The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)

  • Delta community gives 14-day ultimatum to Police, NPDC

    To redress alleged Injustice, Impropriety

     

    The federal and Delta state government have been charged to take steps to address two issues of injustice against the people of Udu Kingdom in Delta state before the people resort to self-help.

    The charge was given on Tuesday by the people of the Kingdom during a peaceful protest, involving women and youths of the kingdom against alleged inconsiderate and unjust treatment of the people by both the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    The people, however, gave a 14-day ultimatum for the police to return the overseeing authority of the area from Burutu council to either Ughelli or Warri, just as it demanded that the NPDC locates a flow station within its land area to compensate its contribution to the nation’s daily crude oil export.

    The protesters, who matched through Otor-Udu, the headquarters of Udu council area of Delta state, had stops at the Udu council secretariat, Otor-Udu, the Delta state Government House Annex, Warri, the Delta Broadcasting  (DBS) studio in Warri and finally at the palace of the Ovie of Udu Kingdom.

    The protest, led by the Youth President of Udu Kingdom, Comrade Sunday Subi, was targeted at rejecting the decision of the Nigeria Police to attach the Ovwian/Aladja Divisional police to the Burutu Area Command and the neglect being suffered by the kingdom as a result of the absence of a flow station in the area, despite the huge quantity of oil drilled from the area.

    According to Subi, “this is to protest the attachment of the police in Udu council to Burutu Area Command, which is in Burutu council area. We totally reject this. As if that is not enough, the NPDC, which has been drilling oil from Udu for more than 30 years decides not to site a flow station here. So this is also to demand for a flow station to be sited in Udu.

    “We were initially with the Ughelli Area Command and they later took us to Warri and now to Burutu. The distance between here and Burutu is between 4 to 8 hours. However, the distance between here and Ughelli or Warri is between 20 to 30 minutes.

    “We are saying that with the number of communities we have in Udu, we are fit to have our own area command, but if they say they can’t give us an area command, they should attach us to either the Ughelli Area Command or Warri Area Command.

    “Our leaders have written petitions before now and this is the last action we will take to let the world know we have been demanding for these things. If after 14 days of this protest and we see no action, we will be forced to go ahead and lock all oil wells in Udu Kingdom”, he warned.

    Also speaking to journalists during protests, one of the leaders of the women, Mrs. Florence Jigbale said the distance between Udu communities and Burutu, which is an Ijaw riverine area, is too much for the people to contemplate.

    “The question is how do they expect us to be going that far? We can’t take this. Udu is big enough to be an area command; we have 36 communities in Udu, why will they attach us to a place that far? To get to Burutu you will go past Ughievwen and Ughelli before we can start the journey to Burutu. Udu won’t agree with them on this.

    “They should give us our own police area command, Udu is big enough, at least the federal government knows the benefits it gets from Udu. The same thing goes for the flow station demand”, she said.

    Meanwhile, attending to the protesters at the Udu council secretariat, the vice chairman of the council, Hon Justice Iyasere, said the issues being protested would be promptly addressed, noting that the chairman of the council, Hon Jite Brown, was already in Asaba with the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and would related their grievances to the appropriate quarters.

  • NPDC to increase oil production to 500,000 bpd before 2022

    NPDC to increase oil production to 500,000 bpd before 2022

    The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company ( NPDC ), one of the upstream subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ), will increase its daily crude oil production to 500,000 barrels per day before 2022.

    This target was announced by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, during the inauguration of the board of directors of the company in Abuja.

    Addressing the members, the GMD who also doubles as Chairman of the board charged them to grow the company’s assets and ensure that the 500,000 barrels per day crude oil production target is met by 2022”.

    The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division,  Ndu Ughamadu made this known in a statement yesterday. 
    Bsru disclosed that the company was currently supplying 50 per cent of the West African Gas Pipeline system gas, adding that it was the in thing to have more gas assets, while commending the company for leaving up to expectations.

    Baru directed that NPDC’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with host communities should be tied to the availability of the lines saying “as stakeholders, they share in both our success and losses as well”.

    Also speaking at the event, Managing Director of the company, Mr. Yusuf Matashi, said from the meteoric growth the company had witnessed since 2016, the GMD’s target of 500,000 barrels per day was realisable by 2022.

    He said the board came at an appropriate time as it would address issues of processes and procedures necessary to drive a major oil company like the NPDC, while assuring it of the commitment of the company to the growth target.

    The NPDC currently produces about 200,000 barrels per day and going by its work programme, it will increase to 300,000 barrels per day this year.

