News

Engaging the Navy: Reps Committee Addresses Oil Theft and Pipeline Security

Published

10 months ago

February 17, 2024

The House of Representatives’ Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft on Friday met with the Chief of Naval Staff to strategize on collaborative initiatives for effective policing of pipelines and other critical assets in the oil and gas industry with the overall goal to tackle the menace of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

The Chairman of the Committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who led the committee on the visit to the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy, reiterated the commitment of the lawmakers to President Bola Tinubu’s government’s efforts to turn around the economy through the oil and gas sector.

Doguwa, who is also the Chairman of the House’s Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), emphasized the need to review the legal frameworks to enhance the effective performance of the security agencies in their operational activities on shore and in the hinterlands.

The chairman also hinted at a “possible consideration for improved funding for the Navy to enhance their policing duties in defending and protecting our critical assets in the oil and gas industry.

“We appreciate the good works the men and officers of the Nigerian Navy and other sister forces and security agencies have been doing to secure our pipelines to make sure that the country gets good value for our mineral resources, but we recognize that there is still a room for more because Nigeria is still losing more to the illegal activities of vandals and crude oil thefts.

“This is why the Honorable Speaker, House of Representatives Rt. Honourable Tajudeen Abbas has set up this committee in a bid to address one of the threats to the nation’s economy. This, the committee’s primary objective of determining the proximate and remote causes of oil theft and recommending remedial measures to the parliament, means it has to engage with critical stakeholders like the Navy,” Doguwa said.

Responding, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, appreciated the committee for its efforts and agreed to cooperate with the committee to deliver on its legislative mandate.

The CNS, however, expressed concerns over delayed judicial processes of arrested culprits, which he believes has not encouraged the efforts the Navy and sister forces and security agencies have been putting into securing the nation’s economy.

He urged the committee to create an enabling legal framework that will harmonize the activities of the government security agencies with private security organizations with a view to achieving desired results.

News

Stampede at Catholic Church in Maitama Claims Ten Lives During Food Distribution

Published

7 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Ten people have been confirmed dead in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, on Saturday, 21st December 2024, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.

The unfortunate incident, which occurred around 6:30 am, resulted in the loss of ten lives, including four children, and left eight others injured with varying degrees of severity. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are still receiving medical attention.

The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the tragedy, extended condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished the injured a swift recovery.

News

Port-Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational- Says NNPC

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down.

We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.

Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing.

Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.

News

Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Production Less Than a Month After Resumption

Published

12 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Less than a month after the porthacourt appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working.

It was gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty.

While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty.

Journalists who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped completely.

The depot, which is usually a beehive of activities where tankers scramble for space at the parking yard, was a shadow of itself with literally no vehicular or human activity relating to operations.

This was after $1.5bn was approved in March 2021 and spent on the rehabilitation of the facility.

The inauguration of the 60,000 barrel per day production capacity plant by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, was met with celebration and fanfare.

During the re-opening of the facility, there was lifting of petrol to the excitement of the cheering crowd.

However, less than 10 trucks of petrol were lifted that day as against widespread claims that about 200 trucks carried petrol out of the bay.