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Buhari begs Nigerians over security challenges, hardship
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to be patient with his administration as it addresses the security challenges and hardship in the land.
While sending greetings across on the occasion of Eid-el-Adha, the president attributed the current challenges facing the country to COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity and flooding that hindered local production for self- sustenance.
He renewed the determination of his administration to create a just, harmonious and prosperous country in which the safety of life and property is assured.
“Apart from the destruction caused to rice farms by floods, middlemen have also taken advantage of the local rice production to exploit fellow Nigerians, thereby undermining our goal of supporting local food production at affordable prices.”
“As an elected president who enjoys the goodwill of the ordinary people that gave us their mandate, let me assure you that we are continuing with measures to bring relief to Nigerians, including making fertilizer available at affordable prices to our farmers.
“The current insecurity in the country “has produced severe and adverse effects on agriculture because farmers are prevented from accessing their farms by bandits and terrorists.
“Let me also use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians that we are taking measures to address our security challenges. We have started taking delivery of fighter aircraft and other necessary military equipment and hardware to improve the capacity of our security forces to confront terrorism and banditry,” he added.
President Buhari, while speaking on the significance of the Eid-El-Kabir celebration, appealed to Muslims “to demonstrate the good virtues of Islam through personal examples and practices.
Buhari, who extolled sacrifices of Nigerians, however, said that: “Taking advantage of the celebration to exploit fellow citizens through outrageous prices of food and rams is inconsistent with fine virtues of Islam.
“As practising believers, we shouldn’t seek obscene profits by making life difficult and miserable for others. We should not seek happiness at the expense of others. Remember that Islam is a religion of charity that urges us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.
“I urge all Muslims to continue to live in peace and harmony with their fellow Nigerians of other faiths in the spirit of peaceful coexistence. Let us pray for the progress of Nigeria at all times. Let us expose undesirable elements among us who are creating security problems for the country
According to Buhari, “No government in our recent history has invested as heavily as we are doing to promote local production of about 20 other commodities, through the provision of loans and several other forms of support to our farmers.”
News
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
A report from the US Department of State affirms that Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, despite widespread irregularities, echoed the will of its people.
Published in the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, the document scrutinizes human rights practices and violations worldwide, including in Nigeria.
“National elections, though plagued by technical and logistical challenges alongside irregularities, were broadly deemed to represent voters’ intentions,” the report asserts.
Independent observers concluded that outcomes of presidential, legislative, and state-level elections mirrored voter sentiments, notwithstanding instances of voter suppression, vote buying, campaign activities at polling stations, compromised ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.
In the March 18 state election in Lagos, supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) allegedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated regions, won by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the national election on February 25.
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Social media footage depicted APC supporters in Ojo menacing ethnic Igbo voters perceived to favour Obi. In Eti-Osa, APC supporters assaulted journalists and impeded non-Yoruba voters’ access to polls, with reported property damage and physical obstruction of voters in Amuwo-Odofin. Despite police presence, no intervention occurred, and no arrests or prosecutions of alleged perpetrators were documented.
The report highlights the low participation of women and marginalized groups in the electoral process. Women’s political engagement averages 6.7 percent in elected and appointed roles nationwide. Civil society organizations have noted that religious, cultural, and economic hurdles hinder women’s leadership prospects within major parties and government.
A gender-based violence survey by ElectHER NGO underscored the use of religious and cultural barriers, including double standards, blackmail, and media defamation, against female politicians.
Media outlets perpetuated stereotypes, labeling women politicians as “promiscuous” or “cunning” and, in some instances, refrained from covering their campaigns purportedly under directives from opposition figures.
Moreover, the report criticizes Nigeria’s inconsistent implementation of anti-corruption laws, citing pervasive corruption across the country, including within the judiciary.
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
News
Patrol officers intercept 6,240 dynamites around borders
Patrol officers intercept 6,240 dynamites around borders
The Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State Command, has handed over 6,240 intercepted dynamites to the Department of State Services (DSS). These dynamites were seized on the Yauri-Jega road.
According to the State’s Controller of Customs, Iheanacho Ernest Ojike, the dynamites were intercepted by a joint border patrol team consisting of customs, army, police, immigration, and the DSS during an intelligence-based patrol.
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Upon inspection, it was found that the suspected items contained 40 cartons and sacks, totalling 6,240 pieces of cap-sensitive dynamite explosives. Following the interception, two suspects, Alhaji Garba Jega and Abdullahi Aliyu, were apprehended. They have since been charged to court and remanded in custody.
News
NNPC, private firm to build 100,000bpd refining facility within PH refinery
NNPC, private firm to build 100,000bpd refining facility within PH refinery
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has signed an agreement with African Refinery Port Harcourt (ARPHL) for the subscription of 15 percent equity in Nigeria’s second largest private refinery after Dangote Refinery.
The agreement was executed by Mr. Omotayo Adebajo (Managing Director) on behalf of African Refinery Port Harcourt Limited (ARPHL) and Mr. Adedapo Segun, the NNPC Executive Vice-President, Downstream signed the agreement on behalf of NNPC Ltd.
The 15 percent Share Subscription Agreement, which was finalised on Thursday at a signing ceremony at the NNPC Towers in Abuja is a crucial step towards increasing Nigeria’s refining capacity.
Adedapo Segun, the NNPC Executive Vice- President for Downstream, said after the signing of the agreement, “African Refinery is one of the partners we have been working with to co-locate in our various refinery assets and they are our partners for the Port Harcourt Refinery.
“The proposed 100kbpd will be co-located with the two existing refineries in the PHRC complex, and it will increase our refining capacity in Port Harcourt from 210kbpd to 310kbpd.
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Tola Ayo-Adeyemi, Group Executive Director Legal, and Regulatory Compliance at African Refinery Group (ARG), speaking on behalf of the African Refinery Group stressed the significance of this collaboration, highlighting that the event signals NNPC Ltd’s full commitment to the ARPHL refinery project to be sited on 46 hectares of land within the Port Harcourt Refinery complex, Eleme, Rivers State.
The project stands as the largest private refinery in Nigeria’s South-South and South-East geo-political regions.
He noted, “NNPCL and ARPHL since signing a Project Framework in 2017 have made significant progress, that a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for later in the year, and that the estimated project delivery schedule aims for commencement of construction in 2025, and commercial operations by 2027.”
The project will be developed in phases and upon completion, the refinery is anticipated to produce over 30 million litres of various petroleum products daily, including petrol, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and LPFO. The project is estimated to cost over US$2 billion.
The agreement inked today is the penultimate stage in the cooperation documentation between NNPCL and ARPHL.
Among the dignitaries present at the signing ceremony were Ayo Adebajo, Chidi Momoh, and various representatives from NNPCL Management.
NNPC, private firm to build 100,000bpd refining facility within PH refinery
Police intervene as mob attempts burning two one-chance robbers alive
PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
Patrol officers intercept 6,240 dynamites around borders
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