National
CSOs to Host Sensitization Interactions On Petroleum Act, NNPCL In August
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has condemned the allegations made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
SERAP recently leveled an allegation against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over failure to account for and explain the whereabouts of alleged missing $2.04 billion and N164 billion oil revenues.
SERAP, in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, in the recently published 2020 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation that the NNPC failed to remit the alleged money into the Federation Account, claiming that the money may have been diverted to unknown destinations.
At a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Executive Director of the CSOs, Blessing A. Akinlosotu, explained that we make bold to assert, without fear of contradictions or condemnations, that almost all the allegations leveled against the management of the NNPCL so far are unfounded and misrepresentations of facts and figures.
He noted that despite the fact that no public institution in Nigeria today can be absolutely exonerated or given a 100% clean bill of health forensically in terms of corruption and bad eggs.
Mr. Blessings said the Council perceives a deliberate plot in some quarters that are both politically and economically motivated to frustrate the ongoing reforms in the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and transformation in the NNPCL.
“Some of these detractors are internal forces of economic saboteurs, while others are high-level international business actors that have hitherto taken undue advantages of the country’s previous weak laws and naïve policies in the Petroleum Industry.
“Some mischief makers, especially within the Media Sector and Civil Society Community, have taken advantage of the negative past records and maladministration in the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to continuously smear the image and blackmail the current management of the NNPCL that is determined to salvage our Petroleum Industry.
“These detractors and saboteurs probably have the ultimate aim of casting aspersions at the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the leadership of NCSCN sympathizes with the management of the NNPCL on their unenviable and herculean task of reforming and rebranding a battered organizational image of the former NNPC to a desirous and acceptable bride.
We call on the operators of the Media Industry to eschew unnecessary sensationalism, instead to deploy more professionalism in carrying out their highly sensitive and sacred responsibility of information dissemination.
The Media should not be a weapon of blackmail or vendetta but should serve as eyes and ears of the Society, playing a complementary role in National Development. Investigative journalism should be the mindset, while patriotism is the keyword.
NNPCL must work assiduously to purge itself of any corrupt tendencies and bad eggs, thus living above board at all times. If the system is now truly rebirthed as we believe it to be, then transparency and accountability must be sustained as hallmarks without compromise at any point.
We hope to have all our 500 existing affiliates at the proposed 1st National Civil Society Conversation on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and NNPCL.
The Defence Headquarters has stated that reports from the Nigerian military provide a more accurate account of counter-terrorism efforts in the country than those from external sources.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, stated this on Thursday while fielding questions on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, which was released on March 5.
The index ranked Nigeria sixth globally, with a score of 7.658, moving up from eighth place in 2023 and 2024. It also recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria in 2024.
Using a family analogy, Kangye argued that information from the family head should be deemed more credible than reports from outsiders.
“Something is happening in my house. I am the head of the house. I have children, I have a wife, and then Kuma Shi (someone else) is reporting what is happening in my house to me. Which one would be more correct? The one I tell you as the head of the house or the one Kuma Shi is reporting from outside?” he asked.
He urged the media to verify and correct any misleading narratives about Nigeria’s security situation, adding, “I’m not countering what they put out there, but as observers, you should be the ones to give the correct version of what is happening in Nigeria.”
On the sit-at-home order in the South East, Kangye noted that fear still keeps many residents indoors on Mondays.
He, however, reassured that the military is actively working to restore normalcy and rid the region of IPOB/ESN fighters.
“Who gave the order? IPOB/ESN criminals. Because of what was happening in the South East, Operation Udo Ka was set up—just like Operation Hadin Kai in the North East.
“The past three commanders in the region have been doing very well. They continue to encourage people to go about their normal business, but in some areas, locals stay home out of fear of being attacked. The commanders are working hard to free the South East from IPOB/ESN influence,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a sustainable and globally competitive financial system to allow Nigerian banks and other financial institutions to thrive.
The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the statement on Wednesday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new state-of-the-art headquarters of First Bank of Nigeria at Eko Atlantic City in Lagos State.
Shettima disclosed this in a statement posted on X.com on Wednesday.
The statement read, “President #officialABAT has said that his administration is working assiduously to create a system that is sustainable and globally competitive, enabling Nigerian banks and other financial institutions to thrive.
“He noted that government policies under his administration are driven by the reality that the nation no longer has the luxury of time to postpone its economic transformation.”
Tinubu who noted that banks can only prosper under a thriving economy, however, pointed out that everything his administration does—and sets out to accomplish—rests on the cooperation and capacity of financial institutions.
“Banks are the engines of economic growth, and we owe it to them to champion a system that guarantees sustainability and global competitiveness.
“Our expectation is for our banks to excel, expand beyond our shores, and earn their place among the world’s most viable and profitable enterprises,” he was quoted as saying.
According to the report, a host of prominent dignitaries and political leaders including the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of FBN Holdings, Femi Otedola, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and governors were among the distinguished guests who attended the event on Wednesday.
By Amina Anebi, Kaduna
Over two hundred worshippers gathered at Our Lady’s Parish Independence in Kaduna to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, marking the end of the pre-Lenten season with traditional observances, including confessions, the burning of Holy Week palms, and acts of charity.
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, precedes Ash Wednesday and signals the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and spiritual reflection observed by many Christian denominations. The term “Shrove” comes from the old English word “shrive,” meaning absolution following confession.
The celebration in Kaduna was led by the Kaduna North Dean and Parish Priest, Very Reverend Father Anthony Okelue, who urged the faithful to embrace the spirit of repentance and charity.
“I urge you all to come closer to God as we embark on 40 days of prayer and fasting. By reflecting on our wrongdoings, we should celebrate with those who have less. That is the essence of this day—giving to the less privileged,” Father Okelue said.
Shrove Tuesday is widely observed by Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Western-Rite Orthodox Christians, and Roman Catholics. The day is traditionally marked by self-examination, repentance, and preparation for the solemn season of Lent.
One of the most recognisable customs associated with Shrove Tuesday is the eating of pancakes, a practice rooted in the need to use up rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting period begins. Church bells are also rung to remind people to repent before Lent.
In many Christian traditions, churches burn the palms distributed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday to prepare the ashes used for Ash Wednesday services. Elsewhere, in countries where Shrove Tuesday is known as Mardi Gras, the day is celebrated with carnivals and feasts before the fasting period begins.
The Roman Catholic Church also marks Shrove Tuesday with the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus, a devotion reflecting on the suffering of Christ.
Father Okelue encouraged worshippers to see Lent as an opportunity for spiritual renewal. “This is a time for reflection, prayer, and giving. Let us approach it with sincerity and a heart for others,” he said.
As the faithful in Kaduna observed this centuries-old tradition, the emphasis remained on confession, repentance, and charity—values that define the essence of Shrove Tuesday.