Author: The Nation

• NNPCL security raises bar in crude theft battle
• 64 illegal crude joints found, 77 illegal refineries destroyed

The battle against oil theft has recorded a big gain with the interception and destruction of an 800,000 litres vessel laden with stolen crude.

Sixty-four illegal crude oil connections have also been discovered while 77 illegal refineries were destroyed in the Niger Delta last week.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) yesterday said its private security contractor, Tantita Security Services, intercepted the vessel. It said the vessel was destroyed.

Chief Communications Officer of the oil giant, Garba Deen Muhammad, said in a statement that the vessel, which was on its way to Cameroon, was apprehended with its captain and crew members on board.

The statement reads: “Following the receipt of credible intelligence, a Private Security Contractor engaged by NNPC Ltd., Messrs. Tantita Security Services intercepted a suspicious Vessel with a cargo of crude oil on board on July 7, 2023.

“The Vessel, MT TURA II (IMO number: 6620462), owned by a Nigerian Registered Company, HOLAB MARITIME SERVICES LIMITED with Registration Number RC813311, was heading to Cameroon with the cargo on board when it was apprehended at an offshore location (Latitude: 5.8197194477543235°, Longitude: 4.789002723991871°), with the Captain and Crew members on board.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the crude oil cargo onboard was illegally sourced from a well jacket offshore Ondo State, Nigeria.

“There was no valid documentation for the Vessel or the Crude Oil Cargo onboard at the time of the arrest.

“Further investigation into the activities of the vessel at the NNPC Ltd Command and Control Centre also revealed that the vessel has been operating in stealth mode for the last twelve (12) years. The last reported location of the vessel was Tin Can Port in July 2011.

Read Also: Refinery owners urge Tinubu to accept naira for crude oil

“Details of this arrest and the outcomes of the investigations were escalated to the appropriate government authorities, upon which it was concluded to destroy the Vessel to serve as a strong warning and deterrent to all those participating in such illegal activities to cease and desist.

“Destroying vessels involved in transporting stolen crude oil is of paramount importance as a strong deterrent. The illegal trade of stolen crude oil not only inflicts significant economic losses on Nigeria and legitimate stakeholders in the oil industry, but also perpetuates a cycle of corruption, environmental devastation, and social instability.

“NNPC Ltd. assures Nigerians that we will sustain the momentum in the war against crude oil theft until it is brought to a halt.”

The company also said it discovered 64 illegal crude oil connections and destroyed 77 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta in the past week.

According to the NNPCL, Nigeria lost about $41.9 billion to oil theft between 2009 and 2018.

Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said the country lost 619.7 million barrels of oil valued at N16.25 trillion ($46.16 billion) to crude stealing between 2009 and 2020.

Oil theft has resulted in significant revenue losses for the Federal Government.

Leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubu-Asari, alleged that over 99 per cent of oil theft in the country was carried out by top military personnel, a claim that was denied by the hierarchy.

• •Plans technology/data driven approach
• •FIRS, Customs, NIMASA, others won’t be merged

The Presidency plans to double the nation’s revenue within three years.

Special Adviser on Revenue to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the N30 trillion target on a television programme last night.

Zach Adedeji said the target would be achieved through technology and data without raising taxes.

According to him, non-tax revenue will be the driving force, adding that attention will be given to organised collection in line with the Constitution, which indicates that all collectable revenues shall be channelled into the Federation Account.

He added that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Maritime and Safety Administration (NIMASA) and other revenue-generating agencies of the Federal Government would not be merged as been speculated.

They will have their collections integrated for efficiency and accountability, he explained.

Adedeji hinted that there will be a change in tax and finance laws of the federation.

“When we talk about harmonisation of all these revenue collections, these agencies have done their best. But when we begin to apply technology and data, everything will change,” the presidential adviser explained.

He added that the plan was to bring on board,  non-taxable revenue, which will ultimately empower the capacity of the poor in the country.

According to Adedeji, Nigeria has 52  various taxes but less than 10   are being accounted for.

Admitting that revenue was a challenge for the government, he maintained that Tinubu has the capacity to surmount it.

Adedeji revealed that there were also plans to review existing tax and financial laws.

He also said that it takes a courageous leader like Tinubu to have implemented some economic policies like ending petrol subsidy, unifying exchange rates and suspending some taxes.

The Special Adviser, who lamented Nigeria’s tax generation to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), said that the country generates about N15 trillion but budgeted N20 trillion this year.   

