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REVEALED; Yar’Adua cancelled refinery sale over questionable circumstances under Obasanjo – Falana

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has weighed in on the federal government’s decision to cancel the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the management of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, initially approved during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.

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Falana pointed to questionable circumstances surrounding the deal, which he argues lacked transparency and due process.

In response to a statement made by Obasanjo on Thursday regarding how his successor, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, refunded $750 million to a consortium originally contracted to manage the refineries, Falana sharply criticised the deal’s integrity.

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According to the activist, the PPP arrangement was flawed from the outset and was marked by a lack of openness.

Speaking on behalf of the Alliance on Surviving COVID and Beyond (ASCAB), Falana recalled how Obasanjo had allegedly bypassed the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), led at the time by Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

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Falana accused Obasanjo of taking unilateral control over the privatisation process, which included the controversial sale and management of several public enterprises, in violation of the Privatisation and Commercialisation Act.

The NCP, a body created to oversee the privatisation of state assets, was sidelined, according to Falana, as Obasanjo pursued the deal without the proper checks and balances that the law mandates.

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This, he suggests, contributed to the controversial nature of the refinery PPP deal, which has been a source of public debate for years.

The cancellation of the deal marks another chapter in the ongoing controversy surrounding Nigeria’s privatisation efforts, with many questioning the transparency and accountability of past deals.

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He said: “On May 17, 2007, President Obasanjo sold a 51% stake in the Port Harcourt refinery to Bluestar Oil for US$561 million.

“In another transaction that took place on  May 28, 2007, President Obasanjo sold  51% shares in Kaduna Refinery to Bluestar Oil for $160 million.

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“Bluestar Oil was a consortium of three domestic companies, including Dangote Oil, Zenon Oil and Transcop.
“Before the deal, President Obasanjo had acquired large shares in Transcorp through ‘blind trust.’
“Many interest groups in the country questioned the legal validity and moral propriety of the sales as they were consummated in the last days of the Obasanjo administration.

“The two powerful trade unions in the oil industry —the  National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) kicked against the privatisation of the two refineries on grounds of conflict of interest and lack of due process.

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“They also alleged that the nation had been shortchanged as the shares acquired in the Port Harcourt refinery for $516 million were worth US$5 billion.

“Convinced that the deals were not in the national interest, both unions proceeded on a 4-day strike that almost paralysed the Nigerian economy in June 2007.

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“The strike was called off based on the assurance of the federal government to the effect that the deals would be fully investigated.

“Upon the conclusion of the investigation by the federal government, the purported privatisation of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries was cancelled by President Umaru Yar’adua.

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“It is on record that the cancellation of the privatisation was not challenged in any court as it was carried out contrary to the letter and spirit of the Privatisation and Commercialisation Act.”

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My Husband wants to have s3x with me eight times everynight – Housewife cries for help

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My Husband wants to have s3x with me eight times everynight – Housewife cries for help

A Harare woman, Melocia Gwata, has successfully obtained a court-issued protection order against her husband, George Kusotera, following allegations of excessive sexual demands and physical abuse.

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The case was heard at the Harare Civil Court before Magistrate Judith Taruvinga, where Melocia detailed the severity of her ordeal. She told the court that her husband had coerced her into sexual activity up to eight times a night, resorting to violence whenever she refused.

“He wants to have s3x every day and wakes me up in the middle of the night, even after we’ve been intimate countless times on the same day,” Melocia stated.

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She further described how the abuse extended beyond physical coercion, with George allegedly threatening divorce and verbally assaulting her in front of their children.

“He has been assaulting me in front of our children, shouting obscenities and telling them I don’t deserve to be called their mother,” she added, highlighting the emotional toll the behaviour has taken on her and the family.

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In response, George acknowledged his actions, apologising to his wife and attributing his conduct to love. “I did not realise I was making her uncomfortable. I apologise and promise not to physically abuse her anymore,” he told the court.

After hearing both sides, Magistrate Taruvinga granted Melocia a protection order, legally preventing her husband from further abuse and ensuring her safety.

