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We are emboldened by the enactment of PIA, Host Communities

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By Our Reporter.

The President , Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas HOSTCOM, His Highness, (Dr )Benjamin Style Tamaranebi JP has praised Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda by increasing the production output of crude oil on assumption of duty, that reduced oil theft .

In an open letter to Nigeria’s President,Niger Delta Youths tagged “Call for Restraint; Killing of personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL, Bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta – Protecting our future ” issued on Thursday by the leadership of the host communities stated that the engagement of Tantita and other security agencies has yielded tremendous positive results.

With this , we commend President Tinubu for engaging the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL among many others, while condemning the killing of its harmless and armless personnel.

While using the opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the confidence reposed in the maritime security outfit as a critical security stakeholders in the maintenance of oil installations and assets in the Niger Delta.

Though , we are not aware of some dissidents and disgruntled elements to unhappiness with the success story President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought to oil and local communities in the Niger Delta.

With the recent bombings of oil installations in the oil producing areas of Niger Delta, killings of Tantita Security personnel are reckless act that threaten the peace and stability of the country , but the future of our communities.

He described the bombings and attacks as an act of destruction, far from act of heroism that does not good to the progress and development already achieved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the region.

He further described the attackers as tools in the hands of politicians ,their gladiators and criminals and not freedom fighters who meant well for the Niger Delta people.

He said this unpatriotic actions does not meant well for the good people of Niger Delta having suffered from different incidents of economic, political and social degradation, relieved by the enactment of Petroleum Industry Act PIA by the present administration.

Chief Dr Benjamin Style Tamaranebi reminded the host communities on the provisions of the act and it’s consequences on the oil communities, stating that a community that engages in crises forfeits benefits which is unambiguous in section 257 subsection 2 of the PIA act.

The release further states..

 

OPEN LETTER TO:
” ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.”

” YOUTHS OF THE NIGER DELTA .”

A CALL FOR RESTRAINT: KILLING OF PERSONNEL OF TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED (TSSNL) AND BOMBING OF OIL FACILITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA – PROTECTING OUR FUTURE

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“That farsightedness and courageous actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially in the oil and gas sector in the last nearly two years, have transformed the landscape and allowed Nigeria to improve its oil production quota significantly and reduce rampant oil theft, is no longer news.”

“It’s also obvious that engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and other non- state actors in the task of policing and securing the nation’s economic assets has yielded tremendous positive outcomes.”

“It’s in this regard that we commend Mr. President for the confidence he has reposed in Tantita as a critical part of the security architecture for maintaining oil assets in the Niger Delta.”

“However, we are not unaware that some disgruntled people are unhappy with our successes and the relief that Mr President’s courageous steps have brought to the country, and especially to local communities in the Niger Delta.”

“The recent bombings of oil pipelines and cold-blooded murder of TSSNL personnel in the Niger Delta are reckless acts that threaten not only the stability of our region but also the future of our communities.”

” They are not acts of heroism but acts of self-destruction. ”

“Those who engage in these crimes are not freedom fighters, they are tools in the hands of selfish politicians and criminal syndicates, who care nothing for the Niger Delta or its people.”

“These actions, carried out under the guise of political grievances, are shortsighted. They do not serve the interests of the Niger Delta people—they only deepen our suffering.”

“Let us be clear: Destroying our oil assets is economic suicide. It’s a direct attack on the very lifeline of our communities.”

“Our host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades. ”

“The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was a turning point, ensuring that our communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from our land. ”

“The PIA was a hard-earned victory that finally guaranteed the host communities a share of the wealth generated from our land.”

“Billions of naira have already flowed into community trusts, empowering local development initiatives. However, Section 257, Subsection 2 of the PIA is clear: ”

“Any community that engages in sabotage forfeits these benefits. That means the very people committing these attacks are robbing their own families and their futures.”

“Attacking oil infrastructure weakens Nigeria’s economy and directly robs our communities of the progress we have fought to achieve.”

“Let us also be clear about who benefits from this destruction. Not the youths. Not the struggling leaders of the host communities. Not the hard-working people of the Niger Delta. The only winners are the oil thieves, the corrupt politicians and the foreign oil barons, who are eager to see our region remain unstable and underdeveloped.”

