The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Local inadequacy

    Local inadequacy

    •It’s concerning that Nigerian firms can’t undertake deep offshore drilling

    Speaking at the recently concluded Practical Nigerian Content Forum, organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri stated that no Nigerian company has the capacity to undertake drilling in deep offshore waters. He was apparently responding to concerns within the petroleum industry that the NCDMB continues to grant waivers for the award of some contracts to foreign companies in contravention of the local content law.

    Officially known as the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content and Development Act, which became law in 2010, the Local Content Act prioritises the promotion of Nigerian participation in the oil and gas sector. The law mandates the use of local resources, services, and personnel in the industry to build indigenous local capacity, generate employment and reduce capital flight.

    The President Bola Tinubu administration has further consolidated on this policy through its Nigeria First initiative that emphasises the patronage, as much as possible, of local contractors, expertise and raw material input by private firms and public sector organisations in the conceptualisation and implementation of projects.

    With particular reference to the oil and gas sector, however, Lokpobiri, insists that adherence to this policy is impracticable and even harmful to the economy. He contends that, as a result of lack of capacity for deep offshore drilling by Nigerian companies, contracts awarded to the latter are subcontracted to big foreign multinational oil companies with negative implications for production costs and the country’s competitiveness in the global market.

    The minister, who, statutorily, is the Chairman of the NCDMB, argued that “When you see waivers being given, as somebody who also participated in the local content law, I would never, under my chairmanship of the local content governing council, outsource Nigerian jobs to foreigners; but rather than give a Nigerian a job that he will still outsource to foreigners, I take that cost and give it directly  to that foreigner so that our pricing can be competitive.”

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    Lokpobiri stressed his point with reference to the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), whose members, he claimed, dislike him because he doesn’t give them jobs. His words: “We can’t give PETAN members jobs that they cannot do in the name of employing Nigerian companies. They will add up their 20 per cent, and they will still go to those big boys.”

    The minister may well have been just blunt and realistic, not given to emotional patriotic idealism. But we worry that he does not question why, nearly seven decades after the commencement of prospecting for oil in Nigeria, indigenous firms cannot participate actively in all aspects of the industry, including deep offshore drilling. The ministry needs to focus on this question, and go beyond lamenting the deficiency of local companies, and draw up policies to correct the clearly unacceptable situation.

    Why have indigenous Nigerian companies over the years not developed the capacity to operate in the highly specialised sectors of the oil and gas industry? Have there been government policies targeted at enhancing their capacity in this regard? If so, why have these failed? Is there any linkage between curricular development in our higher institutions in the sphere of petroleum technology and the need to respond to the critical needs of the industry as adumbrated by the minister?

    What incentives are in place to encourage indigenous companies to acquire local expertise to enable them compete effectively in all segments of the industry to boost local capacity and significantly reduce technological dependency in the interest of self-reliant national development? We urge the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to address these issues speedily.

  • Technology gaps

    Technology gaps

    •Inexcusable drawbacks in the fight against insecurity

    There are strong indications that Nigeria’s fight against banditry and terrorism is hobbled by technological challenges.  Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication Daniel Bwala unwittingly exposed the country’s technology deficiency in a recent interview with Nigeria Info FM, explaining that while security agencies can trace Nigerians using local social media platforms, tracking criminals who rely on services outside the country is more complicated.

    According to him, “There is a regulatory body in Nigeria that has a database of Nigerians and their phone numbers. There is also a body that deals with internet service provision, where if you are using an internet service covered within the sphere of Nigeria, they can trace through the IP address.”

    However, he added, “If you are using Starlink, we cannot trace it because Starlink is not registered in Nigeria; it is in space…These terrorists most of the time are using cellular services from neighbouring countries and not from Nigeria, so it becomes tricky.”

    These public comments, which could be accessed by the same terrorists he referenced, amounted to arming the enemies with information revealing the country’s vulnerabilities. The country is facing an alarming surge in insecurity, with rising cases of banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping, particularly in the Northwest and Northeast.

    Reports indicate that some of the criminal groups are increasingly using social media and digital communication tools to coordinate their activities. Notably, in May, a report said insurgents in the Northeast were using TikTok to spread propaganda, carry out youth recruitment and showcase weapons and cash in videos accessible to the public.

    The country must pay greater attention to this aspect of insecurity, and ensure that it has the technological capacity to deal with the situation.   

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    Efforts in this direction appear to be underway; at an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, spoke about the issue of social media platforms used by terrorist groups.  According to him, the authorities “have had several meetings with these social media platforms like: TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and X.”

    He added: “They are businesses looking to grow their subscribers, but we engage them, explain the effects of certain posts on national security, and we take them down.”

