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Agbakoba warns NNPC against taking over Dangote refinery
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, has warned the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited not to take over the Dangote Refinery.
Agbakoba was reacting to a comment by the businessman that the NNPC should buy the refinery if that would put an end to calling him a monopolist.
Dangote made the comment amid the controversies surrounding his 650,000 barrels per day refinery.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, had said Dangote and other local refineries have been producing inferior fuels.
Ahmed said, “We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO and direct all marketers to the refinery. That is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. That is not good for the market, because of monopoly.”
Baffled by Ahmed’s comment, Dangote said he would be ready to hand over the refinery to the government.
“Let them (NNPCL) buy me out and run the refinery the best way they can. They have labelled me a monopolist. That’s an incorrect and unfair allegation, but it’s okay. If they buy me out, at least, their so-called monopolist would be out of the way,” Dangote said.
However, in a short statement on Monday, Agbakoba disagreed asking, “Why take over what a private individual built? Why can’t the Federal Government fix its refineries all these years?”
Agbakoba stated that there is no reason to allow an efficient businessman to ‘hold the country to ransom’ as being speculated when there is a simple alternative.
According to the legal luminary, Nigeria needs to fix the refineries and make Nigeria work by providing electricity, potable water, good healthcare, quality education, good roads and food.
“The simple alternative for us all is this – Let Nigeria work. Let there be light. Let there be food. Let there be water. Let there be jobs. Let there be money, schools, healthcare, roads and others,” he stressed.
This, he said, is the way to end the so-called Dangote monopoly “and not as suggested by taking over another man’s sweat.”
He added, “Let the Federal Government fix its own refineries. If all our refineries are working, there won’t be anything called a Dangote Refinery monopoly.”
Agbakoba declared that he is in support of Dangote and all other local refineries, saying they would boost the nation’s refining capacity and end fuel importation.
Recall that Agbakoba had recently asked President Bola Tinubu to overhaul the country’s energy sector and the regulatory framework.
The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday, refuted reports that she will be leading a seven-day national prayer for Nigeria.
This followed a report last week that Mrs Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mrs Nuhu Ribadu, will spearhead a national prayer session to tackle the country’s numerous challenges.
The reports quoted the Director-General of the National Prayer Forum, Segun Afolorunikan, announcing the event in Abuja.
Afolorunikan had said the initiative, coordinated with Christian and Muslim religious leaders, intends to seek divine intervention for the country’s socio-economic and security issues, under the theme ‘Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.’
“Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities,” said the convener.
However, the First Lady has denied knowing any such arrangement saying a call for prayer must be done “willingly, conscientiously and correctly.”
Mrs Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Busola Kukoyi, conveyed this in a statement she signed Saturday titled ‘First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu, CON refutes organising national prayer.’
It read, “This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria is not organising a national prayer.
“The news making rounds in some conventional and social media platforms is unfounded and misleading.
“Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of the joint National Prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.”
Kukoyi said the First Lady, a Christian and strong advocate of prayer and praying for Nigeria, believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously and correctly.
“She also believes that praying for Nigeria is the responsibility of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious belief, political affiliation, tribe or tongue.
“Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her office through official channels,” the statement concluded.
A building of 25 shops has been gutted by fire in the early hours of Saturday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
According to the state fire service, the incident occurred at Adeta roundabout at about 02.39 hours.
A statement in Ilorin on Saturday by the spokesman of the service, Hassan Adekunle, said the firefighters, upon arrival, found a block of about 25 shops engulfed in flames.
“Thanks to the swift action and bravery of the Kwara State fire service officers, only three shops suffered damage, including a soft drinks and alcohol shop.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge,” the statement disclosed.
The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince John Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy for the affected shop owners, offering prayers for the restoration of their losses.
He also urged the public to prioritize safety and ensure all electrical appliances are unplugged when not in use.
The newly emerged terror group known as Lakurawa, is reportedly offering as much as one million naira to young men in exchange for their allegiance.
This was made known on Saturday by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, in a post on his X handle.
Makama disclosed that an impeccable source informed him that Lakurawa, allegedly composed of individuals from Mali, Chad, Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso, was actively recruiting local youths in Sokoto through substantial financial incentives.
He stated that according to witnesses’ accounts, the financial lure is part of an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at attracting followers to their cause.
The security expert said that Lakurawa, unlike traditional criminal gangs, reportedly adhere to extremist ideologies linked to the Khawarij sect, similar to the beliefs of Boko Haram.
Makama added: “Local sources suggest that they employ a combination of financial incentives and ideological influence to gain support among vulnerable communities.
“Beyond the recruitment, the Lakurawa reportedly confront and expel bandits and confiscate their cattle in areas under their control.
Watch video below:
https://twitter.com/ZagazOlaMakama/status/1855319733282758848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
First Lady denies leading national prayer
25 Shops destroyed as fire guts building in Ilorin
New terror group Lakurawa offers N1m incentives to recruit Sokoto youths + Video
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