News

Again Gbagyi Villa Residents Protest Govt Plans To Demolish Over 3,500 Houses, 43 churches, Others

Published

2 years ago

May 25, 2023

Thebig Eye

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Protests over the plan to demolish over 3,500 houses, more than 43 churches, clinic and all buildings in Gbagyi Villa community, has again been staged yesterday in Kaduna.

Gbagyi Villa, a settlement behind Kaduna polytechnic, Bypass campus, Sabon Tasha, Chikun LGA in Kaduna state, is already facing demolition for alleged encroachment on federal polytechnic land, by the state Governor, Mal. Nasir El-rufai, with six properties already affected.

In a protest speech presented during the protest by group under the guise of “Rescue Movement for New Nigeria”, they called on federal government to caution Governor Nasir El-rufai against demolition of Gbagyi Villa despite substantive final court judgment in favour of the community.

The speech presented by the Media Director, of the Rescue Movement For New Nigeria, Mr. Olorunmagba Emmanuel described the situation as pathetic, were a sitting Governor who has less that six days to leave office could set the state he governed on fire by commencing demolition of community with clear secured judgement of competent court of jurisdiction.

“It is so pathetic that Mallam Nasir El-rufai, a sitting governor who has less than six days to go will attempt to set the state he governs on fire by taking the law into his hand to commence demolition of a community that already secured a clear judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction against such act.
“Yet the Governor -elect who will be taking over from him is his follower whom he went extra mile to support to emerge as governor.

“Is El-rufai setting up the next governor by deliberately creating chaotic situations to create enemies for the governor -elect just like he created enemies for himself throughout his tenure that as a governor, he could not move freely in some part of the state he govern, even with his heavy security presence?

“This and others are the questions in the lips of the leadership of Rescue Movement for New Nigeria. This is the time when the country needs peace, reconciliation and healing, but El-rufai, a member of the ruling party that is supposed to initiate the healing process, is always out fanning embers of war, stirring more division than ever before and creating more enemies.

“Therefore, in this protest today, which is just the beginning of our planned “Mother Of All Protests In Kaduna State” we want to call on the IGP, AIGP, the Police Commissioner, the the GOC, the Commandant NDA, Commandant Civil Defense and other security agencies to cease from releasing their personnel for the back up of El-rufai’s illegality”,he said.

While he advised the incoming Governor, Senator Uba Sani, to go for peace immediately he sworn-in, instead of inheriting El-rufai’s avoidable crisis, he added that “it’s obvious his man, Mallam Nasir El-rufai is setting him (Uba) up, to make the State ungovernable for him.
“So that he too won’t be able to move freely in the state he will govern just like El-rufai was repeatedly pelted with stones among those that can even be somehow referred to as “his people”, he stated.

Also added that “In as much as we are ready to take up court cases against all the perpetrators of the illegality, we wish to fundamentally assert that we have adequate knowledge of the matter, as we have carried out our diligent investigation as summarised below.

He said when the news of the second attempt by Governor Nasir El-rufai to demolish Gbagyi Villa, despite subsisting court judgment in favour of Gbagyi Villa broke out, their Organisation, the Movement, decided to dig deep into the issue.

He also said that movement went further and discovered that El-rufai
invaded Gbagyi Villa, claiming the land belongs to Kaduna Federal Polytechnic, immediately he took over Kaduna State in 2015, and vowed to “demolish the over 3,500 houses, more than 43 churches, clinic and all buildings in the community.

He said “Then the Property Owners Association of Gbagyi Villa took the matter to a court of competent jurisdiction in suit number KDH/KAD/218/2016.

“After thorough arguments between the lawyers of Kaduna State government with her agencies and the lawyers representing Gbagyi Villa community, it was clear that
as at when El-rufai invaded Gbagyi Villa, the Kaduna (Federal) Polytechnic had no pending dispute with the Gbagyi Villa community.

“The only dispute between them was resolved amicably out of court by the intervention of the late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, then and even till date there is no other dispute with Gbagyi Villa peaceful people.

“Kaduna State government under the leadership of Governor Nasir El-rufai only attempted to capitalise on Kaduna Polytechnic to mislead the public by claiming that there is dispute between the institution and Gbagyi Villa”, he lamented.

