You can’t spend billions to repair refineries, sell without full audit – ADC tells FG - Newstrends
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You can’t spend billions to repair refineries, sell without full audit – ADC tells FG

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1 year ago

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

You can’t spend billions to repair refineries, sell without full audit – ADC tells FG

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary and Coalition Spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC raised concerns about possible deception by the Tinubu administration, which recently committed over $2.8 billion to the refineries before labeling them as non-functional.

The statement reads, “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has noted with deep concern the recent confirmation by the Tinubu administration and the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that the federal government is proceeding with the full privatisation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.

“This development, coming just months after government officials claimed that the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries had resumed partial operations, raises fundamental questions about transparency and policy coherence.

“It would be recalled that the APC government recently announced that the refineries were already working. It is therefore curious that the same government, having spent such humongous amounts on the refineries, is now planning to sell them off.

“ADC is concerned about the perennial waste and underhanded dealings in the name of turnaround maintenance that never turned anything around but the personal fortunes of those involved. We believe this must not continue. We are however suspicious of the current moves being made by the government to sell off the refineries outright without giving full considerations to alternative options and without consultations with critical stakeholders. Selling off the refineries under the prevailing circumstances is indeed conducive for all sorts of criminal dealings, whereby national assets could be deliberately devalued and sold to cronies.

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“ADC therefore calls for a full and independent audit—financial, technical, and structural— before any sale is contemplated or privatisation is considered.

“Successive APC administrations have poured over $18 billion into the so-called rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries. The current administration is reported to have spent another $2.8 billion under the same pretext. Yet there is no verifiable increase in refining capacity, no observable cost efficiency, and no fuel security benefit accruing to the Nigerian people. Instead, the same refineries have remained idle or dysfunctional, while the government continues to fund the importation of refined petroleum products.

“Even Africa’s foremost industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, whose private refinery now stands as the only viable refining asset in the country, has publicly stated his doubts that these government-owned refineries can ever work again. And he is right to doubt. The infrastructure is obsolete, the operations are hollowed out, and the entire value-chain has become a black hole for public funds. So again, we must ask: what exactly is being sold, and why now?

“The truth is that if the intention all along was to privatise the refineries, then the years of huge public spending is at best a waste, and at worst a scam.

“Government cannot, in good conscience, expend public funds on assets under the guise of rehabilitation, only to turn around and offer them for sale—without accountability on the investments already made and without any public reckoning. In other climes, those responsible for such transactions would have faced judgments.

“The ADC believes that before any conversation about privatisation can proceed, there must be a comprehensive forensic audit of all funds allocated to refinery rehabilitation from 2010 to date. There must also be a third-party technical assessment to determine the true status and potential of the assets in question.

“The audit findings must be presented in full to the public through a legislative hearing, with civil society, energy economists, and anti-corruption agencies present. Until then, any attempt to sell these refineries must be considered not just illegitimate, but criminal.

“This is not simply about public finance. It is about public trust. If this government truly believes in reform, then it must begin with the truth. And if it claims to be accountable, then it must submit itself to scrutiny. What we are witnessing is not a policy decision. It is a cover-up. And the ADC will not stand by while national assets are quietly auctioned to cronies and to mask years of systemic failure.”

You can’t spend billions to repair refineries, sell without full audit – ADC tells FG

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How Buhari’s “Indifference” Fueled Banditry, Kidnapping in Nigeria — Ex-DSS Director

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July 29, 2026

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How Buhari's "Indifference" Fueled Banditry, Kidnapping in Nigeria — Ex-DSS Director
Late Former President Muhammadu Buhari

How Buhari’s “Indifference” Fueled Banditry, Kidnapping in Nigeria — Ex-DSS Director

A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has accused the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari of fuelling the escalation of banditry, kidnapping and insurgency across Nigeria through what he described as government indifference, widespread corruption, and secret ransom payments to criminal groups. Amachree made the explosive claims in his newly released memoir, “DSS@40: My Journey Behind the Shield,” which he presented during the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the DSS, offering a rare insider’s view of frontline security operations spanning decades and providing an unflinching assessment of Nigeria’s security architecture under civilian and military administrations.

According to the former intelligence chief, the period of Buhari’s presidency was a critical time when security threats metastasised, yet the administration failed to respond effectively despite repeated warnings and increasing attacks on communities across the North-West, North-East, North-Central and other parts of the country. “The period of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is viewed as a critical time when security threats metastasized, and government indifference became palpable,” Amachree wrote in his memoir. “Despite being a former military general, the administration was perceived as doing ‘little or nothing’ about the escalating threats of insurgency, banditry and kidnapping. This lack of effective response fueled the perception of a clueless leadership that did not understand or care about democratic governance.” The former DSS director said the situation created profound frustration among citizens who felt abandoned as attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers continued across several states, with communities left to defend themselves against heavily armed criminals.