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“The situation in Rivers State is political, and political issues require political solutions. Destroying pipelines and killing security personnel will not resolve these conflicts—it will only make our region more volatile and unlivable. Oil spills poison our rivers, destroy aquatic life, and render our land barren and our youths are left with nothing.”

“The youth engaging in these attacks must ask themselves: Who truly benefits from this destruction? Certainly not the host communities.”

“This madness must stop. Tantita Security Services and other security outfits are crucial in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets. Their presence has helped to curb oil theft, improve production levels, and stabilise our national economy.”

“TSSNL and other security personnel are not our enemies but our brothers and sisters working to protect our collective future. It is indefensible to do anything to bring them to harm. They have put their lives on the line to protect our oil wealth from criminal gangs. Killing them is not act of resistance, it’s cowardly and an unforgivable betrayal of our people and our future. ”

“The crisis in River State is political. Politicians will eventually settle their differences- but will they bring back the lives lost? Will they restore our environment? Will they restore the benefits stolen from our communities? No, they will move on, leaving our youths stranded to suffer the consequences.”

“We must not be fools. We must not allow ourselves to be used. Every youth in the Niger Delta must reject this cycle of violence and destruction. Protecting our oil facilities is not about helping the government- it’s about securing our future. ”

“We aligned with the the position canvassed by a human right activist, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, after the unjustifiable killing of some personnel of Tantita, when he said, “The engagement of TANTITA is critical in combating the scourge of oil smuggling and bunkering. As a local company, they possess intimate knowledge of the terrain in the Niger Delta and are acutely aware of the hiding places and tactics employed by these criminals.”

“We in HOSTCOM believed that this unique understanding of the Niger Delta terrain by Tantita and its personnel is vital for effective onslaught against oil theft, and it’s imperative that our security agencies and other critical stakeholders in our region recognise the selfless contributions of Tantita and its main promoter, our own indefatigable Niger Delta crusader for better life for our people and champion of equitable and fair distribution of the nation’s resources, High Chief, Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation and support them.”

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“We in HOSTCOM also know and believed it to be true that President Tinubu’s administration has taken drastic steps to enforce the PIA, which has ultimately increased oil production and revenue for our region. Reckless acts of violence must not destroy the progress.”

“It would be recalled that for decades, governors in the region have collected 13 percent of derivation from the federal government and yet have done nothing to develop local communities, despite receiving this fund that runs in billions of naira.”

“We thank President Tinubu GCFR; the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Mele Kyari and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe FNSE CFR, for ensuring effective compliance with PIA, a development which has led to major spike in our daily production of crude oil from abysmal 600,000bpd to about 1.8mbpd with the good work of TSSNL and other state and non-state actors.”

“We urge traditional rulers, community leaders, and responsible citizens to reject violence and report any individuals attempting to incite destruction in our communities.”

” The Niger Delta must not be used as a battleground for political struggles that do not serve the interests of its people.”

“The government must swiftly crush these criminals and their sponsors, if our persuasive appeals are ignored, before they do irreversible damage. ”

“Enough is enough. The Niger Delta has suffered for too long. We cannot build a future on sabotage and destruction. Let us rise above the schemes of greedy politicians and criminals. Let’s protect what is ours. Let us choose peace, progress and prospects.”

“We should choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict and dialogue over discord.”

“We also call on the Federal Government to also address other root causes of youth restiveness in the region in order to strengthen the prevailing peace in the oil-rich belt.”

“We seize this opportunity to congratulate and wish Mr. President well on his 73rd birthday, on Saturday, March 29th, 2025.”

“We pray that God sustains you in robust health to enable you to carry out your policies and programmes as enshrined in the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA.”

GOD BLESS THE NIGER DELTA REGION

GOD BLESS THE SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE

GOD BLESS ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR

GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

SIGNED:

HIS HIGHNESS (DR.) BENJAMIN STYLE TAMARANEBI (JP)
PRESIDENT, HOST COMMUNITIES OF NIGERIA PRODUCING OIL AND GAS (HOSTCOM)

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Student loan: NELFund denies corruption allegations as ICPC clarifies probe

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) has denied claims of mismanagement in disbursing student loan funds.

