The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Saudi Arabia

  • ‘Consensus emerging for OPEC, non-OPEC to extend output pact’

    Saudi Arabia’s OPEC governor said on Friday there is an emerging consensus among OPEC and non-OPEC countries who took part in a global pact to cut crude output on the need to extend the agreement beyond June to help clear a supply glut.

    OPEC, Russia and other producers have agreed to curb production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until June 30.

    “There’s an emerging consensus among participating countries on the need to extend the production agreement reached last year” Adeeb Al-Aama told Reuters.

    “Based on today’s data, there’s a growing conviction that a six-month extension may be needed to rebalance the market, but the length of the extension is not firm yet,” he said.

    A formal decision will be taken when the OPEC ministers meet on May 25.

    NAN reports that on April 19, OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said that all oil producers taking part in a supply-cut pact are committed to bringing global inventories down to the industry’s five year average and restoring stability to the market.

    Barkindo, speaking in the United Arab Emirates, said compliance data in March is showing better conformity by the oil producers with the agreement than in February.

    OPEC and non-OPEC producers agreed in December to cut supplies for six months, helping lift oil prices to about 55 dollars a barrel after a two-year slump.

    OPEC will review policy for the second half of this year at a May 25 meeting.

    Barkindo would not say whether the agreement will be extended for another six months, but that any decision taken would be in the interest of all producing and consuming countries.

    NAN reports that on Dec. 10, 2016, OPEC won the backing of countries outside the oil cartel to join supply cuts for the first time since 2001, overcoming the final major obstacle for a global agreement to curb output.

    The agreement in Vienna was designed to speed the end of the worst oil downturn in a generation by mopping up excess supplies and boost prices, providing some relief to resource-rich nations whose economies have taken a big hit.

    Prices rallied by 15 per cent since Nov. 30, 2016 when Opec’s 13 members led by the group’s largest producer Saudi Arabia, agreed to curb output by more than one million barrels a day.

  • Farmers form 90 Percent 2017 intending Pilgrims from Taraba – official

    Farmers constituted more than  90 per cent of the 1,260 intending pilgrims from Taraba that have so far deposited fare for the 2017 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, an official of the state pilgrims Board has said.

    In interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo on Friday, Alhaji Umar Leme, the Executive Secretary of the Board, disclosed that the farmers had already deposited N912 million while awaiting the official pronouncement on the hajj fare for this year.

    Leme observed that the large turn-out of farmers for the exercise might not be unconnected with the bumper harvest recorded by most of them across the state in the last cropping season.

    Speaking on arrangements being made for a hitch-free pilgrimage, Leme said accommodation had been secured for pilgrims at a strategic location within Mecca close to areas that rites would be performed.

    He said 1, 457 seats were allocated to Taraba by the National Hajj Commission, but that the state government was making effort to secure additional seats.

    He said many pilgrims were not very conversant with hajj rites, adding that the board intended engaging more trainers for the 2017 pilgrimage.

    Leme called on the National Hajj Commission to enhance the process of securing travelling documents to reduce delays experienced in previous years.

    The Secretary also called on those who made deposits, to complete their payment.

  • Islamic organization distributes relief materials to Borno IDPs

    The International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) on Sunday distributed relief materials worth millions Naira to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno, as part of its global support to people in need.

    IIRO Country Representative, Sheikh Adil Hussain, flagged off the distribution of the materials at the NYSC Orientation Camp IDP settlement.

    Hussain explained that the objective of the donation was to provide succor to the IDPs who had lost almost everything to conflicts in the zone.

    “We are here to flag off the distribution of these relief items to the Borno IDPs as part of our humanitarian service all over the world.

    “Our organization has been in the vanguard to provide care for the less privilege members of the society especially women, orphans and the vulnerable,” he said.

    Hussain said that the items were purchased from donations sent from the headquarters of the organization in Saudi Arabia.

    “I wish to convey the greetings of Ustaz Ali Hussain, the secretary of the IIRO from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    “The money for the purchase of the relief items came through him.

    “We pray to Allah for a lasting peace in the North East so that the IDPs can go back home,” he said.