    He also said: “There was a time when bandits would go on TikTok showing their loot. We took those accounts down—you don’t see that again. At some point, they were even doing live streams and holding conversations, but we’ve been able to handle all that.”

    This update is commendable. However, considering Bwala’s admission about the difficulty in tracking terrorists who use cellular services from outside Nigeria, it is obvious that the authorities need to do more to effectively counter terrorist activities.  

    Bwala’s comments were similar to earlier remarks by the then Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service. Badaru had said bandits and terrorists were hiding in the forests to avoid bombs. His words: ‘Yes, we know their locations, but some of these areas are places where direct strikes could endanger civilians, or forests where our bombs cannot penetrate.” Nigerians were puzzled: which forests cannot be penetrated by modern bombs?

    It is curious that top government officials make ridiculous statements in an effort to defend the rather unimpressive performance of the security forces against bandits and terrorists.  

    It is noteworthy that an information technology expert, Olufemi Ariyo, recently proposed the deployment of integrated, data-driven and people-centric technology systems as a practical solution to Nigeria’s security challenges. “Technology can address insecurity,” he argued.

    Ultimately, the country must leverage technological developments in the fight against insecurity.  Not doing so is inexcusable.

  • STEMIte-NAFESS produces next Nigerian representative to ISEF

    STEMIte-NAFESS produces next Nigerian representative to ISEF

    Nigeria’s representative to next year’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) has been selected at STEMite-NAFESS 2025 Science Fair.

    Over 35 Lagos schools and 17 top national finalists, including seven out-of-state projects, two from Borno State, three from Abuja, and one each from Akwa Ibom and Osun states, showcased scientific innovations.

    Winners cumulatively won more than N3,000,000 in prizes, including tuition/examination support for top innovators.

    The event, which was held at the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Pavilion in Alausa, Ikeja, had the theme: “The Future of Africa Awaits!”

    Participating pupils showcased innovative projects, such as a water filtration system, Laval lamp, a smart chair, a rechargeable plastic light, a health App, a flood alarm, ultrasonic sensor glasses for the blind, a smart walking stick, a microwave pyrolysis machine, among others.

    The event was headlined by the African Impact Initiative, with support from Hydroserve Oil Service and partners – EyeCity Africa, SevereNature, Zuniq, and OneLiquidity.

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    The Founder and Convener of the STEMite Zone Fair, Ibukun Elebute, said the organisation focused on shaping the mindsets of the youth to see challenges and solve them. 

    “We are in the business of shaping the minds of Nigerian youths. For us, it’s more than an event. We worked with their teachers for seven months. We did training with the teachers. Our vision is to see grown innovations come out of Nigeria and Africa,” she said.

    Elebute also urged the youths to take opportunities, like the fair, seriously. “It’s not because of the cash prizes. The real value is in the process they have gone through to come up with the project,” she stated.

    The Founder of Africa Impact and one of the sponsors of the event, Mr. Efosa Obano, urged the pupils to keep dreaming big.

    “The more we can support our young ones to use their talents positively, we can have,” he said.

    Somtochukwu Onyenwe of MaryClaret – Government Science and Technical College, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, won an all-expense paid trip to ISEF U.S.A., plus N350,000; Oluwatoni Ojo of Eton College, Berkshire, UK, won N250,000; and Opoku Victoria and Okpara Joshua of Kosofe Senior College, Ketu, Lagos, won N200,000, among other prizes.

  • Hashim: External military actions need internal reforms to yield result

    Hashim: External military actions need internal reforms to yield result

    A presidential hopeful, Gbenga Hashim, has said there must be internal reforms of the nation’s security architecture for any external help to make the needed impact.

    He said the recent United States airstrikes targeting Islamic State (IS) elements operating within Nigeria indicted the country’s security architecture.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said the government should face up to what he called governance failure.

    In a statement, Hashim said the U.S. “intervention” reflected growing international concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, particularly in the Northwest, where terrorist groups mostly hold sway.

    The former presidential candidate noted that concerned global actors cannot ignore the emergence of an IS foothold in Nigeria.

    He stressed that the country is “too large, too strategic, and too important to be allowed to fail”.

    Hashim said since 2021, and more intensely over the past year, his team had repeatedly warned that security modelling in the Northwest pointed towards a dangerous trajectory, including the potential emergence of an IS-aligned enclave if urgent action was not taken.

    The presidential hopeful attributed the worsening insecurity to deepening poverty, alleged governance failure, and weakened institutions.

    These, he said, have emboldened extremist groups while moderate political and secular voices across the region were allegedly ignored.

    “More worrying is the elevation of individuals who enable or rationalise extremism into positions of political influence, creating conditions under which terror groups can aspire to territorial control,” he stated.

    Acknowledging that international airstrikes may temporarily degrade terrorist capabilities, Hashim stressed that lasting solutions can only come from within.