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Scores of terrorists neutralised after Major attacks on military base

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Scores of terrorists neutralised after Major attacks on military base

Nigerian troops have successfully neutralised several terrorists and thwarted coordinated attacks in Adamawa and Borno States.

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The Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, announced that the successes followed swift and decisive responses by soldiers to attempts by insurgents to overrun military formations in the North-East.

In a statement issued on Friday, Acting Media Information Officer of the Task Force, Lieutenant Solomon Atokolo, confirmed that the operations resulted in heavy casualties for the terrorists.

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He explained that the first attack took place in the early hours of January 16, 2026, when insurgents targeted a patrol base at Sabon Gari in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Atokolo stated that troops under Sector 4 of Operation Hadin Kai quickly engaged the attackers and successfully repelled them. He added that reinforcements from Gulak and the Battalion Quick Reaction Force were promptly mobilised to support the operation, ensuring that the assault was decisively crushed.

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“The terrorists were successfully repelled without any casualty to our troops or damage to equipment, forcing them to abandon the attack,” the statement said.

He added that security forces later carried out clearance operations in the surrounding area, scanning for improvised explosive devices and booby traps to guarantee the safety of both civilians and personnel.

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In a separate incident on the same day, terrorists staged a large-scale, multi-directional attack on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Azir in Borno State.

The attackers attempted to breach the base’s defensive perimeter but were met with fierce resistance from troops. With support from the Air Component and other Nigerian Army aerial platforms, the soldiers unleashed sustained firepower that compelled the insurgents to retreat.

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Although rocket-propelled grenade fire from the terrorists damaged some troop-carrying vehicles and partially affected the base’s CCTV control room, Atokolo said troops maintained full control of the situation and prevented any further breach.

The military spokesperson disclosed that several weapons and ammunition were recovered from the fleeing terrorists.

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Items seized included a 60mm mortar tube, mortar bombs, locally fabricated explosives, heavy machine gun rounds, and hundreds of rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.

The Joint Task Force commended the professionalism and resilience of the troops, reaffirming its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at restoring lasting peace and security to the North-East region.

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Published

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Scores of terrorists neutralised after Major attacks on military base

Nigerian troops have successfully neutralised several terrorists and thwarted coordinated attacks in Adamawa and Borno States.

Advertisement

The Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, announced that the successes followed swift and decisive responses by soldiers to attempts by insurgents to overrun military formations in the North-East.

In a statement issued on Friday, Acting Media Information Officer of the Task Force, Lieutenant Solomon Atokolo, confirmed that the operations resulted in heavy casualties for the terrorists.

Advertisement

He explained that the first attack took place in the early hours of January 16, 2026, when insurgents targeted a patrol base at Sabon Gari in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Atokolo stated that troops under Sector 4 of Operation Hadin Kai quickly engaged the attackers and successfully repelled them. He added that reinforcements from Gulak and the Battalion Quick Reaction Force were promptly mobilised to support the operation, ensuring that the assault was decisively crushed.

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“The terrorists were successfully repelled without any casualty to our troops or damage to equipment, forcing them to abandon the attack,” the statement said.

He added that security forces later carried out clearance operations in the surrounding area, scanning for improvised explosive devices and booby traps to guarantee the safety of both civilians and personnel.

Advertisement

In a separate incident on the same day, terrorists staged a large-scale, multi-directional attack on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Azir in Borno State.

The attackers attempted to breach the base’s defensive perimeter but were met with fierce resistance from troops. With support from the Air Component and other Nigerian Army aerial platforms, the soldiers unleashed sustained firepower that compelled the insurgents to retreat.

Advertisement

Although rocket-propelled grenade fire from the terrorists damaged some troop-carrying vehicles and partially affected the base’s CCTV control room, Atokolo said troops maintained full control of the situation and prevented any further breach.

The military spokesperson disclosed that several weapons and ammunition were recovered from the fleeing terrorists.

Advertisement

Items seized included a 60mm mortar tube, mortar bombs, locally fabricated explosives, heavy machine gun rounds, and hundreds of rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.

The Joint Task Force commended the professionalism and resilience of the troops, reaffirming its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at restoring lasting peace and security to the North-East region.

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