On the judgement he said, the court ruled that “In this circumstance, I find and hold that the plaintiffs (landlords in Gbagyi Villa community) are not trespassers on the Gbagyi Villa community land, upon which they built their properties, but are holders of customary titles, which are deemed grants of right of occupancy pursuant to section 34 of the Land Use Act”.

“On the whole I hold that the plaintiffs (Gbagyi Villa community members) have proved their case on a balance of probabilities.

“The defendants (Gov Nasir El-rufai, KASUPDA and other agents of Kaduna State government) have no locus to hold brief for Kaduna Polytechnic who HAS NO DISPUTE WITH THE PRESENT PLAINTIFFS.

“Consequently judgment is entered for the plaintiffs and I make all the declarations sought and grant all the orders as prayed.

“The counterclaim (by Kaduna State government and her agencies) is dismissed for lack of merit”, he stated.

According to him, the Movement also wants to further clarify based on what we read in the court judgment (that we have obtained a certified true copy) that part of the prayers granted by the court of competent jurisdiction include, but not limited to:
“An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants (Kaduna State government and her agencies) by themselves or through any agent; from carrying out any demolition of the properties, buildings or structures of the plaintiffs at Gbagyi Villa without any prior order of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the defendants through the due process of law against the plaintiffs and authorizing the enforcement or demolition.”

“A declaration that the 5th defendant (The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State) cannot lawfully avail the Kaduna State government or her agencies, the service of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force under his command either by way of security cover or howsoever otherwise to effect the demolition of the properties, buildings and structures of the plaintiffs at Gbagyi Villa, without a prior court order obtained by 1st to 4th defendants through the due process of law, directing or compelling the 5th defendant to enforce such demolition or enforcement.”

“Thus the action of the Commissioner of Police was an abuse of the “Section 4 of the Police Act” and a gross violation of the power conferred on him”, he said.

While the court case was not yet concluded, El-rufai came up with a form for Gbagyi Villa people to fill, sign and submit about their properties, but the lawyer to the community advised that such an act could be mischievous, he said,
adding that hence, no member of the community collected any form about their property from the government that is in court with them until the end of the court case.

He said, after the court case ended with clear judgment in favour of the Gbagyi Villa community El-rufai came up with another form for Gbagyi Villa people to fill, sign and submit.
“The form titled “Application For Grant/Re-Grant Of Right Of Occupancy (Statutory/Customary)” was distributed round the community asking landlords to go to an Agency of Kaduna State government named, “Kaduna Geographical Information Service (KADGIS)” to submit the form and pay twenty thousand naira (N20,000) for what was termed “regularization”.

“The form was shared from 14th June, 2022 and many landlords in Gbagyi Villa complied, but few of them are still skeptic, suspecting mischief as there was rumour that El-rufai vowed to still level Gbagyi Villa to rubble even if it will happen 24 hours to the end of his tenure.

“It was also confirmed that the portal for receiving the payment for the “regularization” was close on 31st December, 2022 (being five and half months after the commence of the sharing of the form).
“And till date it has not been reopened for submission for Gbagyi Villa community. Hence, people from Gbagyi Villa who later had rethink and wanted to submit the “regularization” form with their payment are no longer able to do that as KADGIS refused to collect the form and money since after 31 December, 2022 and no way to make payment from then till today

“From KADGIS office it was gathered that the governor had ordered that the houses of those who didn’t pay the N20,000 should be demolished.

“Then in a leaked memo from the Director-General of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), Mallam Ismail Umaru-Dikko, dated April 20, 2023, he demanded the urgent release of N29,253,500 for the demolition exercise of various properties including Gbagyi Villa.

“The memo by KASUPDA entitled ‘Request for Clearance To Carry out Pending Demolition Exercise’, listed Gbagyi Villa citing reasons of “non-compliance on special regularization programme”.

“And it was confirmed that the governor eventually released the money for KASUPDA for the demolition exercises to enable the agency engage the service of bulldozers, drivers, get security personnel and thugs that will accompany the bulldozers drivers and others coming for demolition.

“Then on Monday 8th May, 2023 KASUPDA workers came into Gbagyi Villa with loads of armed uniform men lead by one Mr. Francis who is a KASUPDA staff and distributed letter to all houses in Gbagyi Villa giving 60 days notice to those who have not paid the said N20,000 for regularization to go and pay.

