The Federal Government through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has urged states along the Benue River to increase their vigilance.

The call is coming following the ongoing plan by the management of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon to open the dam for water to gush out.

In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday by the NIHSA, signed by the Director General and the Chief Executive Officer, Umar Ibrahim Mohamed, he said the states likely to be affected by the flow of water from the dam are: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.

The agency also called on governments at all levels to implement adequate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding that may result from rising river levels during this period.

The release of water, the statement said, will begin at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second (8.64 million cubic meters per day) and is expected to gradually increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River, the primary feeder of the reservoir and a significant contributor to the Benue River.

“The Cameroonian dam authorities assured NIHSA that the water releases will be regulated to avoid exceeding the capacity of the Benue River and triggering major flooding downstream in Nigeria.

“The controlled water releases will cease once there is a noticeable decrease in inflow into the Lagdo reservoir,” the statement read.

NIHSA emphasized that there was no immediate cause for concern, as significant flooding downstream in Nigeria was not anticipated, adding that current water levels along the Benue River remained within safe limits.

The agency also assured the public that it would continue to closely monitor water levels along the Benue and other national inland rivers, providing regular updates to prevent any flood-related disasters.

The Senate said it has noticed with grave concerns diverse vicious attempts to pitch the public against its leadership and that National Assembly at large. The latest of such attempts was a petition supposedly addressed to Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) against the Leader of the Senate, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, CON.

The petition, signed by Convener, Public Procurement Transparency Group, David Udoh, accused Senator Bamidele of intimidating and pressurising Chief Executive Officer, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu to award contracts to some companies linked to him contrary to the Public Procurement Act, 2007. This allegation is not only baseless, but also without any evidence in support of its claims

Already, REA has issued a statement, disputing all these vicious claims. Specifically, its management noted that it was never under any pressure “to compromise the integrity of its procurement process. Rather, it always upholds transparency, fairness, and due process in all its activities, including procurement.”

We have endured enough all sorts of cheap blackmail by faceless groups and individuals using some bloggers and social media to feed the unsuspecting public with falsehoods and fallacies capable of causing further damage not just to the image of the National Assembly, but also to the public perception of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially among comity of nations.

Our preliminary background checks reveal that the Public Procurement Transparency Group has no record with the Corporate Affairs Commission; its Convener, David Udoh, faceless and his phone contact is practically inactive and non-functional. Further checks showed that this faceless group never submitted any petition to ICPC. Nevertheless, its sole aim was to use the social media to blackmail Senator Bamidele

Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and Federal Capital Territory governed by the Constitution, Acts of National Assembly and judicial precedents. Henceforth, we shall no more treat cases of cheap blackmail against the Senate, its leadership and the National Assembly lightly. But we shall treat such infractions within the confine of extant laws and whoever found guilty in the process shall face the full wrath of the laws.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has reacted to allegations made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing President Bola Tinubu of attempting to mortgage Nigeria’s future through the acquisition of OVH Energy by NNPC Ltd.

In a statement titled “OVH Acquisition: The Facts, by NNPC Ltd,” the company denied any personal interest by President Tinubu in the acquisition.

NNPC Ltd stated that investment decisions are based on commercial viability and national interest, and provided facts to counter Atiku’s allegations.

The company said that it is a commercially focused and profit-driven entity, managed by professionals committed to adding value to the nation. NNPC Ltd also clarified that the acquisition of OVH Energy was done without any interest from Wale Tinubu or President Tinubu.

The full text of the statement is as follows:

PRESS RELEASE

OVH Acquisition: The Facts, by NNPC Ltd

The attention of NNPC Ltd. has been drawn to a press release signed by Mr. Paul Ibe, a Media Adviser to the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

In the statement, the former Vice President was quoted to have lamented “the criminal hijack of the NNPC by corporate cabals around the current President”.

He was also quoted to have listed the retention of Mr. Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd as a compensation for the alleged acquisition of NNPC Retail Ltd. by OVH in which he claimed Mr. Wale Tinubu held 49% stake.

He further alleged that the NNPC Retail Ltd—OVH acquisition deal was part of a grand scheme by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to integrate his personal business interests into Nigeria’s public enterprises at the federal level.

NNPC Ltd. wishes to set the records straight with the following facts:

1. We are a commercially-focused and profit-driven company managed by professionals who are committed to adding value to the nation.

2. Investment decisions by NNPC Ltd. Management are strictly determined on the basis of commercial viability and national interest.

3. At the time NNPC Ltd. acquired OVH in 2022, Oando (in which Mr. Wale Tinubu has equity interest), had fully divested its equity in OVH to the other partners – Vitol and Helios. Oando actually began its divestment in 2016, with Vitol and Helios coming in as equity partners, leading to the change of name from Oando to OVH. In 2019, Oando fully divested its equity interest in OVH resulting in Vitol and Helios holding 50% equity interests, respectively.

4.Upon acquisition of OVH by NNPC Ltd, both NNPC Retail Ltd. and OVH effectively became subsidiaries of NNPC Ltd. However, based on professional advice and sound commercial considerations, NNPC Ltd. opted to merge NNPC Retail Limited into OVH, and thereafter retain NNPC Retail Limited as the company name post-merger.

5. The first step of merging NNPC Retail Ltd. into OVH has been completed and the post-merger renaming as NNPC Retail Ltd. is ongoing.

6. Contrary to the false alarm raised, neither Wale Tinubu nor the President has any interest in the OVH acquisition.

7. As a businessman, the former Vice President should know that effectiveness in business leadership is best measured by balance sheets and bottom lines rather than pedestrian considerations.

8. The management of NNPC Ltd., under the leadership of Mr. Mele Kyari, has done very well in growing the company’s fortunes as shown in the 2023 Audited Financial Statement (AFS), where it reported N3.3 trillion as profit after tax.

9. NNPC Ltd. as a commercial entity is devoid of political interest and shall continue to conduct its business full of commitment to national interest and value creation for the benefit of all stakeholders. NNPC Ltd. shall resist any attempt to draw its Board and Management into partisan politics.

Olufemi Soneye Chief Corporate Communications OfficerNNPC Ltd.Abuja

22 August, 2024