₦airaland Forum

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state has condemned and vowed to bring to book attackers of his motorcade on Sunday.

Suspected thugs had stoned the governor’s convoy with hail of stones in the state capital, Sokoto while he was returning, with his entourage and party officials, from campaign tour of Silame and Wammako local government areas of the state.

Also, with the governor at the time of the assault were with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidates of Sokoto and Kebbi states: Mallam Saidu Umar and Gen. Aminu Bande (retd), the deputy gubernatorial candidate of Sokoto state, Hon. Sagir Bafarawa and other dignitaries; all of whom escaped unhurt.

Nonetheless, two vehicles in the fleet were damaged by the attackers.

Tambuwal told journalists at the close of a stakeholders’ meeting with political appointees in the state that some of the attackers have been arrested and will soon be prosecuted.

“It is unfortunate that yesterday on our way back from Wammako, at the senatorial office of Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako, some hoodlums attacked my convoy on our way to the government house.

“We cannot condone any culture of violence in Sokoto state. We cannot afford to toy with the fragile peace in the state.

“The matter is being investigated by the security agencies. Some arrests have been made. Rest assured that the law will take its course.

“I, therefore, urge all political leaders in Sokoto to eschew violence; and to advise all their followers and supporters, to go out and campaign peacefully, look for votes, and not perpetrate violence.

“As you know, we believe in peace. We have been preaching peace and peaceful coexistence in Sokoto state, irrespective of political party differences, lineage or persuasions,” he added.

Severance allowances of the 469 members of the National Assembly and their legislative aides will cost the nation N30.17 billion next year.
The sum is a part of the N238.78 billion National Assembly appropriated for itself as contained in the N21.8 trillion 2023 national budget. The assembly okayed the Appropriation Bill on Wednesday.

The Senate will receive N33.27 billion out of the N238.78 billion for members’ salaries and other perks while the House of Representatives will get N52 billion for its members..

A further breakdown of the N238.78 billion shows that the National Assembly Office was allocated N30.49 billion; National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), N10.56 billion; and legislative aides. N16.52 billion.

In addition, the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the Senate and House of Representatives were allocated N119 million and N143 million respectively.

Other allocations are general services, N11.30 billion; National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS). N7.41 billion; Service Wide Vote, N671 million; and Office of retired Clerks and Permanent Secretaries, N1.06 billion.

Furthermore, the Appropriation Committee Departments of the Senate and House are expected to expend N125 million and N165 million respectively next year.

Other expenditure items are the National Assembly Library Building (ongoing project), N4.25 billion; Hosting of Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments (COSAP), N127.5 million; NASS Liabilities, N8.5 billion; NASS E-Library, N255 million and NASS Dashboard, N118.15 million.

Constitution Review has a budget of N850 million; the Completion of the National Assembly Library Complex, N7.5 billion; the completion of NILDS headquarters, is N2.5billion; the Construction of the Assembly’s building is N10 billion, and Public Complaints Commission, is N10.69 billion.

The national security adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd) has said Nigeria may be losing $23 billion revenue in 2023 if crude oil theft is not checked.

He disclosed this in Abuja when he inaugurated a nine-member Special Investigative Panel (SIP) on oil theft and losses with a mandate to unravel individuals, organisations and groups behind the crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

According to him, “Some sources put the figure of daily crude oil losses at 800,000 bpd. This translates to a loss of income of about $64 million daily at the rate of $80 per barrel. Consequently, it is projected that if this trend continues unchecked and these figures keep fluctuating, it will result in a revenue shortfall of approximately $23bn in 2023.

”This translates to a loss of about N10 trillion when calculated at N445 to $1 exchange rate. This menace assumed a more worrisome dimension with recent discovery of illegal pipeline connection through which Trans Escravos pipeline was siphoned for several years.”

Monguno further said that recent interventions by the security agencies had revealed massive illicit platforms of stealing ranging from marine evacuations via vessels, and load-outs from illegal operations platforms.

The panel, according to the NSA, is expected to commence its assignment with immediate effect and to conclude as well as submit its report on or before 21st February, 2023.

He said Nigeria has consistently failed to meet its daily production quota of about two million barrels per day as provided by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) due to oil theft orchestrated by unscrupulous elements.

