Nigerians demand removal of NMDPRA boss over Dangote refinery – Newstrends
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Nigerians demand removal of NMDPRA boss over Dangote refinery

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Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority, Farouk Ahmed

Nigerians demand removal of NMDPRA boss over Dangote refinery

Nigerians have called out the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority, Farouk Ahmed, for saying the diesel produced by the $20bn Dangote refinery is inferior to the ones imported into the country.

It appears Ahmed incurred the wrath of Nigerians, who accused him of trying to demarket the refinery owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

PUNCH Online reported earlier that Ahmed had told the Dangote refinery that the Federal Government would not stop the importation of petroleum products, saying Nigeria cannot depend on one refinery to feed the nation.

The agency also said the diesel from the Dangote refinery contains a high sulphur content of about 1,000 parts per million.

Reacting to allegations that the NMDPRA was giving licences to some traders to import dirty fuel into Nigeria, Ahmed argued that it was the Dangote fuel that had the larger content of sulphur.

He revealed that the refinery, which has been selling diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria for months, has not been licensed, stating that it is still at the pre-commissioning stage.

“The claim by some media houses that there were steps to scuttle the Dangote refinery is not so. The Dangote refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licensed yet; we haven’t licensed them yet. They are still in the pre-commissioning. I think they have about 45 per cent completion,” he declared.

The NMDPRA boss warned that Nigeria cannot rely heavily on the Dangote refinery for its fuel supply.

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According to him, the refinery had requested the regulator to stop giving import licences to other marketers so as to be the only fuel supplier in Nigeria.

“We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO and direct all marketers to the refinery, that is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. And that is not good for the market, because of monopoly,” he stressed.

Speaking about quality, he said, “So, in terms of quality, currently the AGO quality in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as the West African requirement of 50 ppm is concerned.

“Dangote refinery and some modular refineries, like Waltersmith refinery and Aradel refinery, are producing between 650 to 1,200ppm. So, in terms of quality, their product is much more inferior to the imported quality,” he alleged.

While the Dangote Group has yet to react officially to the allegations from the chief executive, Nigerians have taken to social media to demand Ahmed’s removal by President Bola Tinubu.

An X user, Ohiozoje Augustine, said, “He should be immediately relieved of his duties to prevent the damaging impression that his actions were endorsed by those at the top.”

@realist_waley opined: “It’s a very deliberate reckless talk that should warrant a query from the government. This is an obvious economic sabotage and that guy needs to be suspended.”

@Talk2me001, replied the NMDPRA boss: “This is your own selfish agenda. Why do we need to import when we already have Dangote producing legally? Truly, Dangote is right then, that the oil cabals are more dangerous than drug cabals.”

@Dankatsina50 said: “This is a strategy to frustrate Dangote refinery. This has been the game of the oil cabals that has made a whole country not have a single functioning refinery for years. They should allow him to be selling the inferior one to us like that, we will buy it.”

@Gviev commented, “I hope the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor and Minister of Finance are listening to this man. We are talking about promoting local production and exports to reduce demand for foreign exchange and strengthen the naira. He and the oil marketers are rather focused on their selfish interest to keep importing and depressing the naira.

“You should be talking about competition for local producers instead of trying to manipulate Nigerians to focus on your propaganda that Dangote wants a monopoly. Well, it’s Nigeria that will suffer it because Dangote Refinery will just focus on exports.”

Johnson Ayodeji asked, “Oga, is it Dangote that made the government-owned refineries moribund for decades? or has Dangote stopped any other person from building a refinery? We know the enemies of our country.”

Sola Solarin claimed, “This statement is self-indicting. If Dangote has not been licensed, why is he being allowed to sell diesel? If Dangote can meet our local needs, why do we need to import? We can restrict import without compromising energy security.”

Nigerians demand removal of NMDPRA boss over Dangote refinery

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Nigerian woman declared dead appears in UK court to reclaim her £350,000 home

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June Ashimola

Nigerian woman declared dead appears in UK court to reclaim her £350,000 home

A 55-year-old Nigerian woman, June Ashimola, who was falsely declared dead, has appeared via video link from Nigeria before the UK High Court to prevent a convicted fraudster from seizing her £350,000 home in Woolwich, southeast London.

Ashimola was wrongly declared dead in February 2019, sparking a long legal battle over her estate.

However, she has now presented herself before Deputy Master John Linwood, asserting that she is alive and a victim of fraud.

According to DailyMail on Wednesday, the court heard that following her wrongful declaration of death, power of attorney over her estate, which consisted primarily of a house, was granted to Ms. Ruth Samuel, acting on behalf of Bakare Lasisi, who falsely claimed to have married Ashimola in 1993.

However, the judge ruled that the supposed marriage was a fabrication and that Lasisi did not exist.

According to court records, Ashimola left the UK for Nigeria in 2018 and had not returned since.

By October 2022, power of attorney had been awarded to Samuel on behalf of the fictitious Lasisi, who laid claim to Ashimola’s estate.

The judge ultimately found that Tony Ashikodi, a convicted fraudster who served three years in prison in 1996 for obtaining property by deception, had orchestrated the elaborate scheme to seize her home.

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“This is an unusual probate claim in that the deceased says she is very much alive,” Deputy Master Linwood remarked, describing the case as a web of fraud, forgery, impersonation, and intimidation.

“The root of this claim is a long running battle or campaign waged by a Mr Tony Ashikodi for control and/or ownership of the property.

‘Ms Ashimola left the UK for Nigeria in about October 2018 and has not returned since. This claim involves wide-ranging allegations of fraud, forgery, impersonation and intimidation,” Linwood added.