    Hussain said that the distribution of the items would be done in four IDP camps in Maiduguri targeting about 1,500 beneficiaries.

    He said that the distribution would also be done for IDPs in Yobe and Adamawa States.

    He said that aside from the donations, the organization was also sponsoring the education of 600 orphans in Borno to safeguard their future.

    Items donated included bags of rice, spaghetti, cooking oil and blankets among others.

     

  • Saudi Arabia cracks down on overstayed pilgrims

    Saudi Arabia on Monday started a crackdown on foreign pilgrims overstaying their Hajj visas, a local media report says.

    Saudi authorities said that the offenders would have to pay an equivalent of 13,329 dollars in fine, face six months in jail and deportation.

    “Those who transport, recruit or shelter overstayed pilgrims will face up to 26,662 dollars in fine and six months in jail,’’ it noted.

    According to Saudi authorities, the visa for pilgrims, or Hajj visa, cannot be renewed while those with such visas cannot take up jobs or go outside Mecca.

    Report says around 1.8 million pilgrims took part in the last pilgrimage season, majority of them were foreigners.

  • 18 Nigerians Pilgrims Died in Hajj 2016 — NAHCON

    18 Nigerians Pilgrims Died in Hajj 2016 — NAHCON

    Eighteen Nigerians died in Saudi Arabia during the just concluded 2016 Hajj, according to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

    The victims were from Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna and the FCT.

    There were foreign-based Nigerian pilgrims as well.

    The head of NAHCON’s medical team, Ibrahim Kana, said two pilgrims, including a 40-year-old woman, died in Madinah, three died in Muna, while 13 died in Makkah.

    A mentally ill woman was amongst the victim.

    He however said the 2016 death toll was the lowest in five years, pointing out that the low figure was a fall out of enhanced sanitation, increased medical awareness and compressed national medical team.

    The medical team attended to over 21,000 patients since the commencement of the hajj rites, Kana said.

    The medical team detected five pregnant women.

    Meanwhile, Nigeria is to protest the seizure of electronic wristbands taken to Saudi Arabia for use by its pilgrims.

    Nigeria’s Consulate-General in Jeddah, Muhammad Yunusa, said  in Makkah that the action of  the Saudi authorities ran counter to the understanding reached by the two governments before the introduction of the wristbands.

    He said the embassy had in February informed the Saudi government of Nigeria’s plan to introduce the wristbands and this was followed up in July.

    “This action is unfriendly, undiplomatic and we are going to protest against it,” he said.

    The diplomat urged state officials of pilgrims welfare agencies to caution their drivers against reckless driving, saying it was giving Nigeria a bad image.

    The wristbands were introduced by NAHCON to monitor each pilgrim’s movement and facilitate easy identification where the need arises.

    However, thousands of the items were seized at the airport in Madinah by security officials and all entreaties by Nigerian officials for release fell on deaf ears.

    Following this, NAHCON suspended the use of the wristbands by the pilgrims rendering the project useless.

     

  • Hajj: Sokoto Govt subsidises pilgrims’ accommodation

    Hajj: Sokoto Govt subsidises pilgrims’ accommodation

    Sokoto State Government said on Thursday that it provided N200 million to subsidise pilgrims accommodation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

    The Director-General of the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Sokoto.

    He disclosed that the government provided One Thousand Saudi Riyals, approximately N40,000, to subsidise the accommodation of each pilgrim.

    He said that, the agency had rented befitting houses for the pilgrims near the Holy Mosque of Ka’aba.

    “This is very important as the proximity of the houses to the grand mosque will reduce travel hassles and offer the pilgrims more opportunity to intensify their acts of worship.”

    Umar stressed that the agency had made adequate arrangements to ensure the comfort, security and welfare of the pilgrims throughout the exercise.

    He commended the state government for its commitment towards the success of Hajj operation in the state.

    “Gov. Aminu Tambuwal has graciously approved all our requests for funds, to enable the Amirul Hajj committee and other subcommittees to function effectively.

    “I am therefore appealing to the officials to live above board, while the pilgrims should be law abiding at home and abroad.