He said: “In any economy, one thing that is very scarce and never enough is money.  If you follow the law of economics, there is what we call the law of diminishing returns.  Revenue will also be a limiting factor. 

“But if you consider the antecedent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you will know that he has the capacity to draw water from the rock.

“The President’s general vision on revenue is very clear.  And from what he has done, you’ll see that it is not just, tax, tax and tax!

“He has a broad vision and believes that the success of revenue management and collection comes from three places.

“The first is the economic policies. His intention is not to tax poverty but to tax prosperity; his intention is not to tax production but to tax consumption.

“That is the first line by removing two impediments that militate against our economic prosperity and that is the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate that the Central Bank of Nigeria has done. Those two are the foundation for where we are going.

“This was done to make the economy run.  

“The second one is boosting the citizens’ confidence.  They have the right to know what their tax is being used for.

Read Also: Tinubu will turn around ECOWAS as Chairman, says Speaker Abbas

“And the last one is the effective tax administration.

“Though revenue may be a challenge, if you consider our robust plan, you’ll see that we have plans to actually generate more that will be enough for us to run our government.

“It is true that Nigeria has a revenue problem.  Our revenue to GDP ratio is almost the lowest in Africa and by extension in the world.

“If you look at South Africa, in 2022, it collected the equivalent of N65 trillion, while we collected under N15 trillion with almost times three of SA’s population.

“If you look at our debt to revenue, that is also a pointer that there is a problem. About 90 percent of our revenue is used to service debt.  So, it is clear that we have a revenue problem.  Notwithstanding, that will not deter us from what we want to do.

“We have identified multiple taxes, multiple generation agencies and collection, lack of data, and lack of technology among others, that confront our ability to actually generate what we need. And we have plans to resolve all of them.”

He reiterated that   Tinubu’s goal was to unveil a sound economic programme that would lead to shared prosperity. 

On the need to review some laws, the Special Adviser said: “As of today, only two laws are available for our fiscal policy. They are the Finance Control and Management Act of 1958 and the Fiscal Responsibility Act. 

“So, you can imagine us still operating with a 1958 law. Britain gave us The Stamp Duty Law in 1939 when there was no internet.”

He added that the laws gave room for leakages, hence the need to review them to meet present realities.

“Globally, the digital economy is about 17 percent, but we don’t have any law to tax it. And by the time we make all these changes, reaching our target will be doable.

“We also have non-tax revenue we are also looking at and we have a plan to bring them on board.

“Our philosophy is to create the right environment that will enhance consumption. 

“This is what the president has demonstrated by the suspension order he graciously granted last week.  We saw them as impediments to business growth, hence their removal.”

Reminded that things were getting tougher for the poor, Adedeji said: “The poor will definitely smile under Tinubu’s Presidency.  

“I can tell you that we will all see the needed change in the shortest possible time.  If you follow Mr President’s plan, it is to increase the productive capacity of all Nigerians in the shortest possible time.

“When there’s prosperity from companies or private investors, it will trickle down to all employees.

“We have plans to increase the employability of the people.

“All the money that will be saved from the fuel subsidy will be channelled to education and infrastructure and that will eventually trickle down.

“So, from our plans, sooner than we expect, the poor will start to smile and enjoy this renewed hope.

On VAT, he urged Nigerians not to express any fear, adding that, Tinubu was mindful and working round the clock to ameliorate their sufferings.  

“I am just pleading with Nigerians to give us a little time,” enthused.  

• •Excuse serving judges from election tribunal, says Afe Babalola

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday flayed lawmakers for determining their pay contrary to the constitutional provision that wages of public officers should be fixed by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal and Allocation Commission (RMFAC).

Obasanjo described the action as not only immoral but unconstitutional.

He spoke at the 60th anniversary of legal luminary Afe Babalola’s call to Bar.

The event, which attracted a cream of Nigeria’s eminent people across professions and political divide, was held at the Afe Babalola University,  Ado Ekiti, owned by the celebrator.  

Among the dignitaries there were former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, erstwhile Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku;  Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola; Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Oyewusi, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed and many a Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

Representatives of the University of London and Kings College, London were also at the occasion.

The event featured a book launch and a lecture titled: “The Future of Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria: Imperative of a New Constitutional Order.” 

 The lecture was delivered by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese,  Martin Hassan Kukah.

Speakers extolled the Babalola’s virtue and his exploits as a lawyer, educationist and farmer.  