He added that Nigeria’s current crude production struggles to meet even one million barrels per day.

He lamented that the extent of the oil and revenue losses threaten the economy, constraining the present administration to revert to less popular monetary and fiscal policies to address revenue side constraints with dire implications.

He noted that the security operations in the region brought to the fore, “a pathetic pattern of organised criminal enterprise of economic sabotage orchestrated by unpatriotic private individuals/groups, local and international companies, leaders and communities that had shortchanged the economy and portrayed the Administration in bad light.

He said the government has been briefed on the dwindling economic fortunes including, inability to replenish foreign reserves and reduction in revenue thereby, affecting accruals into the Federation Account.

“With the scale of the theft and losses and the alleged complicity of regulatory agencies/officials and security personnel as well as the involvement of international collaborators, the enterprise is deeply entrenched and would be extremely difficult to exterminate without very stern and decisive action by the government” he said.

He said the menace of oil theft is completely unacceptable, considering its attendant impact on the economy, national development and security.

“It is an affront on the government and its institutions, which must be tackled without further delay.

“It is in this connection that the government, worried by the ugly trend, among other things, directed the setting up of a Special Investigative Panel on Oil Theft/Losses in Nigeria to investigate all aspects of crude oil theft, identify the culprits and submit its report for necessary action” he said.

The panel has Major General Barry T Ndiomu (retd) as chairman and Mr. David Attah, as secretary.

Other members include Mr. Erobiri Uchena, Mrs. Donu-Kogbora, Colonel B.A. Oguntayo (retd.), DIG Zaki Ahmed (retd), Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Mr. MO Ijere, Rear Admiral Atiku Abdulkadir (retd.), DIG Maigari Abbati Dikko (retd) and, Patrick Okonjo.

The NSA said the composition of the panel, made up of a mixture of industry, security and forensic experts “with vast knowledge and experience with the required level of patriotism and integrity, is expected to investigate oil theft/losses in all its ramifications and propose wide ranging array of implementable recommendations to enable this Administration take decisive action to end the criminal enterprise within the shortest possible time.”

He told the nominees: “You are appointed into the panel based on your proven integrity, track record of service, competence and dedication to the national cause.

“I therefore urge you to work tirelessly with a view to justifying the confidence reposed in you, by working round the clock to unravel individuals and groups perpetrating this national economic crime, no matter how highly placed they may be.”

According to Monguno, nobody involved in the crime should be spared whether they are people serving or retired.

“We must fish them out and I guarantee you that they will be taken care of appropriately,” he said.

He, therefore, gave the panel with the following terms of reference: ascertain the circumstances surrounding the illegal insertion into the Trans-Escravos Pipeline (TEP) around Yokri area in Burutu local government area of Bayelsa State; establish the ramifications of crude oil theft/losses in Nigeria; ascertain the causative factors immediate and remote, of crude oil/theft/losses in the country; ascertain the extent of crude oil theft/losses in the country; with the widest possible amplitude identify persons/entities whether public, private or foreign, involved in the criminal enterprise; establish the level of culpability of identified persons/entities in the enterprise; examine the specific roles of Regulatory Agencies; Security Agencies, Tiers/Arms of Government and International Oil Companies (IOCs) in aiding and abetting the criminal enterprise; among others.

In his response, the chairman of the panel, Major General Ndiomu (retd.) gave assurance that members of the panel will justify the confidence reposed in them.

He said, “We consider this assignment as very important. Its importance is elaborated by the damage to the economy as illustrated by the National Security Adviser. To be saddled with the responsibility of partly reversing the ugly trend of the southward trajectory of the fortunes of the major source of government revenue is very rare.”

Major Generaal Ndiomu thanked the NSA for choosing them for this important national assignment.

He restated that the expertise at the disposal of each individual on the panel would help the group to fulfil the objectives of setting up the panel.

“We shall leave no stone unturned by digging deep to unravel not only the incidences of oil theft/losses but pre-disposition and causative factors as well as groups and individuals responsible for the criminal enterprise,” he said.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd had recently awarded a multi-billion naira oil pipeline surveillance contract to firm which former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemudopolo, alias Tompolo, has interest in, which immediately swung into action and made shocking discoveries of illegal pipelines siphoning crude oil products and other incidents of pipeline vandalism in the oil-rich region.