“And those who have paid to go and start fresh building approval for their existing building even if they have prior approval.

“As based on finding by those who visited KASUPDA after receiving the letter, that the agency now claimed that all previous building approval granted before now, have been voided and cancelled by the order from the governor.

This Mr. Francis that lead the security men to distribute the last letter is the KASUPDA staff in charge of areas in Southern part of Kaduna, covering Gbagyi Villa.

“He has been consistently leading thugs to badly puncture and seriously damage new houses in Gbagyi Villa as the agency has refused to grant any new building approval for anyone in Gbagyi Villa during the court case and since the court case ended on 26th February, 2023 thereby suspended any kind of development in the entire Gbagyi Villa, not even renovation that will be seen outside is legally allowed again.

“And the buildings of those who dare to do carry out renovation or construction have been badly damaged by thugs lead by the Mr. Francis who claimed to be acting on instructions from the Director of Development in KASUPDA.

“After giving out the letters, it was said that it will be only the buildings of those who didn’t pay the N20,000 that will be demolished.

“Though this does not go well with all members of the community, but those who have not paid expressed readiness to pay, but the portal to receive the payment is still not opened till now.
“So there is absolutely no way to make the payment without the portal opened.

“On Monday 22nd May, 2023 being 18 days after the sharing of the letter giving 60 days notice for people to go and pay, Gbagyi Villa people suddenly heard that El-rufai’s bulldozers were on the way to Gbagyi Villa accompanied by armed uniform men for the demolition of Gbagyi Villa.

“Therefore youths came out massively and vowed to resist such act of illegality and contempt of court with their last blood.

“Gbagyi Villa people said enough is enough of the harassment and intimidation by El-rufai. That since the governor who supposed to uphold the law is the person taking the law into his hand against judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction and the law enforcement agents that supposed to abide by law also give him backing illegally, the youths too are ready to take the law into their hand to defend the judgment of the court since the country has been turned to Banana Republic.

The people thus vowed that either they want to demolish the houses of those who had not paid the N20,000 or all the houses in Gbagyi Villa, the demolisher’s and their armed uniform men will be resisted and every building will be defended.

However, the bulldozers passed through the other entrance to Gbagyi Villa not commonly used and already commenced demolition before the youths arrived.
“We also gathered that the first buildings that were leveled completely, the owner of the building had paid the said N20,000 for the regularization since last year and even the receipt of payment was pasted conspicuously on the building as at when it was demolished.

Speaking after their emergency meeting held on 23rd of May 2023, the leader of the Rescue Movement For New Nigeria, Faduri Joseph pointed out that, in the light of the clear revelation, it’s obvious beyond every reasonable and unreasonable doubt that Gov Nasir El-rufai has no justifiable reason to demolish Gbagyi Villa more than just that of a man in authority vested with so much power and who has personal hatred for a community probably because the people didn’t support his elections.

“Hence, the deep seated hatred clearly manifests in the various scheming attempts to call the peaceful law abiding people bad names and destroy their landed properties. Yet there are widows, pensioners, orphans whose only comfort is the building that has overhead.

“Reiterating the organisation’s commitment and readiness for justice, equity and fairness irrespective of class or tribe, the DG Rescue Movement For New Nigeria, Comrade Martins Chiedozie Ugwu, noted that the Rescue Nigeria Movement has finalized the arrangement to drag Kaduna State government, the Commissioner of Police and their agencies to court over abuse of power, disobedient to court order. And also drag El-rufai to court as an individual after his handing over, that he has no immunity any longer so that he can account for his gross abuse of power and other atrocities committed hiding under immunity.

The noble Movement has therefore called for this protest to mark the beginning of “Mother Of All Protests In Kaduna State, as the leadership vowed to do anything within their right to ensure that the person of GBAGYI get justice! Enough is enough, he said.

News

P’Harcout Refinery: CSO knocks NNPCL for berating host community leader

Published

1 hour ago

December 1, 2024

Thebig Eye

***calls on Tinubu to sack Kyari immediately, as refinery stops production

For coming out to disparage a leader from the host community of the Port Harcourt refinery, a group, known as Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN), has come hard on the foremost regulatory agency, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

This was, even as, the group has called on President Bola Tinubu to relieve the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari of his duties, for misleading the President and Nigerians about the operation of the Port Harcourt refinery.

