Nigerians are now in confused state as operations at the Port Harcourt Refining Company which started operations earlier this week has suddenly stopped operations .

A visit to the refinery on Friday revealed a lack of activity, with workers on-site attributing the lull to ongoing calibration processes expected to continue into the following week.

The refinery, which has experienced numerous delays in its rehabilitation and operational relaunch, was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari.

During the event, it was announced that 200 trucks of petrol were being loaded daily.

However, skepticism arose after reports suggested that the trucks were loaded with old stock from storage tanks rather than newly refined products.

During the visit to Area 5 of the facility, there were no visible signs of production. An anonymous official disclosed that the trucks had been filled with “dead stock.”

“Before the refinery was shut down between 2015 and 2016, we had leftover products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK), and Automated Gas Oil (AGO). These were stored in large quantities in the tanks and later evacuated during the refinery’s rehabilitation,” the official explained.

The source added that much of the petrol was off-spec, requiring water separation and further treatment to render it suitable for use.

“For the kerosene, it remains in the tank post-refinement and hasn’t been moved to commercial distribution channels,” he said. “What was loaded were old stocks still in the system. Once these are cleared, the tanks will be cleaned, and the new product will be introduced.”

The worker criticized the refinery’s reliance on manual processes, calling for a transition to automated systems.

“What they’re doing now is manual, which doesn’t align with modern digital pump systems. Many of the pumps used during the inauguration were refurbished,” he noted.

Kyari’s Tuesday visit reportedly saw the preparation of seven trucks, though only five were loaded with petrol.

During the inauguration, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria Chairman Taken Ikpaki had expressed optimism about increased truck activity in the coming days. However, rather than an uptick, the number of trucks has decreased.

By 1:30 p.m. on Friday, our correspondent observed idle workers and stationary trucks. Nine trucks were parked, but the loading bays, numbered 1 to 18, were deserted.

“They are removing water from the PMS,” a worker in overalls said. “Maybe there will be loading later, but we’re not sure when.”

Another employee cited calibration of the meters as the cause of the delay.

Sources revealed that ongoing calibration might extend through Monday, with kerosene and diesel loading anticipated to start thereafter.

Local residents expressed frustration over the lack of progress. A resident of Alode, Eleme Local Government Area, identified as Osaro, commented, “After all the ceremony with Kyari, they continued ‘loading’ only in the media.”

Dr. Joseph Obelle, spokesperson for the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, attributed Friday’s inactivity to calibration efforts.

“They are calibrating the pumps and should finish today,” Obelle said.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Petroleum toured the refinery on Thursday, but findings from the visit have not been disclosed.

Efforts to reach NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye for comments were unsuccessful. However, the NNPC has dismissed claims by a local community leader, Timothy Mgbere, who alleged that the refinery was not operational.

In a statement, Soneye described Mgbere’s comments as a “display of ignorance” about refinery operations.

“The old and new Port Harcourt refineries now operate as an integrated facility, sharing utilities like power and storage tanks,” Soneye explained. He urged the public to disregard misinformation.

Ex- Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), said he pleaded with late Gen. Sani Abacha not to execute former President Olusegun Obasanjo for an alleged coup plot in 1995.

Gowon said this at the maiden edition of the Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival organised by the Plateau Government.

Recall that Obasanjo was arrested in 1995 by Abacha and convicted of being part of a planned coup to overthrow his government.

Obasanjo, in spite of pleading innocent to the coup, was sentenced to death.

He spent three years in prison before he was released in 1998 following the death of Gen. Abacha on June 8 of that year.

‘I sent my wife to Abacha’
While Gowon was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, Obasanjo was the Guest of Honour.

“I wrote a letter to Abacha; I pleaded with him that God made him a leader to do good and not evil.

“I sent my wife with the letter in the middle of the night to Abacha in Abuja; I pleaded with him that such a thing should not happen.

“I’m glad that soon after that, things changed. And not only that Obasanjo left prison, he became our president in 1999.

“This is something that only prayers and sincerity can do. I’m happy that today myself and Obasanjo are here to celebrate the unity of Plateau,” he said.

Gowon also thanked the state government for organising the carol, adding that it would further unite the citizens of the state.

The former head of state said that the state had gone through a myriad of security challenges; hence, the carol provided a suitable avenue for the people to commune.

He commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for the various initiatives aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence among the people.

Gowon also thanked the state government for organising the carol, adding that it would further unite the citizens of the state.

The former head of state said that the state had gone through a myriad of security challenges; hence, the carol provided a suitable avenue for the people to commune.

He commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for the various initiatives aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence among the people.

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, has said it is unfortunate that majority of people, including some lawmakers, do not understand the contents of the tax reform bills.

He said the controversial bills were quickly passed for second reading to allow the public make comments on them.

The bills, which were transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu earlier in September, have sparked reactions, especially among Northerners, who felt the legislation would further plunge the region into more economic hardship.

Northern governors, traditional leaders and other different groups have rejected the bills, saying they are inimical to the region and the nation at large.

Barau disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa service, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State decried that governors would not be able to pay salaries if the bills were passed into law, expressing concerns over how the bills had received urgent attention at the National Assembly.

But speaking with BBC Hausa, Senator Barau Jibrin, who has come under heavy criticisms especially on social media for supporting the bills, said the speedy passage was to enable Nigerians have room to comment on the legislation before considering the next line of action.

He said, “Because of the contents of the bills, we decided to invite experts or the people who developed them on behalf of the President to explain to us the provisions of the bills and also advise us so that Nigerians will know about it.

“The bills have to scale the second reading before they could be taken to the committee for a review. And while we could ask (the committee) questions, Nigerians who might have only watched it on the television could not have room to ask questions. That was why it was resolved that the bills would be passed for the second reading so that Nigerians would have the chance to comment, give their contributions and also ask questions.”

Asked why the bills were not first presented to the committee before passing them for the second reading, Barau said, “No, it is not done that way. It has to pass the second reading before it can be taken to the committee. The second reading is done so that the public can have room to pass their comments on it. That is why the bills were presented to the committee now so that they will review, x-ray it and tell us the contents therein.

“The second reading is not the end of the process. No, that is even where the process begins. And it was done in order to enable the public (youth, children, women, clerics and everyone) to comment and register their complaints about it,” he stated.

Responding to whether lawmakers were aware of the hardship the bills could subject Nigerians to, Barau remarked, “Nobody will do something that will have negative impact on his people. The issue now is to first know the provisions of the bills. Majority of people don’t even know the contents therein, even some of our lawmakers.

“We have to first have a grasp of the bills before they would be understood, that was why it was sent to the committee for them to review so that we know the situation. We will also invite experts to go through it, but we have not gotten to that level now.”