BREAKING: SGF, NSA, ministers in emergency meeting over planned nationwide protest

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, is currently meeting with ministers over the planned nationwide protest against economic hardship. The meeting, which is taking place behind closed doors, has all the over 40 ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet in attendance. Some of the Ministers spotted are Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning). Others are Wale Edun (Finance), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), David Umahi (Works), and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, amongst others. Recall that the President had earlier on Tuesday pleaded with Nigerians to shelve the #EndBadGovernance protest slated to commence on August 1. The protest against economic hardship, organized by faceless persons, has gained traction on social media and is scheduled to hold across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Nigeria still being fleeced 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily – Ribadu

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has disclosed that Nigeria is still losing 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily to local and international thieves despite efforts to end the menace. Ribadu confirmed this when he led a presidential delegation to inspect oil and gas facilities at Owaza in Abia and Odogwa in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers at the weekend. He said the activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals had impacted negatively on the nation’s economy and were partly responsible for the rising cost of living in the country. “It’s unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to both the nation, communities and the people. “Nigeria has the capacity to produce 2 million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalism of pipelines. “So, we are talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it,” he said. Ribadu said the operators of artisanal refineries collect a small quantity of crude oil when they broke the pipelines while larger volumes of oil were spilled on the environment. “The value of 400,000 barrels of oil today is about 4 million dollars, and every day, we lose this amount because of this irresponsible behaviour. “If you multiply 4 million dollars by 365 days (one year), you will see that it is a lot of money running into billions of dollars. “Currently, the country is in desperate need of money as the Naira is continuously losing its value because we earn less money. “If we earn more money, it will not only help strengthen our currency but reflect in everything, including cost of living in the country,” he added. The NSA said that the President Bola Tinubu administration was concerned about the development and was already taking actionable steps to address the matter. He said huge investments made by the government in building infrastructures for the common good of all were being destroyed by few individuals, and in the process, destroying the environment. Ribadu called for a united front to tackle oil theft and end decades of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructures. “We are working hard with the security forces and those employed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to secure our facilities and end this madness called oil theft,” he said. On the presidential delegation with the NSA were the Minister of Defence, Baduru Abubakar, and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa. Others included the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri. The Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources, Ekperipe Ekpo, and senior management officials of the NNPCL as well as other top security personnel were part of the team. 

Nigeria can deradicalise Niger within 24 hours – Expert Asserts

Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, a renowned security management specialist, has expressed his astonishment and disappointment over the reactions of certain Nigerians towards the planned restoration of civil rule in Niger Republic, orchestrated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the guidance of President Bola Tinubu. Agbomhere, who holds accreditation as an expert in security management and strategic operations from the International Institute of Professional Security, firmly believes that Nigeria, with President Bola Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser, possess the capability to swiftly deradicalize Niger Republic within a mere 24 hours and reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum into power. Issuing a statement in Abuja, Agbomhere remarked that the apprehensions voiced by certain Nigerians, which stem from concerns about the armed forces’ readiness to swiftly neutralize the military junta, reflect a lack of patriotism within the nation. He attributes this sentiment to previous administrations’ initial struggles in managing insurgent and bandit activities that have plagued parts of the country. Agbomhere, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators and a strong proponent of the Rule of Law, advocates for dialogue as the primary approach to resolving Niger’s political deadlock. However, as a final resort, he asserts that Nigeria should not shy away from its responsibility of upholding democratic governance in the West African sub-region, even if it entails military intervention. Nigeria has historically fulfilled this role in Liberia, Sao Tome, Sierra Leone, and Cote d’Ivoire, contributing to the defense of democracy and regional stability. Agbomhere further underscored President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to rejuvenating Nigeria and called for encouragement and support to enable the nation to regain its rightful position as the Giant of Africa.