In a statement on Sunday signed by the President, Engr. Igeniwari Edward, and Comrade Omototsho Ogbe, the group corroborated the comments of the Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere, saying, the petroleum products loaded from the newly rehabilitated Port-Harcourt Refinery were not freshly refined but dead stocks left in the storage tank of the facility since 2016.

“Before shutting down in 2016, the Port Harcourt refinery had some large quantity of dead stock left in the tank, and were only evacuated from the storage to some trucks during the rehabilitation of Old Area 5.

“Some dead stocks like Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel) were stored in the tanks in large quantity. What NNPC did was to evacuate them into waiting trucks, making the President and Nigerians to believe they were loading freshly refined products into those trucks.

“It is not only Chief Mgbere that knew about this fact, all of us from Alesa, infact, all the suburbs in Eleme can attest to this.

“It also doesn’t surprise us that the NNPCL shut down the refinery sooner than they claimed it was operating. That’s because they ran out of lies and couldn’t cajole the President any further.

“Kyari should be so sober right now and I believe he is already aware that the much celebrated 60,000 capacity segment of the refinery they claimed to have rehabilitated was shut down 2 days ago and no activity is happening there any longer.

“The President should not wait any further before he sacks Mele Kyari and all his accomplices in this national monumental trick they pulled on Nigerians on Tuesday. He should not only be sacked, Kyari should tell Nigerians what happened to over N17 trillion naira injected into the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.

“Nigerians should also join our Network to say NO to conversion of any of the refineries to a blending plant. We all know the environmental degredations our people having been facing over oil exploration and bunkering activities. We don’t want any further hazard on our land. Kyari should just deliver exactly what the government paid for and stop fighting our leaders in the host communities”, the statement read.

Chief Mgbere, Secretary to Alesa Community Stakeholders Forum, had appeared on a national television show on Thursday, alleging that the Port Harcourt refinery only loaded six trucks on Tuesday, despite stating that 200 trucks would be picked up from the refinery daily, adding that the many trucks parked within the premises were tucked up with dead stock and off-spec of old products.

Alesa, one of the 10 major communities in Eleme, Rivers State, is the host community of the Port-Harcourt Refinery.

But in response to the allegations, the NNPCL denied claims by an Alesa community leader, in a statement signed Friday by its Spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, saying the agency did not lie when it said the Port Harcourt refinery was producing crude oil.

The NNPCL accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs, saying he would not have dignified him with a response if not for a need to set the records straight.

“We call on the general public to disregard the claims of the self-acclaimed ‘community person’ which are obviously borne out of sheer mischief and blatant display of ignorance,” NNPCL had said.

Meanwhile, exclusive report emerging from Sahara Reporters Saturday night corroborated the position of the Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria, that the NNPCL has shut down operation “at the moment” with only its non-petroleum unit running which is the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).

The CDU produces naphtha, kerosene and diesel but cannot produce the component which is needed for the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol, top sources at the refinery disclosed to SaharaReporters on Saturday.

“The Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is still running but the operation of the depot is shut down at the moment. The CDU produces naphtha, diesel and Kerosene but cannot produce theP’Harcout Refinery: CSO knocks NNPCL for berating host community leader

***calls on Tinubu to sack Kyari immediately, as refinery stops production

“It is not only Chief Mgbere that knew about this fact, all of us from Alesa, infact, all the suburbs in Eleme can attest to this.

Alesa, one of the 10 major communities in Eleme, Rivers State, is the host community of the Port-Harcourt Refinery.

The NNPCL accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs, saying he would not have dignified him with a response if not for a need to set the records straight.

“The Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is still running but the operation of the depot is shut down at the moment. The CDU produces naphtha, diesel and Kerosene but cannot produce the component for the production of PMS.

“All these products cannot serve the masses as the production of these products are in small P’Harcout Refinery: CSO knocks NNPCL for berating host community leader

***calls on Tinubu to sack Kyari immediately, as refinery stops production

“It is not only Chief Mgbere that knew about this fact, all of us from Alesa, infact, all the suburbs in Eleme can attest to this.

