General
Bayelsa Needs $12bn to Cleanup Oil Spills–Report
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission has revealed that the state requires $12 billion to clean up decades-old oil spills, which precisely covers a 12-year period.
This disclosure was contained in a new report issued by the commission on Tuesday. It also singled out major oil majors, Shell and Eni, for being responsible for most of the pollution.
Bayelsa is one of the major oil-producing states in the Niger Delta, a region which has been faced with pollution, conflict and corruption related to the oil and gas industry.
The agency said in the report that it started an investigation in 2019 on the impact of spills and looked at evidence from forensic scientists, blood samples from people in affected areas and company data.
The investigation discovered, among other findings, that toxic pollutants from spills and gas flaring were many times higher than the safe limits in samples of soil, water, air and the blood of local residents, the commission said.
“The report finds failures of strategy, prevention, response and remediation by oil companies,” it said.
According to Reuters, an Eni spokesperson said the oil spills were due to theft to feed illegal refineries as well as illegal exports and sabotage, but the company undertook to remedy all spills.
Most of the gas produced from Eni’s Nigerian unit was converted into LNG and fed to local power plants, the spokesperson said, adding that “Eni conducts its activities according to the sector’s international environmental best practices, without any distinction on a country basis.”
Toxins that cause burns, lung problems and risk of cancer were widespread while oil company-led clean-ups were often poorly executed and could further contaminate soil and groundwater, the commission’s report said.
The commission adopted a United Nations model used to calculate the clean-up cost of spills in Niger Delta’s Ogoniland more than a decade ago and found that “the clean-up will cost $12 billion over 12 years” in Bayelsa.
Pollution in Ogoniland, which was part of a landmark $1 billion clean-up effort involving a UN agency, could be worse than it previously estimated, a group monitoring the project said last year.
Recently, the UK Supreme Court ruled it was too late for Nigerian farmers affected by oil spills to seek a penalty.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), has praised President Bola Tinubu for firing Mr Mele Kyari as the chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and replacing him with Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Mr Tinubu announced the removal of Mr Kyari from office in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Reacting to the sacking of the erstwhile NNPC chief, the CNPP said the next step is for President Tinubu to order a forensic audit of the state-owned oil organisation to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s oil sector.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema, the group noted that the removal of Mr Kyari is a vital step toward restoring accountability, efficiency, and transparency in a sector that has long been shrouded in allegations of corruption and mismanagement, adding that Nigerians have endured years of economic hardship fueled by inefficiencies and alleged large-scale corruption within NNPC.
It noted that these challenges have exacerbated the country’s struggles, with high transportation costs contributing to soaring food prices that have burdened millions of families.
According to the CNPP, this bold move by the President signals a readiness to confront deep-seated issues in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
The organisation emphasised that merely replacing Mr Kyari is insufficient to address the root causes of the oil sector’s problems, reiterating its long-standing demand for a thorough forensic audit of NNPC’s operations during his tenure.
It emphasized that without such an investigation, the new management would inherit a foundation weakened by years of alleged financial irregularities, inefficiencies, and questionable practices.
The CNPP has raised serious concerns about the management of NNPC under Mr Kyari, asserting that the Nigerian people deserve transparency and accountability regarding the operations of the national oil company.
The group urged President Tinubu to authorize an independent forensic audit covering all aspects of NNPC’s accounts, crude oil sales, and subsidy disbursements during his tenure, arguing that this audit is crucial not only for understanding the extent of mismanagement but also for implementing reforms that will stabilize the oil.
In its statement, the CNPP underscored the critical importance of Nigeria’s oil industry to the nation’s economy, warning that without urgent and radical reforms, the suffering of Nigerians would persist. It called on anti-corruption agencies, civil society organizations, and the National Assembly to support its demand for justice, urging all stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring accountability within NNPCL.
The group affirmed its commitment to monitoring developments in the oil sector and holding all stakeholders accountable to the Nigerian people.
“The oil sector cannot remain a black hole where billions of dollars disappear without accountability. The time to act is now,” it declared.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service has debunked the widespread reports about the alleged tenure extension of the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada, the customs spokesman, said that the news was inaccurate and misleading.
He stated that the appointments and tenure extensions of the CGC are made solely at the discretion of the President, in line with the provisions of the NCS Act 2023 and other relevant regulations governing public service appointments.
“The attention of the NCS has been drawn to a fake release allegedly from the State House regarding an extension of the tenure of the CGC, Adewale Adeniyi. The NCS wishes to categorically state that this information is inaccurate and misleading,” Mr Maiwada said.
Mr Maiwada noted that at the moment, no such directive has been communicated to the NCS by the appropriate authorities.
He emphasised that the leadership of the service remains focused on fulfilling its statutory mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.
Under the guidance of the current CGC, Mr Maiwada explained the NCS has continued to implement key reforms aimed at, “modernising customs operations, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and enhancing national economic growth.”
The customs spokesperson called on the public and all stakeholders to rely only on official channels for accurate information regarding the NCS. He added that updates regarding appointments or tenure decisions will be formally communicated through the appropriate government authorities.
“The service appreciates the continued support of stakeholders and remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and service to the nation,” he said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu will travel to Paris, France for a two-week working visit to appraise his administration’s midterm performance and assess key milestones.
This information was revealed on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
In a statement issued today, it was disclosed that Mr Tinubu would “use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.”
“This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year,” another part of the statement said.
President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, and has since introduced some reforms that have been tagged harsh, including the removal of subsidies on premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange (FX) market.
These two policies have triggered inflationary pressures in the country, with some citizens struggling to survive because of the harsh economic environment.
In the statement today, it was stated that recent economic strides reinforce the President’s commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.
“While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities,” Mr Onanuga added.
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