Crime
$3bn refinery fraud: N80bn found in sacked MD’s bank accounts
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the recently sacked managing directors and some top officials of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.
The officials were arrested over alleged mismanagement of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of the facilities. The total amount under investigation is $2,956,872,622.36.
Findings showed that the EFCC is probing the sum of $1,559,239,084.36 allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 released for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 approved for the Warri refinery.
The ex-Managing Director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd is Mr Ibrahim Onoja, while Efifia Chu served as the ex-Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd.
This came as impeccable top management sources at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited revealed that N80bn was found in the account of one of the sacked MDs.
Also, operators and experts in the sector lambasted NNPCL for deceiving Nigerians regarding the operations of the refineries, particularly the Port Harcourt and Warri plants, following the poor output from the facilities since their resumption of operations in November and December 2024.
Dashed Hope
NNPCL manages the three refineries for Nigerians. The plants had remained dormant for decades, but the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries resumed operations in November and December 2024, respectively.
However, less than one month after the Warri refinery resumed operations, the plant was again shut down due to safety concerns.
The Port Harcourt refinery, on the other hand, has been operating below 40 per cent of its capacity since its widely celebrated revamp.
On Tuesday, The PUNCH exclusively reported that the new NNPCL management fired the managing directors of the three refineries under its purview.
Some other senior officials of the national oil firm were also asked to leave; among them was Bala Wunti, a former chief of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, a subsidiary of the NNPCL.
The new management also asked many officials with one year to their various retirement dates to leave.
Source: PUNCH
Crime
BREAKING: Tragic One-Way Crash Claims Tricycle Driver’s Life in Meiran Lagos
A commercial tricycle driver has been killed in a fatal one-way crash in the Meiran area of Lagos State.
According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred when a vehicle travelling against the designated flow of traffic on a one-way road collided head-on with the tricycle.
The impact left the tricycle driver with severe injuries, and he was confirmed dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Nigeria Police Force were quickly mobilised to the location. The crash site was secured, and traffic was temporarily disrupted as recovery operations got underway. The body of the deceased has been evacuated to a nearby mortuary pending formal identification and further investigations.
Authorities say the exact circumstances surrounding the crash, including the identity of the tricycle driver and details of the other vehicle involved, are still being established. Police have launched a probe into the incident, with particular focus on the alleged one-way driving that led to the collision.
Road safety officials have once again cautioned motorists against driving against traffic, describing the practice as a major contributor to fatal accidents on Lagos roads. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
Crime
JUST IN: Zamfara LG Chairman Freed After 61 Days in Captivity
The Zamfara State Police Command has confirmed the release of Nura Abdullahi, Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area, after spending 61 days in the captivity of kidnappers.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the development to Arise News in a telephone interview on Thursday. He said the chairman is presently receiving medical attention in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, following his release.
According to the police, Abdullahi regained his freedom alongside other persons who were abducted with him on the same day and taken to an unknown location. The exact circumstances surrounding the release were not immediately disclosed.
Police authorities have remained silent on whether any ransom was paid to secure the victims’ freedom. However, unconfirmed reports circulating in the state claim that the sum of ₦200 million was earlier paid to the kidnappers. The reports further allege that the abductors refused to free the chairman at the time and continued to hold him, demanding additional payment.
The abduction occurred when heavily armed attackers invaded Abdullahi’s residence in Bungudu town. During the assault, two security agents attached to the local government chairman were killed. His elder brother was also shot and later died in hospital from the injuries sustained.
The release of the Bungudu LG chairman marks the end of a prolonged ordeal that had drawn concern across Zamfara State. Further details on the condition of the other freed victims and any ongoing investigations are still being awaited from the police.
Crime
Boko Haram Attacks Adamawa Community, Kills Residents
Boko Haram militants have launched a deadly invasion of a community in Adamawa State, killing several residents and setting multiple houses ablaze.
The attack, described by local sources as sudden and coordinated, saw the fighters storm the area, opening fire on civilians and torching homes. Survivors reported scenes of chaos as residents fled in different directions to escape the assault. A number of people were confirmed dead, while others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment.
The burning of houses has left many families displaced, with properties and livelihoods destroyed in the violence. The community remains tense, and residents are calling for increased security presence to prevent further attacks.
Security forces are yet to issue a comprehensive official update on the incident, though reports indicate that troops have been mobilised to the area.
The assault is the latest in a series of raids attributed to the group in the northeast, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by the insurgents in Adamawa and neighbouring states.
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