Crime
Reps to investigate NNPC fuel subsidy claim from 2017-2021
The House of Representatives has constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the Petroleum Products Subsidy regime between 2017 and 2021 by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Sergius Ogun (PDP-Edo), on the floor of the House on Wednesday in Abuja.
In his motion, Ogun said he was informed that as of 2002, the NNPC purchased crude oil at international market prices, which stood at 445,000 barrels per day.
He added that it was to enable it to provide petroleum products for local consumption, saying he was concerned that as of 2002, the installed capacity of Nigeria’s local refineries stood at 445,000 barrels per day.
He, however, said that their capacity utilisation began to nosedive, and eventually fell completely to zero, due to the ineffectiveness and alleged corruption of critical stakeholders in the value chain.
The lawmaker said that due to a decline in the production capacity of the refineries, NNPC found it more convenient to export domestic crude, in exchange for petroleum products on a trade by barter basis.
According to him, the component cost in the petroleum products subsidy value chain claim by the NNPC is highly over-bloated.
Ogun claimed that the transferred pump price per litre, used by the NNPC in relation to PPMC, was under-quoted as N123-N128 instead of N162-N165
He said that the fraudulent under-reporting of N37-N39 per litre, translated into more than N70 billion a month, or N840 billion naira a year.
Ogun expressed worry that the consumption rate of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), was 40 million to 45million litres per day, adding that the NNPC used 65 million to 100 million litres per day.
This, he said was to determine subsidy as discoverable from NNPC monthly reports to the Federal Allocation Committee (FAAC).
According to him, the subsidy regime has been unscrupulously used by the NNPC and other critical stakeholders to subvert the nation’s crude oil revenue to the tune of more than 10 billion dollars.
Ogun said records showed that as at 2021, over seven billion dollars of 120 million barrels was diverted.
He also alleged that there was evidence that subsidy amounts were being duplicated.
The lawmaker added that subsidy was charged against petroleum product sales in the books of NNPC, as well as against crude oil revenue in the books of NAPIMS, to the tune of more than N2 trillion.
Crime
Man jailed 3 months for stealing mobile phone
An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
Crime
Army apprehends 15 over suspected oil theft in Niger Delta
Troops of the Nigerian army have apprehended no fewer than 15 persons over suspected oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the Spokesman, Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, said in a statement on Monday that the operations were carried out in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers recently.
Danjuma said that the army apprehended 15 persons, dismantled 32 artisanal refineries and seized 14 boats during operations.
He further said that during the operations, conducted between Jan. 6 and 12, the troops confiscated no fewer than 60,000 litres of various petroleum products
The spokesman said that the operations were part of a broader collaborative effort with other security agencies to combat oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Danjuma said that the raid commenced in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, and Rivers, where soldiers dismantled seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 20,000 litres of crude oil, and destroyed two boats.
“We also deactivated ten illegal refineries, several crude oil cooking pots, and receivers, and recovered about 19,000 litres of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River.
“In Odagwa, Etche, our troops intercepted three boats carrying about 12,000 litres of stolen crude oil and arrested three suspects in the process.
“Similar operations were carried out in Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo” he added.
He stated that the soldiers advanced to Nkisa in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they confiscated 1,600 litres of crude oil and 1,200 litres adulterated diesel.
Danjuma said that along Ndoni Road, the troops intercepted a Toyota van transporting an estimated 1,200 litres of stolen condensate.
The spokesman said that in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, the troops dismantled two illegal refineries, seized 1,500 litres of stolen crude oil, and apprehended five suspects.
“In Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, our soldiers dismantled an illegal artisanal refinery and intercepted a wooden boat carrying no fewer than 1,500 litres of stolen
“Similarly, an illegal refining site containing an unquantified quantity of stolen petroleum products was deactivated in Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri communities in Nembe, Bayelsa.
“The operations continued in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops maintained a strong presence and effectively denied economic saboteurs the liberty to operate,” he said.
Crime
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
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