NNPC Refinery, Port Harcourt.”
Bassey recalled that three other refineries were set up in response to the growing demand for refined products. They are Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, with 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity and commissioned in 1978; Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, with 110,000 bpd capacity, commissioned in 1980; and the New Port Harcourt Refinery with 150,000 bpd capacity commissioned in 1989. The total installed capacity of all four refineries was 445,000 bpd.
He said: “By the early 1990s, the military government at the time ordered the NNPC to close all its accounts and transfer them to the Central Bank of Nigeria. This arguably marked the beginning of the downward spiral in the performance of the refineries that once served the local petroleum needs and the contributory feedstock needs of other dependent industries.
“Successive “democratic” governments continued to fan the embers of this unproductive but self-serving arrangement, solidifying it with Bills that followed and passed by cronies hooded in different cloaks. The sad realities in the sector include poor governance, poor or non-existent turn around maintenance for the refineries, industrial-scale oil theft, and even the appointments to offices for political control as seen in having serving presidents appointing themselves as Ministers of Petroleum.”
Bassey noted that the conundrum of dependency on exporting raw crude oil and importing refined products, along with corrupt subsidy regimes, remains intractable to date.
According to the environmentalist, the Dangote Refinery’s 650,000 bpd capacity could boost Nigeria’s refining capacity and meet its domestic petroleum needs. He said that the news that Nigeria, through the NNPC Ltd, would have a 20% share in the refinery raised questions, including why the corporation could not focus on making its own refineries work.
He said: “Now we hear that the 20% investment stymied at 7.2% due to the inability of the supposedly profit-making company to meet its financial obligations on schedule. Before the recent closed-door meetings between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Dangote Refineries, there were insinuations and counter-insinuations suggesting an in-fighting. We hear of disputes over the quality of refined products and issues of whether full approvals have been obtained by the private refinery for it to even commence operations.”
Bassey quoted the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) as saying: “The refiners failed in operational approaches because there are operational standards for crude oil supply. These standards go along with international best practices. The local refiners will not put payment instruments in place as expected. They were not also revising delayed vessels at the right time. They will not fix the vessel to pick up the crude at the right time, or they will bring the wrong vessel specifications. These are operational inefficiencies on the part of the local refiners.”
Reacting to the situation, Bassey said: “It is time for the NNPC to come clear on the questions over the quality of products imported petroleum products as well as those coming out of the Dangote Refinery. Nigerians also deserve to know what volume of shares it holds in the refinery.
“The public deserves clarity about what is also going on with regard to subsidies on imported petroleum products since the purported elimination of subsidies provided one of the planks aiding the economic strangulation of the Nigerian peoples.”
Bassey also demanded a participatory social and environmental audit of all the country’s refineries and put in place environmental management plans to ensure the safety of fence-line communities in Lekki, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
Also, HOMEF’s Fossil Politics Programme Manager Stephen Oduware said: “If anything is clear, it is that there are huge transparency questions over the sectoral regulatory frameworks and that the artificially created complexities orchestrated by the NNPCL have heaped an avoidable burden on the masses.”
HOMEF called on the federal government to ensure the operations of all its refineries and equally activate an audit of the unfolding crisis.
“The government should also ensure a depoliticization of the petroleum sector. Another important step will be to ensure that the president of Nigeria does not double as the head of the Petroleum Resources Ministry.”
NNPCL-Dangote Refineries rift: HOMEF Demands Transparency, Investigation of Claims on Import of Toxic Fuels
News
Uyo Kingdom Issues Public Declaration Abolishing GBV, Harmful Traditional Practice Against Women
Uyo Kingdom Issues Public Declaration Abolishing GBV, Harmful Traditional Practice Against Women
By: Michael Mike
In a landmark move to promote gender justice and human dignity, His Royal Highness, Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, Paramount Ruler of Uyo Kingdom, has issued a binding public declaration abolishing all forms of gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices within the Uyo community.
The declaration was made on 8th May 2025, follows months of in-depth consultations with elders, youth leaders, religious figures, women’s groups, and the broader community. In collaboration with the Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) and UN Women, with funding from Ford Foundation, the initiative reflects a unified stand against practices that have long endangered the rights and well-being of women and girls.
According to His Royal Highness
Effective immediately, the following practices are abolished within the State:
Wife battery and all forms of domestic violence; Female Genital Mutilation (FGM); Denial of inheritance rights to widows and other forms of economic disempowerment; Sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation
His Royal Highness emphasised that any individual found promoting, practising, or defending these outlawed acts will face both traditional and legal consequences, as such behaviour stands against the values of justice, equity, and the collective conscience of the Uyo people.
“This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to uphold human dignity, ensure gender justice, and foster a society grounded in peace, respect, and shared humanity,” stated His Royal Highness Edidem Okon.
Represented by the National Programmes Officer for UN Women, Ms Patience Ekeoba, the Country Representative to Nigeria, Ms Beatrice Eyong, applauded the paramount ruler and traditional council for this bold step, stating that traditional and religious actors should challenge harmful practices that directly or indirectly accommodate violence against women and girls.
A statement by UN Women, stated that moving forward, Uyo Kingdom will partner with the Government of Akwa Ibom State, WARIF, UN Women, and other stakeholders to implement community-based guidelines, launch education and awareness campaigns, support survivors, and establish accountability mechanisms to ensure the declaration is fully realised.
