Shell resumes shipments of crude from Forcados, Bonny

Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell said it had resumed shipments of crude from its Nigerian export terminals Bonny and Forcados following the repair of its damaged supply pipelines.
Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary had suspended loadings at Bonny and Forcados on October 19 because of theft, flooding and damage to the supply pipelines.
Pipeline damage and associated spills are common in the Niger Delta region as a result of oil theft to feed the lucrative black market. Militants claiming to be fighting for a fairer distribution of oil revenue have also regularly blown up pipelines, though such attacks have decreased since a 2009 amnesty deal.
Although Shell did not disclose the volume of crude exports affected by the shut-down, industry sources said both Bonny and Forcados account for substantial percentage of Nigeria’s total oil exports.

Court Dismisses $12.5bn Gulf Oil Windfall Suit

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to expose how the  $12.5 billion gulf war oil windfall that accrued to Nigeria under the leadership of retired General Ibrahim Babangida in 1990 was spent.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole said the applicants had no locus standi to institute the action and that they failed to establish by admissible evidence that they were entitled to a hearing.
Six civil society groups had sued the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) asking that the accrued revenue be accounted for.

The groups are the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Women Advocates and Documentation Centre, Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Access to Justice, Human and Environmental Development Agenda and Partnership for Justice.
The applicants, through their counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), had asked the court to make an order of mandamus compelling the AGF and CBN to publish a detailed statement of accounts showing how the money was spent between 1988 and 1994.

After several adjournments, Justice Kolawole finally delivered the much-awaited judgment.
In dismissing the suit, Justice Kolawole held that the suit was statute barred because it was not filed within the statutory twelve months period after the Okigbo panel report was produced and submitted.

NUPENG pickets Shell, Chevron offices

Oil workers picketed the offices of Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited over potential plans to cut jobs amid union demands for temporary employees to be given permanent appointments.
Shell, in a statement, denied allegations of anti-union policies and said that affected workers were being compensated. It said: “We are currently divesting from a number of our assets in Western Niger Delta as agreed by joint venture partners and approved by the Federal Government. “This is part of a portfolio realignment exercise that will also help to grow indigenous capacity in the oil and gas industry,” it added.
Chevron officials were not immediately available for comment.

Shell fires 1,500 workers

Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has fired 1,500 workers in Nigeria as part of the ongoing restructuring in the Anglo- Dutch oil giant. It was gathered that the oil workers were sacked at different locations and offices of the oil firm in Warri, Port Harcourt and Lagos.
The action has pitched the management of the oil company against NUPENG with the union demanding immediate reversal of the action. The union also called out its members in a protest which took place simultaneously in Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt. The protest grounded activities in the field locations in western and eastern operations in Warri and Port Harcourt respectively.
The action led to gridlock on the ever-busy Airport/ Ogunu Road as the protesters barricaded the road with oil tankers. Residents had hectic time wading through the traffic snarl to reach their destinations. Stern-looking security agents were stationed at all entry points into Shell offices and facilities apparently to keep the protesters at bay.
The heavy presence of security men, armed with dogs, was noticed at Shell’s main office opposite Federal Government College, FGC, Warri. But the protesters shunned the security web around as they marched through major streets in the city, chanting anti-Shell slogans. Similar action took place in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

New electricity tariff coming soon – NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has announced impending review of the newly deployed Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO.
It said this was necessary following a series of complaints from electricity consumers, especially Small and Medium Enterprises, about high fixed fee they must pay every month irrespective of the power situation within any particular month.
Executive Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs at the NERC, Dr. Abba Ibrahim, confirmed this to newsmen. Abba said having received the complaints, the commission had put a process in motion to resolve the complaints of the SMEs, adding that the new tariff regime provided for review mechanism in case of such complaints.
He also insisted that the distribution companies across the country must provide meters to all customers in the next 13 months as ordered by the regulatory agency in June.

N4.4 billion Fuel Subsidy Scam: EFCC Re-arraigns Ahmadu Ali’s Son, Others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Mamman Nasir Ali, the son of the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ahmadu Ali and three others before an Ikeja High Court over an alleged N4.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

The defendants were re-arraigned before Jusice Adeniyi Onigbanjo on a 13-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, forgery and the use of false documents.

One of the defendants, Abdulazeez Afis is said to still be at large. Others arraigned alongside Ali were Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Nasaman Oil Services.

EFCC had initially arraigned Ali alongside Christian Taylor and Nasaman Oil Services on July 26 for an alleged N2.2 billion fuel subsidy fraud before amending the charge which led to their re-arraignment.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges as Justice Onigbanjo ordered that Ali and Taylor should continue to enjoy the N20 million bail earlier granted them by the court on July 26 when they were first arraigned.