This development comes after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it was investigating alleged corruption in the disbursement of the funds.

In a statement by the fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFund said ICPC’s comment was taken out of context.

“These reports, which suggest misappropriation and mismanagement of funds, are entirely false, grossly irresponsible, and deeply damaging to the integrity of an institution established to deliver financial hope to millions of Nigerians,” Oluwatuyi said.

“All institutional fees are paid directly to verified institutions, while upkeep allowances go into the verified bank accounts of eligible students,” she said.

“The reports circulating in the public space are based on outdated figures and previous interventions that predate our operations.”

Meanwhile, the ICPC has clarified its earlier statement on the student loan. The institution’s spokesman, Demola Bakare, said the agency’s move to investigate the disbursement of the funds was due to claims that 51 schools were involved in illegal deductions and exploitation related to the NELFund scheme.

“The ICPC confirmed that a clear case of discrepancies has been established in the administration of the student loan scheme and announced that its investigation will now extend to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients,” the agency’s statement partly read.

But in an update, Bakare clarified that: “Unintentionally, the word ‘NOT’ was missing in the second to the last paragraph of our earlier press release in respect of an ongoing investigation regarding the Student Loan Scheme. The missing word created an erroneous impression that the alleged discrepancies or diversion had been established.

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“We admit that this is not the case, indeed, we accept that the same part of the sentence also contradicted the whole paragraph. The paragraph ought to read: ‘The ICPC confirmed that a clear case of discrepancies has NOT been established in the administration of the student loan scheme and announced that its investigation will now extend to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients.’

“For avoidance of doubt, the Commission has only established the total amount of funds received and disbursed so far by NELFUND. The impression of diversion and the issue of discrepancies do not exist at this stage; the investigation would have to move into the receiving institutions and persons before any reasonable deductions could be made.”

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Nnamdi Kanu’s trial resumes at Federal High Court Abuja

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The trial of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has resumed on Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Earlier, the court, led by Justice James Omotosho, granted the request of the Federal Government for witnesses to testify behind screens.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the Defence Counsel, led by Kanu Agabi, told the court that he had 22 members on his team. The judge, however, said he wouldn’t approve more than the 13 he had listed.

Four senior advocates have joined the defence team, namely: Audu Nunghe, Joseph Akubo, Emeka Etiaba and Onyechi Ikpeazu.

The case, featuring terrorism and treasonable felony charges, was originally instituted in 2015 following Kanu’s arrest in Lagos.

Major setbacks have held the case down for almost a decade, making it impossible for the prosecution to call witnesses and present exhibits until Tuesday.

The case started with four people initially charged as Kanu’s co-defendants. However, in February 2018, the then-trial judge Binta Nyako severed the trial, separating Kanu—who had fled Nigeria—from the other defendants. The trial severance allowed the prosecution to continue proceedings against the four remaining co-defendants.

The Nigerian government would re-arrest Kanu in Kenya in June 2021.

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Nigeria Validates 2025 VNR Report on SDGs

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Launches SDGs Progress Report and Inclusive Data Plan to Fast Track 2030 Agenda

UN, NGF, and stakeholders rally behind Nigeria’s inclusive and evidence-based approach to achieving SDGs