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The former DSS director also criticised some of Buhari’s public comments during his time in office, saying they deepened public dissatisfaction at a period when many Nigerians were already struggling with economic hardship and insecurity. He specifically referenced the former president’s remark describing Nigerian youths as “lazy” during international trips, stating that such comments “added insult to the injury of widespread unemployment” and “further alienated a massive segment of the population who felt abandoned by the government.” Beyond what he described as weak responses to insecurity, Amachree accused top government officials of enabling the crisis through corruption and the payment of ransom to criminal groups, claiming that billions of naira were secretly paid to bandits in efforts to secure the release of kidnapped victims. He argued that such payments effectively financed terrorism and encouraged more abductions across the country, creating a vicious cycle where ransom payments became a primary source of funding for criminal networks. “The subsequent official denials, debunked by bandits such as Bello Turji, destroyed public faith and proved that the state was directly financing the threats it claimed it was fighting,” he wrote, pointing to the infamous bandit leader who publicly contradicted government claims about ransom payments.

Amachree further argued that Nigeria’s security challenges should not be viewed solely through ethnic or regional lenses, warning against the temptation to frame insecurity along simplistic communal lines. Instead, he said the larger problem lies within the political class, which he accused of prioritising personal interests above the welfare and security of ordinary citizens, thereby perpetuating the very conditions that allow criminality to thrive. “The true impediment to peace and stability is the political class, which refuses to allow citizens to pursue their daily lives in a stable environment,” Amachree stated. He added that while economic concerns and security threats continued to grow, many politicians operated with what he described as “reckless abandon,” prioritising personal interests over national stability and confirming their role as “the ultimate threat to social cohesion and security.”

During his presidency, Buhari consistently defended his administration’s efforts against terrorism and banditry, insisting that security agencies were working tirelessly to defeat criminal groups operating across the country. In August 2021, amid growing criticism over rising attacks by armed groups, Buhari rejected allegations that his government was soft on bandits and terrorists, arguing that those accusing him of applying double standards were being unfair to his administration’s efforts. “I’m also dealing with bandits in the language they understand,” Buhari said during an interview at the time, maintaining that security agencies had been directed to intensify operations against criminal elements threatening national security. On another occasion, Buhari vowed that armed bandits would not be spared, directly instructing military personnel to pursue and eliminate those responsible for attacks on communities. “As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I believe you are capable of doing it. I don’t think you should spare any bandit. Identify and eliminate them. Pursue them anywhere you can find them and eliminate them,” he declared. The former president also repeatedly assured Nigerians that terrorism, kidnapping and banditry would eventually be defeated, proclaiming in an Easter message while still in office that “under my watch, the nation will triumph over them – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and the like.”

How Buhari’s “Indifference” Fueled Banditry, Kidnapping in Nigeria — Ex-DSS Director

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Army Colonel Killed, Wife, Aides Injured as Gunmen Storm Home in Coordinated Attack

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July 29, 2026

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Army Colonel Killed, Wife, Aides Injured as Gunmen Storm Home in Coordinated Attack

Army Colonel Killed, Wife, Aides Injured as Gunmen Storm Home in Coordinated Attack

A serving Nigerian Army officer, Colonel Abdussalam Ude, has been killed by gunmen who attacked his residence in a brazen assault that also left his wife, driver, and security guard with gunshot wounds. The incident, which occurred on Monday evening shortly after the senior military officer returned from work, has sent shockwaves through military circles and raised fresh security concerns across the Federal Capital Territory and its environs. The assailants reportedly stormed the Army Post Service Housing Estate in the Kurudu area, attempting to abduct the officer, but Colonel Ude put up fierce resistance against the heavily armed attackers. “He resisted them. From what investigators have gathered, they wanted to take him away, but he fought back. Unfortunately, he paid the ultimate price,” a security source familiar with the preliminary investigation was quoted as saying. After failing to abduct the officer, the gunmen shot him multiple times at close range before fleeing the scene, leaving the colonel fatally wounded. The attack also caught members of his household in the crossfire, as his wife, driver, and security guard sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries and were rushed to a hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment for their wounds.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has issued a clarification regarding the location of the attack, stating that the incident did not occur within the FCT as widely reported in some media outlets. In a statement on Tuesday night, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, explained that investigations ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, established that the attack took place in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, contrary to reports that had linked it to the Federal Capital Territory. The Police Command expressed concern that some blogs and media outlets published the reports without verifying the facts, thereby creating unnecessary panic and misinforming residents of the nation’s capital about the security situation. As a proactive measure, the Commissioner ordered the immediate deployment of operational and intelligence assets to border communities adjoining the FCT with Nasarawa State to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating the capital and to reassure residents of the Command’s commitment to their safety and security.