    “They should also pray fervently for sustainable peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.”

    NAN reports that about 5000 people from the state are expected to perform the pilgrimage

  • Lagos bans sponsorship of pilgrims to Mecca, Jerusalem

    Lagos bans sponsorship of pilgrims to Mecca, Jerusalem

    Lagos State Government Thursday said it will no longer sponsor Muslims or Christians pilgrims who embark on pilgrimages to Mecca in Saudi Arabia or Jerusalem in Israel, saying it was not a responsible way to spend tax payers’ money.

    Commissioner for Home Affairs in the State, Hon. Abdulateef Abdulhakeem, who disclosed this when members of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Home Affairs, led by Hon. Olayiwola Olawale, paid a visit to the ministry in furtherance of their oversight function, said the government decided to ban the sponsorship because it amounts to injustice for certain individuals to continue to benefit from the government to the detriment of other numerous members of the society.

    Abdulhakeem said, “Part of our mandate is the supervision of the Pilgrims Welfare Board. Recently the governor and the state executive council approved a policy for the state to stop sponsorship of pilgrimages and that is line with the policy thrust of the government and what the State House of Assembly also speaks to.

    “In this day and time when we are talking about paucity of funds coupled with inhibiting challenges that the government has to take care of. We can no-longer afford to spend the sum of one million on one single individual to go on pilgrimage when the scripture did not compel anyone to do so.

    “So it is most irresponsible way of spending tax payer’s money. That is why the government has taken a solid decision that we will be accountable and responsible for every kobo that the tax payers pay to the government. It is an injustice for the government to be spending millions on group of people when millions of Lagosians are yearning for government’s attention.”

    He said state government has commenced the process of gathering data of religious organizations and their locations in the state to be able to set standards give orientation and provide security for them.

    According to him, there is a symbiotic relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government in the state, while thanking the Assembly for the quick passage of the 2016 Budget.

    “Your resolution is a compulsion it is not advisory. Even your motion that Mile 12 Market should be relocated to another area is being considered by the state government. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been restructured and some of its duties have been given to other MDAs.

    Responding to the development, Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Home Affairs, Hon. Olayiwola Olawale, said the decision was laudable, saying the Assembly was ready to back it with the necessary legislation.

    He said the visit of the committee to the ministry was homecoming, adding that the commissioner was a man of integrity and that the committee would work hand-in-hand with the ministry.

  • Nigeria, Saudi Arabia in move to ‘stabilise’ oil market

    Nigeria, Saudi Arabia in move to ‘stabilise’ oil market

    In a move to save the economy from collapse and shore up earnings from crude export, President Muhammadu Buhari is on a two-nation trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. His mission is to push for a rise in the price of oil at the international market, writes
    AUGUSTINE EHIKIOYA

    President Muhammadu Buhari and his Saudi Arabian counterpart, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz in Riyadh, have backed efforts to stabilise the global oil market.

    The agreement was reached after the two leaders held bilateral talks during which they had extensive discussions on regional and global issues.

    According to a statement signed by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari and his host accepted the fact that their countries’ economies were tied to oil and that wellbeing of both countries will be in jeopardy with instability in the world oil market.

    But, Buhari made no commitment to a production freeze in the talk that was held in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

    “President Buhari and King Salman committed themselves to doing all that is possible to stabilise the market and rebound the oil price,” Shehu said in the statement.

    Buhari, who arrived in Riyadh Monday night, is in the oil-rich country a week after Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela and Qatar agreed at talks in Doha to freeze production at January levels in a bid to stem the free fall in oil prices.

    The agreement is conditional on other major producers joining in, as oil heavyweights seek to ensure that others do not take advantage of output limits to win market share.

    The statement after Tuesday’s talks made no mention of Nigeria joining the freeze but analysts say the OPEC member is likely to eventually support the move.

    A report in the AFP said the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) also reported the talks between Saudi’s Deputy Oil Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.

    The talks, the report said, centred on “the best way for (market) stability” and “the cooperation of producing countries inside and outside OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries)”.

    Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies in the oil cartel had been refusing to cut production, leading to a supply glut that has seen prices fall by 70 per cent since mid-2014.

    Poorer OPEC members, including Nigeria, have been hard hit by the price drop but even the wealthy Gulf states have been forced to adopt austerity measures to cope with falling oil revenues.

    “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them voice their support to the freeze agreed in Doha,” Abhishek Deshpande, lead oil market analyst at Natixis in London, said of Nigeria.

    He said that unless Iraq and Iran also commit to limit production such talks “carry very little weight”.

    The two countries (Iraq and Iran) are OPEC’s second-and third-largest producers.

    Iran, returning to world markets as sanctions are lifted under its nuclear deal, has insisted on boosting production to pre-sanctions levels.

    “Some neighbouring countries have increased their production over the years to 10 million barrels per day and export this amount, then say let’s all freeze our oil production,” Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Zanganeh said yesterday.

    “They freeze production at 10 million bpd and we freeze at one million bpd. This is a very funny joke,” Zanganeh said.

    Saxo Bank analyst Christopher Dembik told AFP that Nigeria’s position is “a bit ambiguous,” supporting the mooted freeze but at the same time wanting to increase its production to respond to domestic market needs.

    “In the longer term, there is no reason why the country (Nigeria) won’t align itself with the position of Saudi Arabia and Russia,” Dembik said.

    Nigeria and Saudi Arabia would also discuss their position towards Iran and Iraq, he added.

    “Nigeria could have a crucial role in this respect because of its measured position” that Iran and Iraq should elevate their production before envisaging freezes, Dembik said.

    He went on: “It is probable, then, that Nigeria, meanwhile establishes a bridge for negotiations, notably between Riyadh and Tehran.”

    According to OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report, Iraq produces about 4.4 million barrels a day, followed by Iran at more than 2.9 million.

    Saudi Arabia’s output is close to 10.1 million barrels a day, according to last month’s (January) data.

    Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), also discussed joint oil and gas investments during his meeting with Abdulaziz, the SPA reported.

    Oil prices nudged higher yesterday as the two OPEC members met.

    United States (U.S.0 benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in April was up one cent at $33.40 a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for April rose 18 cents to $34.87 compared with Monday’s close.

     

    Boost for anti-terror war

     

    Besides the discussions on the dramatic fall in oil prices, Buhari and his host also agreed that terrorism had become a threat to world peace and that a concerted effort would be required to tame the menace.

    President Buhari, who was reported to be making his first pronouncement on the invitation to join the coalition of Islamic states against terror being spearheaded by the Saudis, congratulated the Kingdom on its formation.

    The statement reads: “Even if we are not a part of it, we support you.  I must thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the recent creation of a coalition to address the menace of international terrorism.

    “Nigeria will support your efforts in keeping peace and stopping the spread of terror in your region.  This is in consonance with our own commitment and on-going efforts in seeking to stamp out Boko Haram terrorists from the West African sub-region and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).”

    On global terror generally, President Buhari was quoted as saying: “International terrorism made a statement by attacking one of the advanced countries by carrying out an attack on Paris in which 130 were killed. Now we have to come together to find a common solution to the problem of terrorism.”

    He thanked the Saudi government for not relenting in its support to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.

    Alluding to the menace that Libya has turned into, President Buhari regretted that the late Libyan leader, Muammar Ghaddafi, recruited, trained and armed citizens of many states in the Sahel region.

    “With his fall, these mercenaries have returned to their countries, doing nothing but to shoot and kill,” Buhari noted.

    He cited Burkina Faso and Mali as the main victims but expressed happiness that the countries around Lake Chad have tightened their belts to overcome Boko Haram threat.

    “Luckily, we have cultivated our neighbours. We are now working together against Boko Haram, otherwise the problem would have become worse,” Buhari said.

    According to him, King Salman hoped that the Libyan factions will soon see reason to reunite and restore peace to their country so as to save the world from further terrorism spin-offs from that country.

    The leaders also focused on bilateral trade and agreed to give fresh impetus to the joint commission previously established to boost commercial and other activities to further cement existing relationship.