  • ‘How Aluko, Omokore laundered $1.76b stolen from NNPC’

    ‘How Aluko, Omokore laundered $1.76b stolen from NNPC’

    Court papers  in Lagos Nigeria have detailed how oil businessmen, Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Jide Omokore laundered  the $1.7 billion creamed off the questionable oil swap transactions between them and the NNPC, during the tenure of Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    Some of the money laundered through the United States and which had been used to acquire assets are now the subject of a forfeiture bid by the United States Justice Department. But the filings in a Lagos court have provided the most insightful details yet into how the entire money was laundered, while the Nigerian treasury was left dry and emasculated.

    According to an affidavit sworn  at the Federal High Court by Isaac Kehinde Oginni, a lawyer in the Federal Ministry of Justice, both Aluko and Omokore lifted and sold allotted Nigeria’s crude oil. While they were paid for their service,  they deliberately diverted to private use, what was due to the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria,  in the sum of $1,762,338,184.40.

    *They bought vehicles  with a combined value of over N800million and donated them to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its then  National chairman Prince Secondus.

    *They also bought  vehicles valued at over N130million and gave them as gifts to former minister of Petroleum,  Mrs Dieziani Alison-Madueke and some other management staff of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    *Kolawole Aluko paid $18,548,619.99 and N1,070,000,000  to FBN Mortgages Limited  as part payment for block A consisting of 26 Flats at 46 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos. The block was bought for a total cost of N5,210,520,315.

    *Payment of a total sum of $25,839,606.77and N95,000,000 was made to Real Bank for the purpose of part financing the acquisition and renovation of properties by  the Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development limited (AEBD). The Properties are: Mason apartments  at 6 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos comprising 60 units of 3 bedrooms apartment valued at $78,000,000, Marion apartments Block 8 located at 4&5,Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos consisting of 43 units of apartments valued at $76,160,000,  apartments  at 33A Cooper Road Ikoyi, Lagos renovated at a total cost of $4,937,750,  Admiralty Towers at 8 Gerrard Road Ikoyi, Lagos., which was also renovated.

    The two businessmen also transferred $69,912,981.15  to the following companies ;Mia Hotels Limited, First Motors Limited, V.I.Petrochemicals, Evergreen Reality &Management, WIz Trade limited, DE First Union Integrated Services and Amity Plus limited.

    Mr Ogini also averred that Kolawole Aluko literally took residence outside the shores of Nigeria, to embark on a spending spree and assets acquisition in Britain, Canada, United States and Switzerland.

    Among the assets acquired were houses at: Grove End Road, London NW;   755 Sarbone Road, Los Angeles;952 North Alpine drive Los Angeles;815 Cima Del Mundo. He also bought land at  807 Coma Del Mundo in Los Angeles.

    Aluko also bought houses or apartments at 1049 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1948&1952 Tolls Avenue, Santa Barbara, 157 West 57th St,New York , 4100 Let Revenge, Dubai. In Nigeria , he bought Avenue Towers in Lagos. He also bought a piece of  land in Mont Tremblat, Canada and a property at Colina D’oro Montagnola, Switzerland

    After hiding his loot in many assets, he also bought the luxury $80million yacht, the Galactica Star,  58 exotic cars, expensive watches, private jets, Global Express  S5-GMG and a Bombardier Global 6000 9H-OPE.

    Cash found in his bank accounts, according to documents before the court are:  LDT Switzerland -$25million, Corner Bank, Lugano, Switzerland -$ 1million, Deutsche Bank, Geneva -$40million, HSBC London $175,000.

    He also had 75% shareholding in Atlantic Energy Drilling concepts  Nigeria and Atlantic Energy Brass Development and 10% Shareholding in Seven Energy.

    The case came before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos state last Friday, incidentally the same day the US Justice Department filed a forfeiture bid at a court in Houston.

    The Nigerian  judge adjourned hearing  till 29th of September, 2017 to decide whether to stay proceeding in tune with an application filed by the defendants  or continue with the case.

    The Federal Republic of Nigerian and two of its agencies are the plaintiffs and they are ranged against Aluko and Jide Omokore’s  Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited (AEBD). The Nigerian government wants to recover $1.76 billion from the businessmen and their companies.  Omokore is the chairman of the companies, while Kolawole Aluko is a Director.

    Apart from Aluko and Omokore’s application, a limited liability company Virtual Properties and Investment Limited, has also filed another application as an intervener.

    The company is urging the court to discharge or vary its order,as it relates to Marion Apartments, on the ground that the property located at Block 8 Plots 4&5 Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi consists of 56 apartments owned and developed by the intervener.

    By virtue of two separate deeds of sublease,  the intervener said it  conveyed its interest in 43 out of the 56 apartments to Realblanc Energy Engineering limited, an affiliate of the defendants.

    The intervener  contends that it still retains ownership of  13 out of the 56 apartments in Marion Apartments. It says that the order of the court is prejudicial to its interest and interferes with its right ownership over these flats.

    Last year, the Nigerian government had frozen the accounts of the defendants in 19  banks in Nigeria and  eight  offshore banks.