They also harped on poor democratic tenets, corruption and insecurity had negatively affected the nation’s development.

Obasanjo said it was saddening that lawmakers  who ought to uphold the 1999 Constitution were  ”the ones who undermine it.”

 According to the former President emoluments  of elected officials ought to be fixed  by   RMAFC and not lawmakers  

He said: “Under Paragraph 32(a-e) of Part I to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the commission (RMAFC)  is saddled with determining the remuneration appropriate for political officeholders, including legislators.

“The point in Nigeria which I have seen and which I can attest to is most of the people who are supposed to be operationalising or managing and seeing the Constitution and democracy move forward, they are actually the ones who undermine the Constitution.

“All elected people, by our Constitution, their emolument is supposed to be fixed by the RMFAC, but our lawmakers set that aside and they make laws and put any emolument for themselves.

“Even if that is Constitutional, it is not moral and, of course, what they do is  neither Constitutional nor moral.”

He also complained that other aspects of the  Constitution such as federal character have been  ”absolutely ignored,” thereby making the Federal Character Commission unable to carry out its functions.

Obasanjo warned that when the Constitution is “continually breached,”   democracy becomes one in which anything goes.

Read Also: Forum urges Obasanjo, others to support Tinubu

Describing democracy as a “journey and not a destination,”  he argued that it(democracy)  would not be appreciated if the impacts were not felt by the people.

He explained that democracy could only be strengthened if the players respected and implemented the Constitution to the letter.

 ”Democracy doesn’t mean anything to any man who is hungry, whose life is in danger or whose property is being destroyed,” Obasanjo said.

 He congratulated nonagenarian Babalola,  describing him as a   titan at the bar, astute litigator and bar leader nationally and internationally.

The ex-President added that the celebrator is a rare breed who combines comeliness with brilliance while rising to the pinnacle of the law profession.    

He praised Babalola for being a source of inspiration to the younger generation.

*Nigerians saw worst phase of graft during Buhari’s tenure

Kukah said that Nigerians witnessed the worst phase of corruption under the administration of former  President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kukah noted that even though corruption did not start under the last administration, it was amplified in moral, financial and other terms.

He said: “We have seen the worst phase of corruption in Nigeria, Femi Falana, my friend here will speak about that because he has published a series of articles talking about what happened under the Buhari administration.

“They were not the ones who caused corruption but I think in the last administration, we saw the ugliest phase of corruption whether in moral terms, financial terms and other terms.”  

The cleric also lamented that Nigeria was sharing its sovereignty with terrorists.

Kukah a vocal critic of the Buhari government received knocks from that government officials, who defended the integrity of their administration stoutly, accusing the priest of being a dishonest analyst of their administration.

*Oyebanji: Babalola, a special gift to Ekiti

 Governor Oyebanji described Babalola as a legal colossus and courageous lawyer, who made indelible marks in the legal profession locally and internationally.

He added that Babalola stood out as one who walked his talk as a distinguished lawyer,  unbendable and uncompromising in anything he believes in.

While describing the legal luminary as a special gift to Ekiti  State, Nigeria and humanity, the governor added that the state was blessed to have produced the “rarest breed of humankind.”

Oyebanji also reminisced on Babalola’s prominent roles in the struggle and eventual creation of Ekiti State.

Also,     Oba   Ogunwusi hailed the legal icon for being a good example to others in his profession.

He noted that Babalola has earned for himself the truest virtues of honesty, integrity and resilience.  The monarch described him as a bridge builder, a resilient fighter for the masses and a selfless social crusader.

* Falana urges Tinubu to lead anti-graft crusade

Human rights lawyer  Falana warned that Nigeria had yet  put its  ugly past behind it, especially with its level of corruption

Falana called on President Bola Tinubu to personally lead the crusade against corruption so that the nation could be a proud member of the international community.

The SAN said: “They steal money meant for the control of erosion. The President must show leadership. I am urging Tinubu to lead an anti-corruption crusade so that Nigeria can take its rightful place in the comity  of nations.”

Falana also asked   Tinubu to refrain from sending the wrong signal by allowing high-profile politicians with graft cases to visit the Presidential Villa.

“Some of those who are going in and out of the Villa are standing trial for looting the treasury of this country. So, wrong signals must not be sent to our people and the international community,” the senior lawyer said.

“There is somebody here who was our president,” Falana said, “If you were accused of corruption and your case was before the EFCC(Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) or the ICPC(Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission), you would not be appointed to a position of authority. We must go back to that era.”