Despite visa challenges preventing her from appearing in person, Ashimola’s identity was verified through passport photographs, leading the judge to dismiss the claims against her estate.

After reviewing the evidence, Deputy Master Linwood ruled, “’I find Ms Ashimola is alive and that the death certificate was forged and/or fraudulently obtained or produced or concocted.

“Her alleged death was part of Mr Tony Ashikodi’s attempts to wrest control of the property from her.

“The person who appeared before me and identified herself as Ms Ashimola was physically like her photographs in each passport.

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“I find that Ms Ashimola was not married to Mr Lasisi and that the marriage certificate is a concocted or fraudulent document for these reasons.

“I do not accept Mr Lasisi exists or if he does is aware of his identity being used. I do not accept that emails supposedly from him were actually from him.”

He further accused Ashikodi of attempting to mislead the court and found that both Ashikodi and Samuel were either directly involved in producing the fraudulent documents or knowingly relied on them.

He added, “I find that the probate power of attorney submitted supposedly by Mr Lasisi and Ms Samuel was a fraudulently produced or concocted document.

“The death certificate was not proven to the necessary standard in that only a copy was produced. The provenance was unknown. There was no evidence before me that it was a genuine document evidencing a real event.

“I find it was forged and/or fraudulently produced or concocted. The persons who relied upon it namely Mr Tony Ashikodi and Ms Samuel were either directly involved in its production or else knew it was false.’”

As a result, the power of attorney was revoked, safeguarding Ashimola’s rightful ownership of her £350,000 property.

The court also heard that legal costs incurred by both parties have exceeded £150,000, an amount that may surpass the property’s equity value.

 

Nigerian woman declared dead appears in UK court to reclaim her £350,000 home

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Natasha: Senate writes IPU on her suspension

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Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Natasha: Senate writes IPU on her suspension

The complaint filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Conference in New York has continued to generate reactions from various quarters.

The Kogi Central lawmaker had taken her case to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), alleging injustice and harassment, including her recent suspension from the Nigerian Senate.

Following her presentation, the IPU assured her that it would take necessary steps to address her grievances but emphasized the need to also hear the other side before making any official pronouncement.

The Nigerian Senate has however replied to Senator Natasha’s complaint to the IPU through a letter written by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

The letter was read by the Chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Honorable Kafilat Ogbara, who is attending the event in an official capacity representing Nigeria.

The Senate letter read in part, “Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault.

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“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the sixth months suspension of Senator Natsaha-Akpoti-Uduaghan.

“Let it be unequivocally stated that Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”

Honourable Ogbara, however, called for a thorough investigation into the allegation by Senator Natasha against the Senator President, Godswill Akpabio.

She maintained that procedures and necessary actions under the Senate rules were observed before Senator Natasha’s suspension.

Last week, the Senate suspended the lawmaker in a move that has continued to generate debates across the country.

She had initially submitted a petition to the Senate accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment. But the lawmakers threw it out before suspending her even after submitting another petition.

Senator Natasha vowed to continue the fight against “injustice”. But in the wake of the suspension, Akpabio denied the accusations and maintained he has never assaulted women.

Her altercation with the Senate president started on February 20, 2025, after her seat was changed during plenary.

That is not the first time both individuals had issues. In July 2024, Akpabio had while trying to correct her for misconduct told her to follow the rules and that the Senate is not a nightclub where anybody can talk anyhow. The Akwa Ibom lawmaker, however, later apologised to her for the remark.

 

Natasha: Senate writes IPU on her suspension

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Tinubu set to appoint new ambassadors after 18 months

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu set to appoint new ambassadors after 18 months

President Bola Tinubu is finally taking steps to fill Nigeria’s diplomatic leadership positions after operating without ambassadors for a year and a half.

According to a credible source in the Presidential Villa, the government has completed the screening of potential candidates to head Nigeria’s over 100 diplomatic missions worldwide. A senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that the appointments are expected “very soon.”

This move follows Tinubu’s decision in September 2023 to recall all Nigerian ambassadors shortly after taking office.

“The issue is being resolved,” the source said, indicating that the long diplomatic vacuum may be coming to an end very soon.

“Nigeria’s security services have conducted background checks on potential appointees and have shared their findings with relevant agencies in the presidency and legislature”, according to an intelligence official.

The foreign affairs ministry has previously blamed financial constraints for the delay in naming new diplomats.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation has budgeted N302.4 billion this year to operate its foreign missions.

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A former Nigerian ambassador who served in Africa and the United States noted that since taking office in May 2023, President Tinubu has focused primarily on addressing Nigeria’s struggling economy, with foreign policy taking a second priority.

The former ambassador, who requested anonymity, said government officials had informed him that several foreign leaders had raised concerns about Nigeria’s lack of ambassadors during discussions with President Tinubu. According to this source, the president has assured these leaders that appointments will be made soon.

Another official who asked to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press confirmed that the appointment was imminent.

“Ambassadorial appointments require approval from the National Assembly. So, the list will be submitted to the Senate President, who will then announce it. But it has not been submitted yet. Yes, I can confirm that but it will be submitted shortly.

In April 2024, the government appointed 12 consuls-general and five chargés d’affaires to represent Nigeria in 14 countries, but these interim measures fell short of filling the leadership vacuum in key missions.

Consuls-general and chargés d’affaires can perform routine administrative duties and oversee the operations of an embassy. They, however, lack the diplomatic weight to engage at the highest levels, such as with heads of state or critical international negotiations.

This newspaper learnt that a founder of a tier-one bank, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and the Speaker of a House of Assembly in the North were considered for the ambassadorial roles.

Tinubu set to appoint new ambassadors after 18 months

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