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NNPCL’s acquisition of OVH: Don’t politicize oil and gas sector, Reps member, Onuoha tells critics
NNPCL’s acquisition of OVH: Don’t politicize oil and gas sector, Reps member, Onuoha tells critics
Sahara Weekly Reports That A member of the House of Representatives, representing Isiala Mbano / Onuimo / Okigwe Federal Constituency, Hon Miriam Onuoha, said the oil and gas sector of the economy was too critical to be politcised.
Onuoha stated that while constructive criticism was necessary to strengthen the sector in the national interest, deploying propaganda to score cheap political points was unhelpful, and worse, unpatriotic.
She was reacting to a statement by a former Vice President Atiku Abubakar asking the federal government to explain why Oando got accelerated approval in AGIP/ENI Purchase, wherein she was quoted to have moved a motion directing the suspension of OVH assets.
In a press release Hon. Onuoha said: “My attention has been drawn to a press release signed by one Phrank Shaibu, on behalf of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, titled: “Atiku to FG: Explain Why Oando Got Accelerated Approval in AGIP/ENI Purchase,” issued on August 25, 2024, wherein I was quoted to have moved a motion directing the suspension of OVH assets.
“The press release reads: “In July 2023, the House of Representatives, following the adoption of a motion moved by Miriam Onuoha, directed NNPC Ltd to suspend the acquisition of OVH assets pending an investigation by its committee.”
“For the record, on July 28, 2023, I sponsored a motion on the “Need to Investigate the Irregularities and Alleged Corruption in the Nigerian Energy Security Provider.
“Following this motion, an ad hoc Committee was set up by the House leadership, and to which I was named a member, to investigate the allegations.”
“I would like to state that the Committee invited the Group CEO of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, the Head of NNPC Retail Limited, and their management staff members, who appeared before the Committee where they gave reasons for the acquisition of OVH, as well as the procedures followed in the acquisition. They also rationalized the relocation to Lagos, which according to them, was to enable easy access to the market.
“From their submissions and the bills, it was obvious that members and management of NNPC Retail were constantly commuting to Abuja to engage in trade, which was not only expensive but was also resulting in loss of man-hour, among other challenges.
“Some staff members of NNPC Limited, who wrote and submitted the petition were also engaged by the Committee, and their fears were allayed on account of the detailed explanation by the NNPC management, and the Committee’s ability to ensure a transparent investigation.
“In the course of the investigation, the Committee undertook a tour of the NNPC Retail facilities in Lagos. The exercise showed that the facilities were in good condition.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend the management and leadership of NNPC Retail Limited, and indeed, the Group CEO of NNPC Limited, for his pragmatic leadership approach to transparent operations in the energy sector, and management of the NNPC Limited.
“In the course of the investigation, the Committee found that President Bola Tinubu had taken some commendable steps to reposition the oil and gas sector.
“The Committee also discovered that the NNPC Limited, under Mele Kyari, had made significant strides in enhancing transparency and accountability within the company. For instance, despite the criticisms it had received in recent times, the national oil company trumped the distractions by releasing its annual financial statement for 2023, wherein it posted a number of positive results. This demonstrates transparency.
“Mele Kyari’s leadership has been characterised by a commitment to openness, which has fostered and bolstered trust and confidence in and among stakeholders. This, understandably, aligns with the implementation of his leadership’s Transparency, Accountability, and Performance Excellence (TAPE) Agenda, which aims to ensure that NNPC’s operations are open, transparent, and accountable. This management philosophy, from our findings, has involved various measures, such as regular reporting, public disclosure of financial information, and collaboration with external auditors.:
She added: “Also more importantly, the NNPC has increased its communication efforts to engage with the public and address growing concerns. This includes regular press conferences, social media updates, and community outreach programmes.
“Without a doubt, Kyari’s leadership has contributed to building a more transparent and accountable NNPC. His efforts have helped to restore public trust in the NNPC and to position the company as a more responsible corporate citizen. Even so, there is still room for improvement.
“While, as a legislator, I will continue to hold the Executive accountable, I will not allow myself to be used as an instrument of witch-hunt, blackmail, and intimidation. I will not be a willing tool for the opposition to destroy the good work of Mr. President, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, who is the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
“The oil and gas sector is very critical to the Nigerian economy. It should not be politicised. While constructive criticism is necessary to strengthen the sector in the interest of our nation, deploying propaganda and blackmail to score cheap political points is unhelpful, and worse, unpatriotic.”
More than ₦3 billion was targeted, but about ₦677 million reached the culprits, with recovery and prosecutions underway, reflecting how banks are responding to more sophisticated fraud risks.
Nigeria’s expanding digital banking sector is facing increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, as financial institutions adapt to faster transactions and broader online services.
A recent case involving First City Monument Bank (FCMB), linked to fraudulent activity detected in December 2025, has drawn attention to how banks are responding to such incidents, with a focus on limiting exposure, recovering funds and working with law enforcement.
According to findings referenced in proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, the incident involved unauthorised transactions tied to a digital product. Early reports erroneously suggested more than ₦3 billion was lost. Subsequent clarification shows that over ₦3 billion was targeted, ₦2.4 billion was blocked and recovered, while ₦677 million got into the possession of the culprits. This outcome reflects the bank’s cyber security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved collaboration among regulated financial institutions and with law enforcement agencies. Several suspects and beneficiaries have been apprehended, while recovery and prosecution efforts are ongoing, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Proceedings at the Lagos State Special Offences Court have resulted in convictions, including that of a repeat offender, with restitution orders issued. Related matters are also being handled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where additional suspects are being tried in connection with the scheme. This process is aimed at ensuring that bad actors are identified and permanently blacklisted from the financial system.
Authorities say recovery efforts are continuing as additional funds are traced.
Analysts note that the pace of legal action reflects closer coordination between financial institutions and enforcement agencies in addressing cyber-related financial crime.
The case comes as banks contend with more complex fraud methods, including social engineering and automated exploitation of system processes.
As digital products and platforms expand, so too does the risk associated with cyber-crime and related fraud.
“The scale of digital banking means risks are evolving alongside the systems,” said a Lagos-based financial analyst. “Institutions are now judged by how they manage these events.”
Observers say the sector is moving toward a stronger focus on response and recovery, rather than prevention alone.
This includes improving monitoring capabilities, strengthening transaction controls and enhancing collaboration with regulators and law enforcement. The FCMB case, with limited exposure relative to the amount targeted and ongoing recovery, reflects that shift.
For customers, the primary concern is the safety of their funds. In this case, there has been no indication of losses affecting customer deposits. Maintaining that level of protection remains central to sustaining trust in the financial system.
Nigeria’s financial sector continues to grow, supported by digital innovation and expanding access to banking services.
However, analysts say fraud attempts are likely to persist as systems become more complex and interconnected.
They say institutions will increasingly be judged not only on their ability to prevent incidents, but on how effectively they respond and recover when they occur.
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Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC
….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba
APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.
Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.
According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.
In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”
“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”
” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”
” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”
“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”
“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”
Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans
More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
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