Connect with us

General

NFIU Act: Danger Not Yet Averted—MIIVOC Warns

Published

on

**Lauds President Buhari, NASS

By Dipo Olowookere

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) known as Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) has warned that despite assenting to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari, danger is yet to be averted for the country.

Addressing newsmen in Calabar, Cross River State at the weekend, Executive Director of NIIVOC, Dr Walter Duru, stressed that “assenting to the NFIU Bill is a good development, but, that is not enough.”

However, he commended President Buhari for assenting to the Bill, even as he showered praised on the National Assembly for passing same.

He informed journalists in Calabar that, “Sending the name of a fit and proper person as head of the Unit to the National Assembly for consideration requires extreme urgency.

“The National Assembly may be going on recess in the last week of July and the President needs to act fast in the interest of the country.

“Setting up of a befitting office, with all structures, staffing and paraphernalia must be done without delay. Having a law in place without effective implementation does not do the country any good.”

Speaking on the implications of the new law, Mr Duru described the development as amounting to rekindling of hope for Nigeria’s escape from looming international sanctions, while strengthening the country’s Anti-money Laundering and Counter financing of terrorism regime.

According to him, “the NFIU Act establishes a legal framework for a national centre that will be responsible for the receipt of information from financial institutions and designated non-financial institutions, analysis of the financial information for the purpose of turning the information into financial intelligence and dissemination of the financial intelligence to all law enforcement agencies and other competent persons. The Act ensures that the NFIU is not tied to any agency but will have adequate measures to build an independent financial intelligence system.”

Continuing, Mr Duru called on the National Assembly to urgently pass the Proceeds of Crime, Mutual Assistance in criminal matters and Whistle Blowers/Witness Protection Bills, as well as an updated/amended version of the Money Laundering and Terrorism Prevention Acts, to brighten the country’s chances of escaping the hammer of the international community.

“Remember, Nigeria remains suspended from the Egmont Group of FIUs, meaning that the country has not been receiving external financial intelligence since July, 2017 and this will remain in force until the suspension is lifted. The above steps are the surest way out of the country’s present difficult situation,” he stressed.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via dipo.olowookere@businesspost.ng

General

NCDMB Lauds EFCC for Outstanding Remittances Recovery

Published

on

NCDMB

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its role in recovering outstanding financial remittances due to the board from oil and gas industry operators.

The commendation came during a courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the EFCC by a delegation from the NCDMB, led by Mrs Maureen Obukofe, who represented the Executive Secretary, Mr Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

Mrs Obukofe recounted how the board had initiated a partnership with the EFCC in 2019 after discovering that many oil and gas operators were failing to remit the mandatory one per cent of every contract to the board, as stipulated by law.

“Over time, we realized that most of these operators were not remitting this one percent and we realized that there’s no agency well-equipped and statutorily empowered other than EFCC to help us recover these outstanding remittances,” Mrs Obukofe said.

“That was how this partnership was formed back in 2019 by the then Executive Secretary, and today, we are happy to note that the commission has recovered some monies on behalf of the Board, and I know they will still recover more. So, we’ve come to say thank you.”

She described the collaboration as pivotal in ensuring compliance with Nigerian content obligations in the oil and gas sector.

In response, the Acting Zonal Director of EFCC Port Harcourt, Mr Hassan Saidu, expressed surprise and gratitude at the gesture of appreciation from the board.

“Barrister Maureen, we are very grateful for your visit. In fact, if every organization will do what you have done, it will motivate us more,” Mr Saidu said, adding that, “I am lacking in words to describe this type of visit because it is kind of a rare visit, sending a delegation to appreciate what we have done.”

The EFCC director assured the NCDMB of the agency”s continued support in helping the board recover what is rightfully due to it and enforcing compliance within the oil and gas sector.

Continue Reading

General

TCN Confirms Fire Incident at Egbin Power Station

Published

on

Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed a fire incident at the Egbin Power Plc facility in the early hours of Tuesday, August 5, 2025, affecting power supply in parts of Lagos and Ogun States.

According to a statement issued by TCN on Thursday, the fire broke out at approximately 6:30 am and damaged one of the company’s key transmission assets: a 150MVA, 330/132/33kV Inter-Bus Transformer II located at the Egbin Transmission Substation.

It noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a faulty 33kV current or voltage transformer (CT/VT) owned by Egbin Power Plc.

The defective equipment was connected to the 33kV side of TCN’s transformer, resulting in significant damage to the main tank of the transformer, including oil leakage and a tear in the structure.

As a result, power supply has been temporarily reduced to several critical transmission lines and substations, including the Ikorodu and Odogunyan 132/33kV substations, as well as Sagamu Lines 1 and 2, and Maryland Line 2. An estimated 47 megawatts of load was initially affected and has since been redirected to the station’s second 150MVA transformer, which is now operating under increased strain.

Business Post reports that this development has led to power deficits and load-shedding in the affected areas.

The distribution companies, Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), have been officially notified and are managing electricity loads within their respective franchise areas.

TCN said urgent efforts are underway to source and install a replacement transformer to restore normal operations.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and assure all affected customers that we are working hard to restore normal power supply as quickly as possible,” the company stated.

Continue Reading

General

EFCC Chairman Denies Forcing NNPC CEO to Resign

Published

on

efcc declare assets

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, has denied reports that he forced the chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, to resign.

In a statement on Wednesday by EFCC spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, the EFCC chief faulted a report from an online media,—People’s Gazette, which claimed Mr Olukoyede abducted Mr Ojulari and forced him to resign in Abuja.

The EFCC boss also demanded a retraction of the story from the online platform and a public apology within 48 hours or be ready to to argue in the court.

Mr Olukoyede said the report was uncharitable and capable of casting him in the mould of someone who has “betrayed and subverted public trust”.

Mr Olukoyede said his lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), had written to the online platform that “the publications and the imputations conveyed by them are so damning and cannot be ignored or treated with levity”.

He, therefore, demanded that the medium “acknowledge your wrongdoing, expressly admit that what you published and imputed against my client are false, apologise for it unreservedly and retract and pull down the stories from your newspaper website and social media handles”.

Mr Olukoyede’s lawyer warned that any failure of compliance with his instructions would result in the issuance of a “Writ in the tort of defamation to allow you to prove what your disparagement of my client’s character and reputation, especially in the way of the office he holds as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”

Despite the report, Mr Ojulari has continued his duty as the head of the state-owned company.

Earlier his week, he attended a Society of Petroleum Engineers event in Lagos where he advised Africa to come up with bankable energy projects as one of the ways of ensuring a sustainable energy future.

No comment has been provided by the Presidency or the NNPC on the issue.

Continue Reading

Trending