Alesa, one of the 10 major communities in Eleme, Rivers State, is the host community of the Port-Harcourt Refinery.

The NNPCL accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs, saying he would not have dignified him with a response if not for a need to set the records straight.

“All these products cannot serve the masses as the production of these products are in small quantities even if the plant runs at 100% throughput. The processing plant of 150,000bpd capacity will commence operations in 2026; that is if money is made readily available to meet the timelines because at the moment the project has exceeded $2billion”, a top official of the agency told Sahara Reporters even if the plant runs at 100% throughput. The processing plant of 150,000bpd capacity will commence operations in 2026; that is if money is made readily available to meet the timelines because at the moment the project has exceeded $2billion”, a top official of the agency told Sahara Reporters component for the production of PMS.

News

What Tax Reform Bills Are All About- Senate

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2024

Thebig Eye

………Set for Public hearing with stakeholders

The Senate Thursday led Nigerians into the general objectives of the Tax Reform Bills

The Bills are a set of four proposed piece of legislation aimed at increasing value-added tax (VAT) distributable to the subnational governments to 55% while reducing the federal government’s share to 10%.

The new legislative regimes also proposed zero VAT on exports and essential consumptions by the masses and grant of input VAT credit on assets and services in addition to goods consumed by businesses to lower the cost of production

The breakdown of the general objectives of the Bill were let out in the lead debate by Senate Leader , Opeyemi Bamidele

Recall that the Tinubu administration had proposed the Tax Reform Bills comprising the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 and Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.

The bills elicited mixed reactions from across board

Key stakeholders such ad the Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele and Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji were invited to give perspectives about the Bills.

Leading debate at the plenary, Bamidele reeled out far-reaching proposals contained in the Tax Reform Bills, which according to him, aims at simplifying the tax landscape, reducing the burden on small business and streamlining how taxes are collected.

In the area of tax exemptions, Bamidele pointed out that those, whose salaries are not more than the minimum wage from Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions, would be exempted from the tax regime.

He also said small businesses with annual turnover of N50 million or less “are equally exempted from payment of taxes,” a key pro-business initiative that encourages job creation; deepens ease of doing business and incentivises more investments.

Similarly, the senate leader explained that there was a proposed huge reduction in company income tax from the current 30% to 25% that would last for at least two years.

He said: “As part of deliberate attempt to curtail the incidence of double taxation and multiplicity of taxes and levies, multiple taxes hitherto paid by companies under various tax heads namely 2.5% education tax, 0.25% NASENI tax have been harmonized into a development level of 2% which by 2030 will be applied to fund the newly established student loan scheme which will benefit many Nigerian youths.

“Unlike what is obtainable under the existing tax regime whereby the Federal Government takes a lion share of VAT revenues, it is proposed that the sharing formula should allow the State Government share 55% of VAT revenue from the current 15% to 10% sharing formula.

“However, Local Governments share of VAT revenue remains unaffected. Relatedly, basic items consumed by Nigerian households such as food items, medical services and pharmaceuticals, educational fees, electricity etc. are exempted from VAT.

“Again, as part of efforts to ease the administration of income taxes and levies across the Federation, there is a reasonable effort made to consolidate core tax statutes and related tax legislations,” Bamidele explained.

Contrary to misrepresentations in the public domain regarding the intendment of the Bills under consideration, Bamidele explained that the bills contained innovative and people-oriented proposals as part of the government’s deliberate fiscal and tax reform measures to cushion the effect of ongoing broader economic policies such as the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, renewed efforts to implement cost -reflective electricity tariffs in the power sector etc on Nigerian citizens.

In his contribution, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) claimed that his problem was about timing and the issue of derivation.

He added that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) must be amended before the Tax Reform Bills should take effect, therefore calling for its immediate withdrawal.

Ndume observed: “I am not against the reform, my problem is timing and the issue of derivation make the reform contagious. The 1999 Constitution has to be amended before the bills can be effective.”

However, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Munguno (Borno North) expressed strong objection to Ndume’s submissions, asking the Senate to disregard it and pass the bills for second reading.

Munguno urged the Senate to pass the bill into second reading, advocating that all areas of concern would be addressed at the public hearing stage.

