Cheat Sheet week 43 & 44

Wednesday 21 October 2009

Maritime Brief:  Chemical tanker boarded Lagos

Maritime Brief:  Fishing vessel attacked at Calabar Junction

Maritime Brief:  A round up

YRD and Okah meet: Earlier this week, President Yar’Adua and main MEND representative Henry Okah had meetings in Abuja. 

Oil deregulation to be implemented in 09: The Minister of Labour, Adetokunbo Kayode, said that the deregulation of the downstream oil sector will take place this year.

10% oil revenue to residents: YRD asked the parliament to include in an oil reform bill currently being debated a measure that will give Niger Delta citizens a larger share of the region’s oil proceeds.

Monday 26 October 2009

MEND declare indefinite ceasefire: MEND, in a statement, has declared an indefinite ceasefire to allow for peace talks with government. 

Government will not negotiate: Minister of Defence, Godwin Abbe, yesterday ruled out a meeting between FG and MEND’s Aaron Team.

UN warn on danger of sidelining: The UN has expressed concern on whether the FG was  following the UN model of disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation in managing the situation. 

Arm twisting to rehabilitate: President Yar’adua is alleged to have resorted to blackmail and hardball tactics to extort monies from the oil majors, coercing them to cough up the cash to pay for the rehabilitation of ex-Niger Delta militants. 

But forget about the big fish for a minute…: Despite a recent drop-off in violence, the Niger Delta remains a stronghold for gangs and militants groups with strong opposition toward foreign oil companies and the government. 

Cracking down on 419’s: The EFCC launched a new project ‘Eagle Claw, expected to become fully operational within six months and aimed at improving Nigeria’s tarnished image as one of the world’s top countries for internet crime.

But live to Rivers State…: Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has spent all of today giving “accountability” speeches in Port Harcourt.

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Amnesty:  Akwa Ibom: Ex-militant leaders in Akwa Ibom State promised to start another onslaught of attacks in the state in protest of the non implementation of the amnesty deal for their members.

Amnesty:  Delta: Militant leader, “General” John Togo, spoke on the apparent failure by both the federal government and his Delta State Governor, Uduaghan.

Amnesty:  Tompolo: Militant leader, Tompolo, urged all ex-militants and the Niger Delta people, to be calm to allow the government and ex-militant leaders find lasting solutions to the problems confronting them.

Amnesty:  MEND on Aaron team talks: In an e-mail interview yesterday, Jomo said MEND would not disarm its fighters until the end of the negotiations with FG, however the indefinite ceasefire would not be called off to “encourage dialogue” between the FG the Aaron Team.

Amnesty:  Today’s brief: Many rebels, including those who accepted the amnesty, and those who did not, have made it clear that if the government does not quickly get money to the villagers in the polluted oil production areas, the violence can and will resume. 

Piracy:  Attacks go unreported: The ICC  believes that half the attacks in Nigeria go unreported. Only 20 attacks (out of 306 worldwide) were reported in Nigeria during  the first nine months of this year, mostly against oil service boats in the Niger Delta.

Chief says…:  Continued vigilance and a review of procedures put in place to minimize risk is still strongly advised. 

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Soludo’s father kidnapped: The father of former Central Bank Governor and PDP state governor candidate Chukwuma Soludo was kidnapped from his home Tuesday around 19:00 hrs.

Police break up kidnap gangs: The Police on Tuesday paraded eight suspected criminals who are alleged to have kidnapped business moguls, Chief G.U. Okeke, Chief Anthony Enukeme and Chief Bernard Nwora.

Kidnap for cash: Police Affairs Minister Yakubu Lame said more than 500 people were abducted across the country in the first 6 months of this year, with at least 10 of them killed.

Kidnap and consumerism: Stoof International, a German company, introduced sophisticated armour technology in vehicles to protect occupants in a vehicle against attacks.

Senators want more time for oil reform bill: The members of the Senate committee on the oil reform bill want additional time to finalise work on the controversial legislation expected to overhaul the country’s oil and gas sector. 

Politicians too corrupt to have immunity – Yar’Adua: President Yar’Adua said his administration will continue to support the total independence of the nation’s anti-corruption agencies, and expressed his opposition to the immunity clause in the constitution.

Thursday 29 October 2009

New projects approved for Niger Delta: The FG on Tuesday approved some 45 new projects aimed at easing tensions in the Niger Delta according to Information Minister Dora Akunyili.

Ransom demand for Soludo Snr.: The kidnappers of the 78-year-old father of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, Professor Chukuma Soludo, have demanded N500 million ransom for the release of their hostage.

Alleged bunkerers arrested: On Wednesday, 4 youths were arrested by the JTF for attempting to smuggle over 25,000 litres of crude oil, stashed in over one hundred drums, allegedly illegaly lifted from well points in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw communities.

Swine flu confirmed: A laboratory in Lagos reported that the swine flu virus was detected in a Nigerian patient in July this year.

Friday 30 October 2009

Fuel importation: The Presidency and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency have decided to withhold fuel importation licences for a period of one month.

NLC want referendum of fuel: The Nigeria Labour Congress President, Abdulwaheed Omar, called on the FG to subject the deregulation policy to a national referendum to test its popularity among Nigerians.

Government to auction office TVs: FG plans to auction the thousands of television sets it has collected from the offices of its ministries and parastatals, the Head of Service (HOS), Steve Oronsaye, has said.

Currency bribes: Evidence is out that Nigeria’s polymer bank note supplier, Securency International Pty Ltd, offered Vietnamese officials $5million dollars bribe to get the country to switch from paper money to the polymer notes.

In Brief:  Soludo’s kidnappers want dollars: Those responsible for the abduction of Simeon Soludo, are reported to have changed their ransom from naira to dollars equivalent.

 Shell cuts jobs: Royal Dutch Shell Plc, has said it is cutting 5,000 jobs to deal with the harsh economic environment.  The cut is part of a larger “Transition 2009″ restructuring programme. It envisages that 10% of the company’s 102,500 global workforce will be affected.

 Shell will fight Chinese: Shell have said that they will fight any possible efforts by the Nigerian government to hand control of its Nigerian fields to Chinese oil companies.