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Why We Called For Lokpobiri’s Redeployment -IYC
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has clarified that the reason it called for the redeployment of the Minister for State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Dr. Heineken Lokpobiri, was not borne out of parochial sentiment, but out of genuine desire to address issues bedeviling the petroleum sector.
The IYC in a statement signed by Maobuye Nangi Obu, the IYC Secretary-General; Comrade Miracle Iyaye, National Women Leader; Tamunotonye David Altraide, National Legal Adviser and Comrade Abiye Bob-Manuel, National Deputy Director of Mobilisation, said since the emergence of Dr. Lokpobiri as the portfolio’s minister, there had been unresolved issues from his office, threatening the country’s economy.
The council insisted that Lokpobiri’s continuous stay in the office, where he lacked the expertise, was making life difficult for Niger Delta people and the country.
The council frowned at the negative insinuations its earlier statement generated and insisted that there was no time it called for the removal of Lokpobiri as a minister.
The IYC executive members observed with dismay that instead of addressing their concerns, some persons were already reaching out to the minister to milk him financially with a promise that they would tame us.
The IYC officials said contrary to the position of the IYC Spokesman that the council passed a vote of confidence in Lokpobiri, there was no time a meeting was called for such purpose, insisting that no confidence vote on the minister was passed by the council.
They clarified that only the Secretary-General of IYC reserved the right to convene the meeting of council to deliberate on issues such as confidence votes.
They further added that instead of addressing issues they raised in their statement, the Minister had resorted to using his younger brother, Jonathan Lokpobiri, who is the President of IYC to attack and try to intimidate them.
The officials said: “We are not attacking the personality of the Minister and we are not saying that he is not an illustrious son of the Ijaw nation.
“All we are saying is that the Minister is occupying an office he knows nothing about and that he lacked the knowledge to confront the issues bedeviling the oil subsector of the petroleum industry. His lack of capacity and technical know-how is eroding the gains of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our observations have been confirmed by the President of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOST COM) High Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, when he led members of his organisation to visit the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, at the weekend.
“Instead of embarking on a witch-hunt against us, we advise the Minister to sit up and address issues causing hardship for Nigerians and giving President Tinubu’s administration a bad name”.
The council said it only wanted the minister to be posted to a ministry where he could utilise his experience and recalled that Lokpobiri performed better when he was the Minister of State for Agriculture.
The executive officials, however, said Lokpobiri could begin to exert himself as the minister of Petroleum, oil, by explaining the current crisis in the petroleum sector and circumstances surrounding the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.
The council insisted that in developed countries, ministers, who discovered that there were forces stopping them from discharging their duties either sought redeployments or resign their offices.
The officials said being a Minister in a critical subsector like oil, which is the nucleus of the Nigerian economy, without having the powers to call the shots, would continue to give the occupant of such office a bad name.
The IYC officials said: “Our statement was not borne out of any parochial sentiment. We have highest regard for the Minister having served in different capacities. But what we are saying is that his continuous stay in the Ministry is making things more difficult for people of the Niger Delta and Nigerians.
“What we expected was for the issues we raised to be addressed. But sadly, political jobbers, disgruntled elements and some expired politicians have jumped in to catch on the issue and milk the Minister dry. They want to milk him with the assurance of taming us. He should be weary of them.
“We also want to restate that we didn’t call for his sack as some people have been saying. We only ask for his redeployment which is not out of place. He did far better as Minister of State for Agriculture so if this current position is overwhelming then he should be moved to another ministry.
“We have said that we will not support a non-Bayelsan or ijaw to occupy that office. So, even if he is redeployed we are advocating for his replacement to come from the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
“Those attributing out position to be a declaration of war between the Eastern and Central zone are missing the point. We will not condescend to their absurd level of reasoning and thinking.
“We want to be personal, there are too many things before us that we will unleash but we don’t want to go there. We call on the Honorable Minister to explain to Nigerians what is going on with the Port Harcourt and Warri Refinery and also tell those around him not to aggravate issues”.
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.