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Colonel Ude, an indigene of Nsukka, Enugu State, served in the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps and was widely regarded as one of the military’s finest intelligence officers. A member of the 50 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, he was a dedicated professional who served in various counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria’s North-East, where he played crucial roles in intelligence gathering and operational planning. He was also deployed on international assignments in the Republic of Chad and France, where he contributed to intelligence-sharing and security cooperation initiatives between Nigeria and its international partners. Colleagues described him as a courageous and highly respected intelligence officer who remained composed even in the face of imminent danger, earning him widespread admiration across the military establishment. Sources revealed that he spoke Arabic and other foreign languages fluently, skills that significantly enhanced his effectiveness in intelligence operations and made him a valuable asset to the Armed Forces. At the time of his death, he and his coursemates were reportedly due for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General later this year, making his untimely death a profound loss to the military community.

Security agencies and military authorities have launched investigations into the attack and commenced a manhunt for those responsible, though as of the time of reporting, no arrests have been announced. The Nigerian Army had not issued an official statement on the incident, leaving many questions unanswered about the circumstances surrounding the attack and the identity of the perpetrators. The killing has intensified concerns about the safety of serving and retired military officers in and around Abuja, especially those who have held sensitive intelligence and operational positions that may make them targets for criminal elements or insurgent groups. The incident draws troubling comparisons to the murder of retired Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere, who was killed approximately two years ago when armed men invaded his residence in the Lokogoma area of Abuja while he was defending his family, with the attackers reportedly escaping with his firearm and other valuables. These repeated attacks on military personnel have sparked renewed calls for enhanced security measures to protect officers and their families from such brazen assaults.

Colonel Abdussalam Ude was buried on Tuesday at the Mambilla Mosque in Abuja in accordance with Islamic rites, with military personnel and family members in attendance to pay their final respects. His untimely death has left a void in the military intelligence community, where he was widely admired for his professionalism, dedication to duty, and unwavering commitment to the security of his nation. As investigations continue and the manhunt for his killers intensifies, colleagues, friends, and family members are left to mourn a distinguished officer whose life was cut short in the service of his country, while security agencies work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.

Army Colonel Killed, Wife, Aides Injured as Gunmen Storm Home in Coordinated Attack

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Lawyers Sue Tinubu, AGF, Edo Gov Over Alleged Threat to Peter Obi’s Life

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July 28, 2026

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Presidency tells Peter Obi to stop dreaming, insists he lost 2023 presidential election

Lawyers Sue Tinubu, AGF, Edo Gov Over Alleged Threat to Peter Obi’s Life

Obident Lawyers Forum seeks court orders compelling security agencies to provide maximum protection for NDC presidential candidate and other 2027 candidates

Lawyers operating under the aegis of the Obident Lawyers Forum have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order compelling President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies to provide adequate protection for the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election. The legal practitioners informed the court that their appeal has become imperative so as not to make Peter Obi a victim of political assassination before and during the 2027 electioneering process. The request was contained in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1648/2026, instituted against President Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Governor of Edo State as defendants. The plaintiffs, represented by Barristers Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Joseph Enemona Ameh, instituted the fundamental rights suit on behalf of Peter Obi, in which they prayed the court to issue an order that Peter Obi has the fundamental right to freedom of movement without any hindrance.

The plaintiffs predicated their request on two key developments. First, a recent live podcast wherein the NDC’s presidential candidate had raised the alarm that he “may not be alive to contest next year’s presidential election”. Second, a statement credited to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo to the effect that Obi’s life and security would not be guaranteed in Edo State if he enters the state without getting approval from the governor. In an affidavit deposed in support of the suit, the plaintiffs argued that the NDC presidential candidate has constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and to live, dwell, exist and carry out his lawful duties without any fear, discrimination, threat of assassination, intimidation or any form of harassment as guaranteed by the Constitution. They submitted that Obi has the fundamental rights to move across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, “attend and host his political campaign rallies… without fear of assassination, threat to his life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever”.

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The applicants lamented that “Mr Peter Gregory Obi has been subjected to serious psychological torture and trauma by the numerous threats to his life”, adding that this is detrimental to his constitutional rights. They further submitted that no person or authority or any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person(s) individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-regional State, has the powers to restrict or refuse any citizen from entering and exiting any part of Nigeria to carry out his lawful activities as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The deponent argued that “the threats by the Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo that Mr Peter Obi’s life and security are not guaranteed in Edo State, and that Mr Peter Obi should not step into Edo State without getting a clearance from him are empty not backed by law, anti-democratic, illegal, unlawful and tantamount to executive rascality, infantile-politicking and power-drunkenness”.

