News
Reverse petrol price hike now, probe NNPC or risk legal action, SERAP tells Tinubu
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, on Sunday, asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately order the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to immediately reverse its recent increase in the pump price of fuel.
This was contained in a letter dated 7 September 2024 by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said that the petrol price hike is illegal and unconstitutional.
SERAP said that the petrol price hike represented a fundamental breach of constitutional guarantees and the country’s international human rights obligations, especially as citizens face worsening economic hardships.
The organisation has also requested President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the NNPCL.
The letter partly read, “Instead of implementing public policies to address the growing poverty and inequality in the country and holding the NNPCL accountable for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector, your government appears to be penalising the poor.
“The petrol price hike has made it even harder for already impoverished citizens to meet their basic needs. This increase is not inevitable, as it results from the persistent failure of successive governments to tackle corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector, along with the impunity of suspected perpetrators.
“Corruption in the oil sector, coupled with a lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support NNPCL operations, has led to repeated and unlawful increases in petrol prices.
“Holding the NNPCL accountable for alleged corruption and mismanagement would serve legitimate public interests. This price increase is causing severe hardship to those less well-off. We are concerned that, as Nigeria’s economic situation deteriorates, rising petrol prices will push people further into poverty.”
SERAP also demanded that the President address its recommendations within two days or face legal action to compel compliance.
It added, “We would appreciate it if the recommended measures are implemented within 48 hours of receiving or publishing this letter. If we do not receive a response by then, SERAP will consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Your government is legally obligated to investigate and prosecute allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the NNPCL and to ensure justice and effective remedies for victims of corruption. Investigating and prosecuting these allegations would align with both the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.
“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] mandates your government to conform to, observe, and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution. Section 15(5) requires your government to ‘abolish all corrupt practices’, including those within the NNPCL.
“According to our information, the NNPCL recently increased the price of petrol from about N600 per litre to N855 per litre, with some instances exceeding N900 per litre. This apparent unlawful increase followed a reported refusal by suppliers to import petroleum products due to a $6 billion debt.
“The NNPCL reportedly failed to remit USD $2.04 billion and N164 billion in oil revenues to the public treasury, as documented in the recently published 2020 annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.”
The head of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja’s family, Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, has expressed regret obtaining Nigerian Defence Academic (NDA) form for the deceased.
Pa Tajudeen, the younger brother of the late COAS’s father, stated that he would not have bought the form had he known it would lead to his death.
Some family members also alleged that Lt. General Lagbaja may have been killed through diabolical means due to a land dispute in his hometown.
According to TheNation, In 2023 a dispute arose in Ilobu, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area in Osun State, when representatives of the Nigerian Army planned to establish a hospital in the community.
Pa Tajudeen told TheNation that he initially obtained the NDA form for the late Lieutenant General.
“Everyone who is born must die. We give glory to God. The year that I obtained NDA form for him, if I had known that he would die before me, I would not have done so. I regret obtaining the form for him. But it is destiny.
“The death that killed Taoreed Lagbaja ought to take me. I took him as one of my children. We are greatly bereaved, we are sad. He constructed a borehole in his father’s compound and other places in the community.
“We can never forget him, his death is so shocking to us. I have accepted the fate, all the promises he made to me have hit a brick wall. He always gave us hope in the family, despite the sorrow, I give thanks to God,” the family head said.
President Bola Tinubu has reappointed Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha as the Director-General of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA).
Prof. Abdullahi is expected to serve another second term of five years as the head of the research agency.
His appointment was announced in a press statement issued by the Press Secretary to the NBRDA Director-General, Toyin Omozuwa, in Abuja on Saturday.
According to the statement, Mustapha’s reappointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the
Government, George Akume.
“Mustapha’s second term is effective from 31st October 2024 and is in line with the provisions of Sections 10 (1) and (3) of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (Establishment) Act, 2022,” the statement said.
Omozuwa stated that industry experts regard the reappointment as an expression of Tinubu’s confidence in Mustapha’s capability to drive innovation towards achieving food security.
He added that the reappointment would allow the Director-General to complete his work in enhancing pharmaceutical production, as well as positioning Nigeria at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Mustapha is a Professor of Bioinorganic Chemistry and hails from Dambatta Local Government Area of Kano State.
The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) is an agency established in 2001 under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, that implements policies, explores resources, conducts research, promotes, coordinates and develops biotechnology in Nigeria.
The NABDA also controls and supervises the introduction of genetically modified organisms into Nigeria.
News
Legal Questions Arise Over Elon Musk’s Immigration History Amid Calls for Citizenship Revocation
I regret obtaining NDA form for Lagbaja, says family head
New terror group, Lakurawa, kills 15, rustles many cows in Kebbi
Tinubu Reappoints Prof Abdullahi Mustapha As DG Of Biotechnology Agency NBRDA
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
News18 hours agoHunger! Global Food Prices Reach 18-Month High – FAO
-
Entertainment19 hours agoCall for Wike’s sack: Administration is no child’s play, CRP tells Adeyanju, VDM
-
News18 hours agoObaseki disengages all commissioners, Directors and chairmen
-
News18 hours agoCanadian Police Prepare For Possible Surge Of Asylum Seekers As Trump Set To Regain Office
-
News18 hours ago400 s3x tapes: Engonga remanded in prison custody
-
News11 hours agoCanada Introduces Stricter Visa Rules, Ends Automatic 10-Year Multiple-Entry Visas
-
News16 hours ago
Engonga tapes: Victim says “he deceived me that camera was for security”
-
News18 hours agoAnambra LG Chairman Reportedly Nabbed In US Faces 20 Years Jail, Deputy Chair May Take Over