The lower chamber of the Nigerian National Assembly, The House of Representatives ad hoc committee set up to ascertain the inventory of the defunct NNPC will meet with the management of NNPC Limited and the Central Bank of Nigeria to discuss the transition process.

The committee, chaired by Kingsley Uju (APC, Imo), was set up to ascertain the total inventory, assets, interests and liabilities of the defunct state oil company ahead of the transition.

NNPC assumed the status of a limited liability company after the Petroleum Industry Bill became an Act.

Uju, in a statement released on Thursday, said the committee will meet with the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, and the Chief Executive Officer of NNPC limited, Mele Kyari.

In addition, the committee will meet with the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and the Minister of Petroleum (State), Timipriye Sylva, to interface on the process of the transition.

The ad-hoc committee also resolved to request detailed information on NNPC assets, interests, liabilities and up-to-date audited reports from the CEO of NNPC Limited.

Uju disclosed that the committee has also resolved to request for yearly audited reports of NNPC from Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) with a view to juxtaposing the NNPC audited reports with that of NEITI.

“It is also hinged on the provisions of Section 54 of the recently signed Petroleum Industry Act. 2021.

“The legislative intervention is in alliance with section A 1.03 of the introduction part of the Legislative Agenda of the 9th Assembly (2019 – 2023) which states that, ‘the 9th House will seek to undertake reforms of critical sectors of the Nigerian society and economy with a view to improving the conditions that allow for investment, innovation and economic growth,” he said.

Nigeria Navy has revealed that it has deactivated 175 illegal refineries, arrested 27 vessels under 11 months.

The Command further disclosed that 35,384,718 Metric Tonnes of illegally refined AGO were evacuated while several pirates, kidnappers hideouts were destroyed.

Speaking during his handing over ceremony on Friday, the Outgoing Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Sanusi Kazeem Ibrahim said that piracy in the Nigeria’s maritime domain reduced.

Ibrahim said, ” The Command sustained effective patrols of its maritime Area of Responsibility (AOR), as well as undertook several Clearance and Swamp Buggy operations in the backwaters.

“These operations resulted in a considerable reduction of piracy in Nigeria’s maritime domain, as well as led to the arrest of 27 vessels engaged in illegal bunkering, Crude Oil theft and other maritime illegalities.

“Other achievements include deactivation of about 175 illegal refining sites and still counting, evacuation of about 35,384,718 Metric Tonnes of illegally refined AGO and destruction of several pirates as well as kidnappers hideouts.

“Of particular interest is the recent arrest of MT PREYOR 1 on 5 Jan 22 conveying about 2,458,350 litres of Crude oil in her cargo tanks and additional 10,000 litres of AGO in her service tanks without requisite approval.

“There is also an ongoing OP RIVER DOMINANCE initiated by NNS PATHFINDER in conjunction with the Rivers state government. This operation intensified riverine patrols in addition to establishing waterborne guard posts along the check points.

“Huge successes were recorded which include the arrest of 13 suspects, 14 large wooden boats laden with illegally refined AGO as well as 3 barges each carrying about a million litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

“This is in addition to the Command’s anti-smuggling efforts which led to the seizure of over 3,147 bags of 50kg parboiled foreign rice as well as 1,184 25kg bags of fertilizers amongst others,” he stated.

Speaking further he called on the officers and Men of the command to support the incoming FOC in a bid to surpass his own achievements.

On his part, the new FOC , Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm Abdulahi Dewu also called on Officer to assist him in his quest to maintain the tempo of his predecessor adding that he cannot achieve anything alone .

Rear Adm Dewu said:”The responsibilities of the command are very high and demanding that we must go over and beyond the call to duty in securing the maritime domain towards ensuring the peace and security of land towards engendering the prosperity of our great nation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Turkey and Israel could work together to deliver natural gas from the Middle East to Europe, and the two countries would discuss energy cooperation during talks next month.

Erdogan told reporters on a return flight from Kyiv that energy cooperation would be on the agenda during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkey in mid-March, Reuters reported.

“We could use Israeli natural gas in our country, and beyond that, we could also work together to carry it to Europe,” Erdogan said, according to Turkey’s pro-government Daily Sabah.

Turkey — battered by an economic crisis at home — has been seen taking steps to improve relations with regional rivals, after a reported drop in US support for a controversial Mediterranean gas pipeline.

“We will hopefully have these issues on our agenda during Mr. Herzog’s visit to Turkey,” he said.

He added Ankara was also discussing signing a natural gas supply deal with Iraq, the reports said.

Erdogan has indicated that he wanted Turkey to be involved in the import of Israeli gas to Europe, saying there had been “some progress” on the matter in the past.

Israel and a group of countries, including Turkey’s rival Greece, have been working on a joint pipeline to bring eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe. Turkey strongly opposed the project and staked its own territorial claims to the region’s energy wealth.

Officials quoted by Haaretz last week said that better ties with Turkey will not come at the expense of Israel’s alliance with Greece and Cyprus, who were reportedly already aware of the possibility.