There are signs that the planned supply of crude oil in naira from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, scheduled to commence on October 1, 2024, had not begun as of Thursday, October 3.

Officials from Dangote Refinery, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and NNPC, among others, remained silent when asked for updates on the naira-for-crude arrangement between NNPC and Dangote.

On Monday, The PUNCH reported that the Technical Sub-Committee on Domestic Sales of Crude Oil in Local Currency had confirmed the previous day that the supply of crude in naira from NNPC to the Dangote refinery was set to start on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

On September 13, 2024, the committee announced that the Federal Executive Council, led by President Bola Tinubu, had approved the sale of crude to local refineries in naira, as well as the purchase of petroleum products in naira.

“From October 1, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd (385,000 barrels per day) of crude oil to the Dangote refinery to be paid for in naira,” the committee had declared.

“I can confirm that the Chairman of the Sub-Technical Committee, Zacch Adedeji, is working day and night to ensure that things go according to plans. He knows how important it is to have the agreement implemented as has been planned for the benefit of Nigerians,” Adekanmbi had stated.

On Thursday, reliable sources from three local refineries indicated that they were unaware of whether the agreement had begun.

When our correspondent reached out for information about the deal, NNPC officials remained silent and referred them to the Ministry of Finance for clarification. However, the finance ministry did not respond when contacted.

Nevertheless, a high-ranking official from a local refinery mentioned that crude oil refiners, including Dangote, are still waiting for the Federal Government to supply crude oil in naira.

The official emphasized that the government, via its crude-for-naira committee, had guaranteed operators that substantial progress was being made to fulfill the agreement.

“You know that said it was to start on October 1, the technical committee is the one in charge now and they are working on it. They are supposed to arrive at a particular agreement and communicate it to us.

“But I can tell you that as of this moment, we haven’t received that communication yet. We are still waiting for them,” the operator who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.

The PUNCH

The House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Adedeji Dhikrullahi Olajide, said the time has come for Nigeria to embrace electronic voting in its democratic process.

Olajide stated this in an interview with The Guardian in Ibadan.

The lawmaker, who represents Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West federal constituency in Oyo State, said e-voting would go a long way in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.

He said: “The time has come for Nigeria to go into e-voting. Anything technology is the way to go. Look, the human interference in technology is the issue. Technology in itself is a good thing. But if you now have human interference in the wrong way, then you start having the wrong behaviour of technology. So, yes, we are ready for it. The political will might not be there totally.

“But again, we will move, regardless of whether you win or lose the election. The future generation must be protected on how they exercise their rights. So, that’s why I believe in e-voting”.

The Federal High Court has made an order restraining the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, popularly known as VIO, from impounding, confiscating, or imposing fines on any motorist.

The Federal High Court, while delivering judgement in a suit filed by human rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal, through Justice N.E. Maha, agreed with the Applicant that there is no law empowering the Respondents to stop, impound, confiscate, seize, or impose fines on motorists.

While delivering judgment in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023, Marshal Abubakar vs the Directorate of Road Traffic Services & 4 others, the court in its judgement delivered on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, made a declaration that the 1st (Directorate of Road Traffic Services) to 4th Respondents under the control of the 5th Respondent (Minister of the Federal Capital Territory) are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, confiscate the vehicles of motorists, and/or impose fines on motorists.

The court made an order restraining the 1st to 4th Respondents, either through their agents, servants, and/or assigns, from impounding, confiscating the vehicles of motorists, and/or imposing fines on any motorist, as doing so is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful by themselves.

The court also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, agents, privies, allies, or anybody acting on behalf of the 1st Respondent, from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and the right to own property without lawful justification.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today for the United Kingdom to begin a two-week vacation as part of his annual leave.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday said he would use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.

He will return to the country after the leave expires.

Tinubu departed at exactly 2:35pm, after exchanging pleasantries with some top government officials in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The president celebrated Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day anniversary with a speech, in which he said the Federal Government would introduce a 30-day confab aimed at including the youth in his administration.

The President said the modalities of the confab and selection of delegates would be designed as soon as possible.

“As we work to overcome the challenges of the day, we remain mindful of the next generation as we seek to galvanise their creative energy towards a better future,” he said during his second Independence Day anniversary broadcast since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.

“We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognising that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.

“Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population.

“It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.

“The 30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice.

“The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives. Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations.

“The government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.”

Tinubu further said his administration decided to reform Nigeria’s political economy and defence architecture for the nation to survive.

The President also saluted the doggedness of the Nigerian people, saying the country has survived crises that disintegrated other nations.

Tinubu said his administration is determined to win the war against bandits and terrorists so that displaced farmers can return to their farmlands and boost production to reduce soaring food prices.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has advised Nigerians resident in Lebanon to consider moving out of the country now that commercial flights are still in operation.

NIDCOM said the advice is a result of its worry over the attacks on Hezbollah and other areas in Lebanon by Israeli government.

This was made known in statement signed by Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit at NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

“Though information from the Nigerian community in Lebanon indicated that most Nigerians have relocated from the southern part and are now relatively safe, we hereby advise them to keep safe until the ceasefire is in place.

“It is gratifying to note that thus far, no Nigerian has witnessed any form of accident or injury and wish to advise them to continue to remain safe while the war lasts.

“Nigerians are equally advised to liase with our Embassy in Lebanon for necessary guidance regarding their safety and be rest assured that their welfare and safety is of utmost concern to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement read.

Israel shifted its focus last month from the war in Gaza, which was sparked by the October 7 attacks by Iran-backed Hamas, to securing its northern border with Lebanon.

As the Security Council met, Israeli forces were battling Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, following “targeted ground raids” across the border by Israel on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 people have died since last week, in fighting that has included Israeli strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, arraigned a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and the former permanent secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, for fraud.

Both are being prosecuted on a 15-count, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds in the state to the tune of N27 billion.

One of the charges read: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, while being the governor of Taraba State, and Bello Yero, while being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between July 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety-Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.”

Another read: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, while being the governor of Taraba State, and Bello Yero, while being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between July 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety-Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Act.”

They pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, to ask the court for a trial date as well as an accelerated hearing on the matter, while Paul Haris Ogbole, SAN, and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel to Ishaku and Yero respectively, made oral bail applications, which Jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications.

Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 3, for the hearing of bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC’s custody. Both defendants were arrested on September 27, 2024.