    He added that as external interventions are not expected to be one-off actions, the mechanisms guiding them must be carefully negotiated within the framework of security cooperation between sovereign nations.

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    The presidential hopeful stressed that there should be clear accountability structures and transparent reporting measures to prevent abuse and ensure long-term stability.

    “The situation in the Northwest is dire. Without urgent internal reforms, improved governance, and decisive political leadership, external military interventions will not produce sustainable results,” he warned.

    Hashim urged the Federal Government to undertake the critical internal reforms needed to stabilise the country, arguing that Nigeria continues to grapple with fundamental governance and security deficits that threaten its democratic future.

    According to him, the government’s alleged reluctance to act decisively may stem from political compromises made during the 2015 struggle for power.

    Hashim said such compromises now constrain the government’s alleged ability to confront extremist elements head-on.

    Hashim warned that Nigeria can no longer afford denial or half-measures in the face of “an existential threat,” calling for an urgent and courageous leadership to prevent further deterioration of national security.

  • NiDCOM seeks release of Suleiman Olufemi from Saudi prison

    NiDCOM seeks release of Suleiman Olufemi from Saudi prison

    The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has appealed to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to release a detained Nigerian, Sulieman Olufemi.

    The Nigerian citizen is on death row in Saudi Arabia, having been found guilty of murder in the Holy City.

    A statement yesterday in Abuja by the commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the Diyah (blood money) of $570,000 USD had been fully paid on behalf of Olufemi.

    The statement reads: “In line with the principle of fairness, justice and strong diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) joins Suleimon Olufemi’s family in appealing for his release.

    “With the Diyah (blood money) of $570,000 USD fully raised by the Commission and the Saudi-based Yaro Brothers, through the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, paid into a designated Saudi account, we remain hopeful that diplomatic efforts led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), would yield mercy and pardon after over two decades in detention.

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    “It would be recalled that Suleimon Olufemi was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2002 after a police officer was killed during an incident in Jeddah when he was visiting a friend. He was on a lesser Hajj (Umrah) visa at the time. The arrest happened on September 29, 2002, a day after the incident, and he was subsequently sentenced to death in May 2005, while some got prison sentences.

    “With the legal age of the child of the policeman that was killed now over 18 years, the family could decide to pardon him or hold on to the death sentence. After a series of diplomatic interventions and several meetings with the family, which included NiDCOM’s former Legal Director (Abdullahi Bello), they insisted that Suleimon Olufemi must pay blood money (Diyya) to the tune of $570,OOO dollars.

    “NiDCOM, in conjunction with the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, championed by the Yaro Brothers, raised the $570,OOO, which has been paid into an account opened specifically for this purpose with financial support from well-meaning Nigerians.”

  • DSS arrests gang leader, killers of university don Philip Ephraim

    DSS arrests gang leader, killers of university don Philip Ephraim

    Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 27, this year arrested the alleged leader of the gang and another person, who kidnapped and murdered a prominent professor of neurology, Ekanem Philip Ephraim on July 13, 2023, a source said yesterday.

    The gang leader,  Patrick Essien Etim, 23, and his accomplice, Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, were apprehended at  a medical facility in Cross River State  while planning to kidnap another medical bigwig it was gathered.

    According to the source, the DSS had been tracking the  kidnap ring since Ephraim’s killing, when gunmen posing as patients abducted her.

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    The duo has confessed to the crime, admitting that they killed the university don after collecting ransom payments from her family, the source said.

    ‘It has been two years of torment for her loved ones, not knowing what happened to the Professor. I believe that, with this arrest, her family and loved ones will be able to finally have some peace and  the much needed closure that they deserve,” the source said.

    The suspects also owned up to kidnapping other victims and vandalising electricity cables, with one Isaac Ekpeyong who was also arrested by the operatives, according to the source.

    Ekanem was abducted by unknown gunmen who posed as patients at her private clinic at Atimbo Road, Calabar. Her kidnapping sparked protests by the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), in a bid to prevail on the government to rescue the don, crippling the health sector for over a week,

    “This huge breakthrough underscores the commitment of the DSS in reverting to covertness in its operations and restoring public safety across the country,” declared the source.

  • Three killed in Katsina youths, security operatives’ clash

    Three killed in Katsina youths, security operatives’ clash

    No fewer than three people lost their lives in a clash on Saturday between security operatives and suspected drug peddlers at Koraman Nayalle, Sabuwar Unguwa Quarters in Katsina.

    The incident was said to have begun when security operatives attempted to arrest one of the peddlers called Uzairu, popularly known as ‘Kuda’ and confiscated his mobile phone and suspected illicit drugs.

    As Kuda mobilised his friends to retrieve his phone from the operatives, the situation escalated into chaos, during which he was shot, and later confirmed dead.

