General
Ijaw Council Charges FG to Curb Sea Piracy in Niger Delta
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ijaw Diaspora Council (IDC) has charged the Nigerian government to synergise and bring increased vigour to curbing sea piracy in the Niger Delta region, adding that tackling piracy will improve the governance processes and welfare of the people in the region.
President of IDC, Mr Mondy Gold, during an international conference on Law of the Sea and Maritime, blamed the menace of sea piracy on legal and jurisdictional lapses, underfunded law enforcement, inadequate security, permissive political environments, the culmination of years of inattention, desperation and lawlessness.
Mr Gold urged all stakeholders to shun the lure of Dollars from buyers of stolen crude oil, especially in the Niger Delta region, and drastically minimise contacts with corrupt foreign government officials and financial institutions receiving and recycling illicit funds.
According to him, ransom payments for crews and sailors in dollars and exotic lifestyles from the proceeds serve to whet the appetite for criminal activities and attract the youths.
In a statement, the organisers called on governments in the Niger Delta to support Exercise Obangame -the largest multinational maritime exercise in West and Central Africa – which includes numerous sea and ashore training events throughout the Gulf of Guinea and the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
They noted that Nigeria’s Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019 empowered the deep blue security architecture of the federal government to prosecute offenders and that the law has reduced the occurrence of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea to a manageable level.
It added: “We will collaborate and improve synergy among stakeholders and sustain the gains made by the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) and work with member states and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the establishment of an Integrated Coast Guard Function Network.
“The network will supply regional mechanisms for combating piracy and armed robbery against ships and for enhancing maritime security in general for the area from Mauritania to Angola.
“We demand restraint in coast-sharing states where no delimitation agreement has been reached because disputes are bound to arise on the sovereign rights over the natural resources within those boundaries, especially in areas endowed with natural resources such as oil and gas often found in deposits that extend across a coastal State’s maritime boundaries, allowing for its exploitation from either side of the line.
“States in the Niger Delta, with invaluable resources and jurisdictional rights and responsibility to Nigeria as a state, should generate an Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 nautical miles towards the high seaward for Nigeria.
“This is because a coastal state such as Nigeria and coastal communities such as Bonny, Warri or Brass, or even Hobart in Australia, enjoy the benefit of the exploitation of its marine resources up to its EEZ as measured from its farthest point of its island or coast.
“Niger Delta states should apply caution like in the joint development zones of Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe and further apply restraint in the maritime delimitation process because the rights conferred on a coastal state to explore and exploit its natural resources stem from the principle of ‘Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources, PSNR.”
PSNR is a legal, governmental control and management authority over natural resources, particularly as an aspect of the exercise of the right of self-determination.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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