After the debate that featured Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa and Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology, Senator Seriake Dickson, the Senate unanimously passed the bills into second reading following Munguno’s final position.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Finance, advising the Committee to invite all the stakeholders to the public hearing to address all areas of concern.

News

Port Harcourt Refinery, Another Grand Deception From NNPCL -Coalition

Published

4 days ago

November 27, 2024

Thebig Eye

***warns Kyari, others not to mislead Tinubu, Nigerians

As reactions continue to thrill the announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), that the Port Harcourt refinery has been activated for operation; a group of Civil Society Organisations has called for great caution.

The groups, under the aegis of Coalition for Accountability and Transparency in Energy Sector (CATES), said what the NNPCL was glorifying was not a full fledged refinery which Nigerians paid for.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Spokesperson of the Coalition, Dr. Linus Ikwur, the groups alluded that, despite the public outcry from stakeholders, organisations and individuals, warning against turning the Port Harcourt refinery to a blending plant, the NNPCL made good its intention and damned whatever would come out of it.

The coalition described the much celebrated Port Harcourt refinery as “what I ordered, vs what I got”, saying, the NNPCL did not mean well for the country and the citizenry, by converting the heritage refinery in Port Harcourt to a mere blending plant, despite receiving huge funds to operationalize it.

“The NNPCL was given money to turn Port Harcourt into a full fledged refinery. But now they want to turn the place into a blending plant, despite the public outcry on the dangers of having a blending plant in the region that is already suffering environmental degredation.

“Nigerians paid for a refinery and not a blending plant. This is a clear case of what I ordered vs what I got.

“There’s a need for great accountability, transparency and probity in ensuring that the refineries operate at 100% capacity and not as a blending plant”, the statement said.

Speaking further, the Coalition expressed great disappointment with the announcement of NNPCL, confirming that the refinery was to serve as a blending plant, which it described as a global practise; warning that the agency should cease the deception forthwith.

Dr. Ikwur said, “to us, it did not come as a surprise, because we saw it coming and we have raised enough alarms, so that it could be averted, but the authority kept calm, until the NNPCL perfected its plan to convert our heritage refinery into a blending plant. But we were highly disappointed, that the NNPCL misled Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu into believing that the Port Harcourt refinery had come back to live.

“It took the great effort of the the media, Sahara Reporters in particular, to confirm our claims that Nigerians were indeed celebrating a blending plant, and not a refinery. Nigerians are too wise for that grand deception and Mr. President should not fall for that kind of cheap attempt to score political goals by the NNPCL.

“Mele Kyari and his cohorts should stop misleading the President. They should rather come out and explain how the over N17 trillion expended on our local refineries went and why is it that none of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries is working, after receiving such a humongous funding”.

It would be recalled that, the NNPC posted on its X handle on Tuesday, saying: “NNPC Ltd Delivers Port Harcourt Refinery as plant begins truckout of products today, Tuesday 26th November 2024 at 1.45 pm.

“Watch the commissioning and trucking out event LIVE.”

But Sahara Reporters, in an exclusive report Tuesday night, exposed that, the NNPCL “is not trucking out Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, from the Port Harcourt Refinery as it claimed on Tuesday”, claiming a top source within the system revealed it.

Instead, it said the NNPCL bought “Cracked C5 petroleum resins” and blended it with other products including Naphtha to sell to the Nigerian public as though the refinery processed it.

“The plant is running but it is the old one of 60,000bpd capacity but you can’t get PMS from it except diesel. The part that produces PMS is yet to start.

“If you hear they are trucking out PMS from the depot, know it is a lie. They bought Crack C5 from Indorama company in Port Harcourt and blended it with Naphtha to sell to the public”, the source told Sahara Reporters.

Unexpectedly, the Spokesperson for the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye swiftly confirmed the claims in a statement Tuesday night, saying, “blending is a standard practice in refineries globally”.

Soneye said, “It is worth noting that the refinery incorporates crack C5, a blending component from our sister company, Indorama Petrochemicals (formerly Eleme Petrochemicals), to produce gasoline that meets required specifications.

“Blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes. Additionally, we have made substantial progress on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which will begin operations soon without prior announcements”.