Nigeria has taken a bold step towards accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the official validation of its 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR), the launch of the Nigeria SDGs Progress Report 2024, and the unveiling of its Inclusive Data Charter (IDC) Action Plan.
The landmark event, held in Abuja, brought together senior government officials, development partners, civil society actors, academia, and representatives of vulnerable groups in a robust show of participatory governance.
In his remarks, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, emphasised that with shrinking global multilateral cooperation, Nigeria must intensify its internal strategies for sustainable development. “In a shrinking multilateral space, we must look inwards for sustainable solutions to our economic, social and environmental challenges,” he stated.
Gbajabiamila underscored the vital role of the SDGs as a strategic framework to guide these efforts. He noted that Nigeria’s commitment—demonstrated by the successful conduct of VNRs in 2017, 2020, and now 2025—reflects the government’s resolve to meet the 2030 target. He commended the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, for her tireless leadership in coordinating the process.
He explained that the 2025 VNR followed six regional consultations held in March 2025 across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, which assessed progress, identified gaps, and gathered input for the upcoming High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the United Nations in July. The consultations underscored the importance of inclusive, participatory, and evidence-based approaches to fast tracking SDG implementation.
Gbajabiamila also called on ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, the private sector, academia and civil society to deepen collaboration and mobilise resources to ensure no one is left behind in Nigeria’s sustainable development journey. He reiterated the Tinubu administration’s unwavering commitment to the SDGs, describing sustainable development as a cardinal objective within the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He conveyed President Tinubu’s best wishes, noting his strong interest in achieving the SDGs. “When world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they envisioned a just and truly egalitarian society where no one is left behind,” Gbajabiamila said. “Achieving the SDGs will mean ending poverty and hunger, safeguarding our ecosystem and ensuring our people live in peace and prosperity by 2030 and beyond.”
In her welcome address, Princess Orelope-Adefulire told stakeholders that the national validation workshop reinforced Nigeria’s deepening commitment to the 2030 Agenda. She noted that nearly a decade after the adoption of the SDGs at the 70th UN General Assembly, Nigeria continues to demonstrate resolve in achieving them.
She referenced the 2024 United Nations SDGs Report, which showed that only 17 percent of global targets are on track, with developing countries and the poorest populations bearing the greatest burdens. “Lack of progress towards the SDGs is universal, but developing countries and the world’s poorest people are bearing the brunt,” she remarked.
Orelope-Adefulire described the VNR process as a critical component of the HLPF review mechanism, offering transparency and accountability at the national level. She noted that Nigeria’s 2025 VNR is the product of extensive consultations across all six geopolitical zones, including targeted engagements with persons with disabilities, youth, and children, a process reflective of the whole of government and whole of society approach.
“This national validation workshop not only reaffirms our commitment to the 2030 Agenda but also demonstrates our resolve to ground implementation in inclusive, evidence based, and participatory principles,” she said. She urged participants to critically assess the VNR’s findings and recommendations to ensure a robust final report.
The Nigeria SDGs Progress Report 2024, unveiled at the workshop, provides a detailed goal-by-goal analysis of achievements and setbacks, while offering strategic recommendations for policymakers at all levels. Orelope-Adefulire also announced the launch of Nigeria’s Inclusive Data Charter Action Plan 2024, developed in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics and Sightsavers Nigeria. “Our commitment to leaving no one behind must be data driven and evidence based,” she said.
She added that the IDC Plan reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to disaggregated and inclusive data systems as the foundation of accountable development. She praised the Multi-Stakeholder Core Working Group for its coordination of the VNR process, acknowledging its diverse membership spanning government agencies, the UN system, civil society, academia, and the disability community. She also thanked Sightsavers Nigeria for its support in ensuring the active participation of persons with disabilities.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, delivered a goodwill message in which he commended the Federal Government for its inclusive approach to the VNR and reiterated the UN’s ongoing technical and financial support. “With less than five years remaining, the SDGs are globally off track. But Nigeria’s participatory approach gives us hope that the course can still be corrected,” he stated.
Fall highlighted Nigeria’s role among the 39 countries presenting VNRs at the 2025 HLPF, offering a platform to showcase transformative and science-based strategies. He urged the workshop to produce actionable recommendations to address challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate change.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) echoed similar sentiments. Represented by Assistant Director Eghosa Omoigui, NGF Director General Abdulateef Shittu cited subnational progress from Kwara, Lagos, Gombe and Edo States as proof of local innovation driving change. “Resource gaps, data limitations, and climate impacts test our resilience, but they sharpen our resolve to act smarter and leave no one behind,” he said.
He added that the NGF is committed to supporting states in localising the SDGs through innovation, partnerships and knowledge sharing. He urged participants to transform the validation process into a renewed commitment to the 2030 Agenda, stressing, “Nigeria’s story is one of resilience, partnership, and the promise of delivering on sustainable development.

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