    The confrontation sparked anger and unrest in the area, causing the violence to intensify and eventually leading to the deaths of three people.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an Outpost of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and some motorcycles were set ablaze.

    The neighbourhood remained tense, with the residents living in fear of further violence, while the authorities were making efforts to restore calm.

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    The NSCDC Public Relations Officer in Katsina, SC Buhari Hamisu, who confirmed the incident, said the situation was now under control.

    He said after the earlier incident, friends of the deceased attempted to destroy another NSCDC and Police outposts at Filin Kanada, but were dispersed.

     According to Hamisu, investigation is ongoing to ascertain the main course of the clash, calling on residents to remain calm.

    Also, the police spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident, saying that it escalated during the funeral procession of the deceased on Sunday.

    He further urged the public to exercise restraint and avoid taking the law into their hands.

  • Five injured as gunmen open fire on herders in Plateau

    Five injured as gunmen open fire on herders in Plateau

    Gunmen on Sunday evening opened fire on Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) members at the Conoil Filling station, in Jos, Plateau State capital, injuring five.

    The group’s state Chairman, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident, stating that the vehicle, a J5 open body, was carrying eight herders.

    Also, the Deputy Chairman of Kara market, Dauda Adam Ciroma, who described the attack as deadly said the herders were attacked around 7:30pm, stating that the police personnel of B Division had arrived the scene.

    Dauda explained that after the incident, “police officers arrived at the scene and participated actively in evacuating the victims to the hospital. It the police and I who took them to the hospital. They were badly injured with all of them fractured and sustained bullet wounds.’’

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    In a statement, Babayo said: “The incident occurred around 6 pm. The victims – eight – were on their way back from Kara market – a cattle market in Bukur – when the gunmen, three on one motorcycle, who were trailing them, stormed the Conoil fuel station and opened fire on them and fled.

    “The victims were initially rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) but were later moved to The Potters Specialist Hospital, Jos for treatment due to the ongoing strike in the government hospital.

    “This attack is unprovoked because the herders were just buying fuel. The gunmen targeted the herders, and that is why they directly attacked their vehicle and fled. This has become a dangerous trend threatening the existence of Fulani herders in the state.

    “We will not relent in calming our members and urging them to remain calm because we believe the incessant attacks against us are meant to provoke us. We are calling on security forces to investigate the incident and arrest the perpetrators.

    “We are urging the security agencies in the state to wake up to this dangerous trend and arrest it immediately because our lives, wherever we are – in communities, grazing fields, markets, and other places – are no longer safe,“ the chairman added.

  • Industrialist hails Dangote for intervening in petroleum sector

    Industrialist hails Dangote for intervening in petroleum sector

    An Ibadan-based industrialist, Chief Emmanuel Ogunnaike, has hailed President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for intervening in the petroleum sector, which has led to reduction in the pump price of petrol and availability of the product.

    Ogunnaike, the first deputy president, Ibadan Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, urged Dangote to also consider reducing the pump price of diesel, to ease financial burden occasioned by high cost of production of the product.

    Speaking with reporters, Ogunnaike, who is also the chairman, Folhope Nigeria Limited, said the average manufacturer of any poultry product spent huge amount on diesel everyday due to power outage.

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    He said the high cost of diesel was affecting the cost of production of goods, ‘’and the only way to assist manufacturers is for Dangote to reduce the pump price of diesel.’’

    Ogunnaike said industrialists would be relieved if AGO price could be reduced, ‘’because many industries are closing down, while some have cut down production due to high cost of energy.’’

    He advised the government to assist manufacturers and business owners because they served as employers of labour.

  • After 11 months strike, Osun NULGE resumes Jan. 5

    After 11 months strike, Osun NULGE resumes Jan. 5

    After 11 months strike embarked on by National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the leadership has directed members to resume duty on January 5.

    NULGE embarked on strike on February 18, as elected executives of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed control of local governments, which led to killings and maiming.

    Subsequently, the APC ‘reinstated’ executives took over the councils, as Federal Government also released withheld allocations to the local government accounts opened by them through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    However, there are several legal issues from the two parties, which have been resolved, except tenure elongation suit filed by the APC members.

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    Chairmen of PDP presented their 2026 budget before Osun State House of Assembly, while APC chairmen presented their budget before Legislative Councils at the local governments.

    A statement  by the President of NULGE, Kehinde Ogungbangbe, directed members to resume duty on January 5 and requested that security operatives should protect workers across the councils.

    The statement demanded that the APC reinstated chairmen should admit the expiration of their tenure owing to the fact that they were elected on October 15, 2022 and their tenure legally expired on October 30, 2025.

    Ogungbangbe said: “Should there be any breakdown of law and order due to failure to provide security, this correspondence shall be relied upon as evidence that the union duly alerted the security agencies to the impending danger.”