News
Reps Raise Alarm Over Sugar Import Figures, Revenue Flow to NSDC
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has flagged inconsistencies in the reported volume of sugar imported into Nigeria and the revenue linked to the National Sugar Development Council during an ongoing review of government earnings.
The concern emerged during the House Committee on Finance revenue monitoring exercise covering the 2023–2025 fiscal years.
The session brought the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, Kamar Bakrin, before lawmakers to clarify issues surrounding sugar importation and the sector’s financial contributions to government coffers.
Leading the inquiry, the Chairman House Committee on Finance, Rep. James Faleke, questioned the reliability of the import figures presented by the council. Lawmakers indicated that the data submitted might not accurately reflect the real quantity of sugar entering the country.
In response, the Executive Secretary of the council, Bakrin explained that it does not directly collect revenue from sugar imports. Instead, the responsibility for collecting the statutory sugar levy rests with the Nigeria Customs Service at the nation’s ports, after which the funds are transferred into designated government accounts.
He also clarified that the council’s involvement in the importation process is largely regulatory. Companies seeking to bring raw sugar into the country are required to obtain import licences, which are issued based on recommendations from the council after evaluating the compliance and performance of operators and processors within the industry.
“These recommendations are subsequently forwarded through the supervising ministry for final approval by the President.
“Within the review period, approvals were granted for the importation of about two million metric tonnes of raw sugar”, he said.
The ES further explained that its activities are funded mainly through a portion of the sugar levy collected by the Nigeria Customs Service. Releases for its operations are made periodically by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in line with appropriations approved by the National Assembly.
“To finance its programmes and sector development initiatives, the council typically submits quarterly requests to the Accountant General’s office for the release of funds allocated to it”, he added..
However, the committee chairman maintained that the council must establish a more reliable mechanism for verifying the actual volume of sugar imported into the country.
According to him, “relying solely on figures supplied by the Nigeria Customs Service may lead to discrepancies and could ultimately affect the accuracy of government revenue records”.
Faleke cautioned that the data currently available to the council appears to underestimate the true quantity of sugar entering the Nigerian market, raising concerns about potential revenue leakages.
He therefore urged the NSDC to strengthen its monitoring and reconciliation framework with relevant agencies, particularly the Nigeria Customs Service, to ensure accurate data management and greater transparency within the sector.
The chairman stressed that proper tracking of imports is critical for effective revenue generation and accountability.
Meanwhile, the committee also directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to provide detailed information on Nigeria’s oil assets and equity participation in oil wells across the country.
Faleke specifically instructed the organisation’s Financial Controller, Tajudeen Karim, to submit a comprehensive breakdown of all oil wells in which Nigeria has equity participation.
The committee requested a detailed list indicating the ownership structure of the wells, including those operating under Joint Venture (JV) arrangements, Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs), and wholly owned assets.
According to Faleke, the information should also include production volumes from each well and the corresponding share accruing to Nigeria under the applicable agreements.
“They do that under certain laws or agreements which they sign with you. In some cases we have percentage shareholding 60/40, 50/50 and there are wells that are 100 per cent owned. You have to identify them separately,” Faleke said.
He added that once the committee receives the full list of oil wells and their shareholding structures, the NNPCL would be required to present production data alongside Nigeria’s equity share in line with the contractual agreements governing each asset.
Faleke further directed that all the requested information must be properly reflected in supporting documents submitted to the committee to enable effective verification.
The committee stated that the ongoing exercise forms part of the National Assembly’s oversight responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper remittance of revenues by government agencies into the Federation Account.
Iran slammed a US blockade around its ports on Monday as a “grave violation” of its sovereignty, as Washington and Tehran’s belligerent rhetoric rattled a fragile truce.
“The imposition of a maritime blockade constitutes a grave violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani wrote to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in a letter seen by AFP.
The “unlawful” blockade also “constitutes a serious violation of the fundamental principles of the international law of the sea,” Iravani added.
US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Gulf Sunday, following the failure of peace talks over the weekend, warning that any Iranian attack boats that challenged the blockade would be destroyed.
The blockade came into force at 1400 GMT Monday, despite the United States and Iran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire days earlier, with mediator Pakistan and Gulf state Qatar continuing calls for it to be respected as diplomatic efforts continue.