     

    Strengthening

    reIationship

     

    In his remarks, King Salman commended the progress made by the Federal Government in combating terrorism, promising to give further support and assistance.

    He welcomed Nigeria’s support for the new anti-terrorism coalition and implored President Buhari to consider its full membership.

    King Salman pledged his full support and cooperation to Nigeria under its present leadership and directed all agencies of his government to follow up on the discussions.

    His words: “I now instruct my team to go and sit down with your relevant agencies to push forward cooperation between our states.”

    According to Buhari’s travel schedule, he is billed to lead the Nigerian team to Qatar for more talks on oil.

     

  • Saudi Arabia: 32 Shi’tes on trial for spying for Iran

    Saudi Arabia has put 32 people on trial, including 30 members of its own Shi’ite Muslim minority, accused of spying for Iran, news reports say on Monday.

    The accused, including an Iranian and an Afghan, were detained in 2013 sparking expressions of concern among Saudi Shi’ites who said that several were well known figures in their community and not involved in politics.

    The trial is the first in recent memory for Saudis accused of spying and may stoke tensions between local Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims and with Iran, which strongly denied the accusations at the time.

    The bitter rivalry between the Sunni-ruled kingdom and Iran, a Shi’ite theocracy, has aggravated wars and political struggles in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain and is regarded by many analysts as a cause of regional instability.

    Tensions escalated further in January when Riyadh broke off diplomatic ties following the storming of its Tehran embassy by protesters angered at Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shi’ite cleric convicted of involvement in the killing of policemen.

    According to news reports, Saudi’s Bureau of Public Prosecution presented the charges against the 32 on Sunday at the Specialised Criminal Court, which tries security offences, .

    The charges included establishing a spy ring with members of Iranian intelligence and passing them sensitive military information, seeking to sabotage Saudi economic interests, undermining community cohesion and inciting sectarian strife.

    They also included supporting protests in the Shi’ite-majority region of Qatif in Eastern Province, recruiting others for espionage, sending encrypted reports to Iranian intelligence via email and committing high treason against the king.

    The accused were also charged with owning banned books and other publications.

    Among those arrested in 2013 were an elderly university professor, a paediatrician, a banker and two clerics- most were from al-Ahsa, a mixed Shi’ite and Sunni region that is home to around half the members of the kingdom’s minority sect.

    Saudi Arabia has blamed sporadic unrest among Shi’ites in Qatif on Iran, but has never publicly presented evidence of a direct link between those who took part in protests from 2011-2013 and Tehran, which denies any involvement.

    In 2012, it said the hacking that August of the computer network of state energy producer Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Saudi Aramco) had originated from servers in other countries and some analysts pointed the finger at Iran, which also denied that.

    Relations between Saudi Arabia and non-Arab Iran soured after the latter’s 1979 revolution that brought Shi’ite clerics to power. Saudi Arabia follows the rigid Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam in which Shi’ism is seen as heretical.

  • Buhari to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar

    Buhari to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar

    President Muhammadu Buhari will begin a week-long official visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar from Monday.

    Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, will be accompanied by a high-powered Federal Government delegation, including the Minister of State (Petroleum) and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

    The President will first fly to Riyadyh for talks on Tuesday with King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and senior officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    The statement said that ongoing efforts by Nigeria and other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to achieve greater stability in the price of crude oil exports are expected to be high on the agenda of discussions between President Buhari and the Saudi Monarch.

    Crude oil prices and market stability will also be top when President Buhari goes on to Doha on Saturday for talks on Sunday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

    The President is also scheduled to meet with leading Saudi and Qatari businessmen in Riyadh and Doha, and invite them to support his administration’s efforts to revamp the Nigerian economy by taking advantage of the great investment opportunities currently available in Nigeria’s mining, agriculture, power supply, infrastructure, transportation, communications and other sectors.

    President Buhari’s other engagements in Saudi Arabia include meetings with heads of international financial organisations and multilateral associations.

    Before going on to Doha, the President will also visit Medina and Mecca to pray for greater peace, prosperity and progress in Nigeria.