The statement said the historic declaration positions Uyo Kingdom as a beacon of progress in the region and reaffirms the community’s united stand to protect and empower every woman and girl.
Uyo Kingdom Issues Public Declaration Abolishing GBV, Harmful Traditional Practice Against Women
News
Failure of Nigeria Athletes to Attend Guangzhou World Athletics Relays, AFN Not Consistent with Fact- Chinese Embassy
Failure of Nigeria Athletes to Attend Guangzhou World Athletics Relays, AFN Not Consistent with Fact- Chinese Embassy
By: Michael Mike
Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has punched hole in reason given by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria ( AFN ) for inability of Nigerian athletes to attend Guangzhou World Athletics Relays scheduled to be held in China from May 10 to 11, 2025, following alleged visa delays by the Chinese authorities.
The embassy in a statement on Saturday accused the AFN of inconsistency in its allegations, expressing that the embassy has always assisted in such matters in time past and had equally not failed to give needed assistance in recent case.
The statement read: “The Embassy of China in Nigeria has noted that, according to Nigerian media reports, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria ( AFN ) issued a statement announcing its withdrawal from the Guangzhou World Athletics Relays scheduled to be held in China from May 10 to 11, 2025, following visa delays by the Chinese authorities.
“The Embassy of China in Nigeria would like to state the following facts and position:
On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated April 22) requesting assistance in processing visas for Nigerian athletes to participate in the event in China.
“The Embassy immediately communicated with the Commission and guided it to prepare the relevant materials so as to expedite visa application. On May 6, China Visa Application Centre received the relevant application materials submitted by the Nigerian athletes. The Embassy immediately activated the expedited procedure, provided the utmost assistance to the Nigerian applicants, and completed the visa issuance on May 8.
“The Embassy of China in Nigeria has always actively supported people-to-people and sports cooperation between the two countries, repeatedly expressed its welcome for Nigerian athletes to participate in events in China, and consistently assisted Nigerian citizens in visa applications in an efficient and professional manner. It should be noted as well that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, and all foreign embassies require applicants to provide the corresponding documents and materials, as well as allow sufficient time for the application process.
“We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time, but the statement issued by the AFN is clearly inconsistent with the facts. The Embassy of China in Nigeria remains committed to promoting friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples and stands ready to continue providing support and assistance for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including sports.”
Failure of Nigeria Athletes to Attend Guangzhou World Athletics Relays, AFN Not Consistent with Fact- Chinese Embassy
Crime
ISSP Establishes Cross-Border Corridor Linking Mali to Lake Chad Axis, Claims Lakurawa Group As its Operational Wing
ISSP Establishes Cross-Border Corridor Linking Mali to Lake Chad Axis, Claims Lakurawa Group As its Operational Wing
By: Zagazola Makama
The Islamic State in the Sahel Province (ISSP) has officially recognized the Lakurawa Group as its clandestine operational wing, formalizing a strategic corridor between its two major factions EIGS (Islamic State in the Greater Sahara) operating in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) active around Lake Chad.
The announcement, made in the wake of two deadly attacks on May 4 in Niger, marks a significant shift in the regional security landscape. On that day, armed militants attacked Dogonkiria in Dosso region, killing at least 30 security force personnel, and Danga in Tillabéri region, where six volunteer fighters for the defense of the homeland (VDPs) were slain.
Zagazola Makama believes the operational link now established between the Sarma Forest in Nigeria and Anderamboukane in Mali via central Niger will enable increased mobility for fighters, arms trafficking, intelligence sharing, and hostage transfers. This corridor, long suspected by observers, has now been confirmed as a key axis for extremist logistics.
Sources say the emergence of ISSP reflects a new phase in Islamic State operations in the region, marked by greater coordination, territorial fluidity, and strategic exploitation of Niger’s governance and airspace gaps particularly since the withdrawal or downsizing of key international security partners.
Zagazola reports that the central strip of Niger already marked by repeated attacks, pipeline sabotage, and mass civilian casualties is increasingly falling under the shadow of ISSP. Many of these incidents had previously gone unclaimed but are now attributed to the group’s covert campaign to secure this critical transit route.
Zagazola warn that if the current trend continues unchecked, the entire security architecture of West Africa may be destabilized, with spillover effects extending beyond the Sahel to Nigeria.
He called for renewed multilateral cooperation and intelligence-sharing, transcending political divisions and post-coup dynamics.
In recent months, Zagazola had raised alarm over the quiet expansion of Lakurawa, cautioning that the group was a proxy for EIGS. The confirmation by ISSP now validates those concerns, signaling an urgent need for proactive counterterrorism measures and regional solidarity.
ISSP Establishes Cross-Border Corridor Linking Mali to Lake Chad Axis, Claims Lakurawa Group As its Operational Wing
NAPTIP on Global Manhunt for Human Traffickers
Uyo Kingdom Issues Public Declaration Abolishing GBV, Harmful Traditional Practice Against Women
Failure of Nigeria Athletes to Attend Guangzhou World Athletics Relays, AFN Not Consistent with Fact- Chinese Embassy
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