Guterres on Monday called on “all parties” to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran and subsequently the United States blocked passage through the critical waterway.
The strait, through which a fifth of global oil and gas flows, has become a key flashpoint as the US and Iran attempt to gain leverage over each other during ceasefire negotiations.
Iravani said the “unlawful” blockade “poses a grave threat to international peace and security and obviously exacerbates the risk of escalation in an already highly volatile region.”
In a second letter, the UN envoy called on Middle Eastern countries hosting US military bases to “cease their internationally wrongful acts.”
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan should pay “compensation for all material and moral damage sustained,” he said.
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has distanced himself from recent media reports linking him to certain political aspirations, saying the comments were made without his knowledge or authorisation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai said the remarks had been attributed to an unnamed individual described in media reports as his political associate, and that he had no hand in them.
“Malam Nasir El-Rufai wishes to dissociate himself from comments regarding political aspirations which have been attributed to someone described by the media as a political associate,” the statement read.
“He did not authorise such comments.”
The disclaimer pointedly underscored El-Rufai’s reputation for speaking his mind directly, with the statement noting that he had been known throughout his public life for the frank articulation of his views.
“He is not about to outsource the expression of his political views and thoughts to others,” the statement added, warning that any future communication from the former governor would come directly from him or through his designated spokesperson.
El-Rufai did not identify the associate in question, nor did the statement specify the nature of the political aspirations that had been reported.
However, the swift and emphatic denial suggests the former governor was keen to prevent any impression that the comments reflected his current political thinking or intentions.
JAMB declares readiness for 2026 UTME, urges parents to protest admission violations
The disclaimer comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, a period in which the positions and affiliations of prominent political figures are under intense media and public scrutiny.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and two-term governor of Kaduna State, remains one of the most closely watched political figures in northern Nigeria.
His next political move — including which party platform he may adopt ahead of 2027 — has been a subject of widespread speculation.
The Yobe State Police Command said its operatives have arrested three suspected vandals involved in the destruction and theft of transformer components belonging to Yobe State Television at Garin Alkali Booster Station.
The Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Damaturu.
According to the Command, the arrest was made on April 14, 2026, by its operatives stationed in Garin Alkali while acting on credible intelligence.
“The arrested suspects are Muhammad Auwali, a.k.a. Aburare, 51, Inusa Lawan, 53, and Hassan Ibrahim, 27, all of Bursari and Gashua axis, Bade LGA. One accomplice identified as Ozu, is currently at large.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects criminally conspired and vandalised a transformer located at the YTV Booster Station, Garin Alkali, Bursari LGA.
“The suspects dismantled the transformer and sold part of the metal components”, it said.
The Command added that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to selling some of the vandalised transformer parts to Hassan Ibrahim for the sum of N250,000, out of which N150,000 had already been paid.
“Investigation is in progress, after which the suspects will be charged in court for prosecution”, the police command said.
Commissioner of Police Usman Kamfani Jibrin, in the statement, warned scrap metal dealers against purchasing suspected stolen items and urged them to cooperate with security agencies in protecting critical public infrastructure.
He stressed that anyone found involved in such unlawful activities will be dealt with in accordance with extant laws.
Iran slams US blockade as ‘grave violation of sovereignty’
El-Rufai distances self from comments on political aspirations attributed to associate
Doris Ogala raises alarm as Lagos police storm her residence without prior invitation
-
News18 hours agoEx-Gov El-rufai to remain in detention until bail condition is fulfilled
-
News24 hours agoWAR: US, Israel ground Iran’s aircraft
-
News23 hours agoSupreme Court to hear appeals on PDP leadership crisis on April 20
-
News21 hours agoGbajabiamila lauds FCT Minister over landmark Hypercity-Carrefour deal(Photos)
-
News20 hours agoAccreditation begins as 3,000 delegates arrive at ADC national convention venue
-
News16 hours agoJust in: ADC, fires Bala, Abejide, others as crisis escalates
-
News16 hours agoReps Halt Payments to ZTE Over CCTV Project, Demand Full Accountability
-
News23 hours agoTimipre Sylva’s brother, Anagha pleads with court to compel DSS to release him from detention