Among the reliefs they are seeking in the suit, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare that Peter Gregory Obi, the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) , has the fundamental right to life and the right to live without any fear, discrimination, threat of assassination, intimidation or any form of harassment whatsoever, as guaranteed in section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. In addition, they urged the court to declare that Peter Obi must not be subjected to politically motivated coercion, threat to life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever by any arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person, individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-Regional State, on the grounds of his political ideology, ethnicity and religion; or for any reason whatsoever. They also sought “A declaration that Mr Peter Gregory Obi the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has the fundamental rights of free ingress and egress into any of the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the FCT, and can freely move around, enter, visit, stay, reside, inhabit and organize, attend and host his political campaign rallies, consultations, seminars, groups meetings and carryout his lawful activities in any part of Nigeria, without fear of assassination, threat to his life, bullying, harassment, assault, intimidation and victimization whatsoever, by any Arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or any authority, person(s) individual or groups, agents/agencies of the Federal Government or Government of any sub-regional State, as guaranteed in sections 39, 40, 41 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The plaintiffs further prayed for “A declaration that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of The Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the constitutional mandate/responsibility to provide adequate security of life and property to the citizens, which is the fundamental reason/purpose/objective of every government; and the President has the constitutional responsibility as Commander in Chief to direct the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents and Heads of all Security Agencies in Nigeria to provide maximum security protection/intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi and all other presidential candidates”. They also urged a declaration that the laws setting up the security agencies mandate and empower the 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents to provide adequate security to the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against all criminal activities aimed at depriving citizens of their properties or lives. The plaintiffs asked the court to make an order “compelling, directing and mandating the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to direct the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents and Heads of all other Security Agencies in Nigeria to provide maximum security protection/intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) and all other 2027 presidential candidates”. Additionally, they sought “An order compelling, directing and mandating the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents to immediately provide maximum security personnel to Physically Protect and Provide Security Intelligence to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, the NDC 2027 Presidential candidate”.

The suit references a recent podcast interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, wherein the NDC presidential candidate had expressed fears for his safety. In the interview, Obi stated: “Not even a candidate. I might not even be alive. I’m telling you”. He alleged that the current Nigerian government has been frustrating his activities and targeting opposition figures, saying “Every single thing I do for a living, this government is frustrating. Deliberately so. So, there is even a possibility that, if they have the opportunity, I will not be alive”. Obi, however, clarified that he was not making direct accusations against President Bola Tinubu’s government because the government does not act openly. “It’s not an accusation. I know. I get frustrated every day because you do things that you think would be normal – it is not normal anymore. They (the government) won’t come directly and say, ‘Oh, we’re doing this,’ but you can see their hand in everything,” he said. Giving instances of alleged attacks against him, Obi referenced an incident at an airport where officials allegedly locked his car, despite other vehicles being parked in the same area. He also alleged that some people now avoid publicly associating with him for fear of becoming targets of the government, and that some supporters had discouraged him from attending family events.

The suit also references a statement credited to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo. The governor had earlier given a warning on July 18, 2025 during a political event in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state. In a video that later resurfaced, the governor was heard warning Obi against coming into the state without prior notice, saying: “The man wey say he no get shishi, I am sending a direct message to him, there is a new sheriff in town. He cannot come to Edo State without telling me because his security will not be guaranteed. Whatever happens to him in Edo State, he will take it. I am serious about this”. The governor later defended his remarks during an appearance on Channels Television, insisting that he intended to ensure the opposition figure’s safety, citing security concerns. The Edo State Government had earlier distanced itself from alleged threats against opposition figures by Emmanuel Eghogho, an aide to Governor Okpebholo. The governor’s aide was captured in a viral video on social media alleging that members of the opposition, including Peter Obi, would be arrested and handed over to the Commissioner of Police for onward transfer to Abuja. Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said at a news conference in Benin that the state had nothing to do with Mr Eghogho’s public outburst. He stressed that the controversial remarks credited to Mr Eghogho did not represent the administration’s position, stating: “We want to distance ourselves from that statement because it is not the position of the Edo State Government, but the voice of an individual that is answerable to existing laws of the land”.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. The legal action comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gradually gather momentum, with opposition figures outlining their policy alternatives to the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Lawyers Sue Tinubu, AGF, Edo Gov Over Alleged Threat to Peter Obi’s Life

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