    This was sequel to the affidavit deposed  by Oginni of  the Federal ministry of Justice  in Abuja and filed by a Lagos lawyer Oladipo Okpeseyi SAN.

    The court was urged as a matter of utmost urgency and public interest, in aid of administration of justice to issue a  worldwide Mareva order restraining the defendants from dissipating all  known assets directly or indirectly by the defendants including but not limited to assets listed on the face of the motion paper filed before the court.

    After hearing the submission of Okpeseyi, counsel to the Federal Government, Justice  Oguntoyinbo restrained the defendants and their agents from demanding, receiving, transacting, mortgaging or whatsoever dealing in any manners with the assets of the defendants in banks, houses, land and shares in Nigeria and others located outside Nigeria ,while the Nigerian banks listed in the motion papers were ordered to within 7days to sequestrate all money and negotiable instruments standing to the credit of the defendants in the sum of $1,762,338,184.40 and keep same in an interest yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the court as trustee of same pending the determination of the motion on notice.

    The court also ordered that its ruling should be served on the affected parties by way of  advertisement in newspapers circulating within and outside the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Delta: Militants attack same facility twice in six days

    Delta: Militants attack same facility twice in six days

    The Trans-Forcados Export trunk line in the Batan fields, Warri South-West council area of Delta state, has been attacked again, less than one week after a similar incident.

    Tuesday’s attack was however a failed attempt as the explosive planted on the trunk-line, which was believed to be the main target of the operation, failed to go off. The explosive planted on a barge within the area went off, creating a loud explosion.

    The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) -operated oil facility was earlier attacked last week Wednesday, November 2, few hours after leaders and other stakeholders of the oil-rich Niger Delta region met with President Muhammadu Buhari, to discuss ways to peace and development of the region.

    However, the attack in the early hours of yesterday, which was yet to be claimed by any group or individual as at the time of filing this report, reportedly occurred at about 1 am and almost claimed the lives of the community surveillance team, which was detailed to watch over the facilities.

    According to the chairman of Batan Community, Dickson Ogugu, the invaders of the facility, on getting to the site of the facility, opened fire on the community surveillance team, chasing them out of the area before settling down to plant explosives on a couple of facilities in the area.

    “The line which was undergoing repair after the previous attack on November 2 was billed for commissioning either today or tomorrow. Though the surveillance team narrowly escaped the attack after they were shot at, the hoodlums after chasing them from the spot came down from their speedboats, planted dynamites on swamp boogie, barge, crane and on the line.

    “Unfortunately, the dynamite on the barge exploded and immediately sank into the water. As I speak to you, the military are at the scene of the incident trying to dismantle the other dynamites”, Ogugu said.

    Also confirming the incident, a security source said “we heard the shots in the middle of the night, but as you know, we do not patrol the area at night, so there was nothing we could do”.

    Efforts to get an official confirmation and details on the development were yet unfruitful as at the time of filing this report.

    While both the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunve, and the Commander of the Sector 1, Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Colonel Alhassan Grema, were unreachable through their mobile telephones yesterday, the spokesman of the ODS, Lieutenant Colonel Olaolu Daudu, requested for one hour to get back.

    When called back after an hour, the ODS spokesman could not be reached.

  • NPDC’s oil production hits 130,000 bpd

    NPDC’s oil production hits 130,000 bpd

    Crude oil production by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the exploration and production subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has hit 130,000 barrels per day (bpd).

    The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Andy Yakubu, disclosed this through the Managing Director of the National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), a subsidiary of NNPC, Mr.IshakuAbdullahi, at the just-concluded Lagos International Trade Fair.

    He identified sustained amnesty programme of the Federal Government and the re-entry into the abandoned fields and facilities by the company as a major factor responsible for the improvement in the production.

    He said: “With the return of peace in the oil-producing Niger Delta due to the amnesty programme, the NPDC re-entered abandoned oil fields and resumed production. This has positively impacted on the NPDC’s growth aspiration with current crude oil production now averaging about 130,000barrels per day.”

    Yakubu said abandoned assets of the NNPC/Shell Joint Venture had also been reactivated and production ramped up on the divested Shell’s assets. He noted that the NNPC was also implementing a robust programme aimed at drastically reducing the development costs of both joint venture and Production Sharing Contract (PSC) projects in order to increase government’s take from oil revenues.

    He said the corporation had acquired three-Dimensional Seismic data gathering equipment as part of efforts of the Federal Government to increase the country’s crude oil reserves through increased exploration in the Inland Basins, especially in the Chad Basin.

    The NPDC has its head office in Benin in Edo State and base offices in Port Harcourt and Warri. It was established in 1988 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the NNPC. Its operations are concentrated mainly in the Niger Delta and span five States – Imo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.