TheNewsGuru

Tag: Agip Oil

  • Court stops Unity Bank, Agip oil from transacting with Delta community leadership

    Court stops Unity Bank, Agip oil from transacting with Delta community leadership

    A Chief Magistrate’ Court in Delta has granted order of interim injunction restraining Unity Bank Plc, from financial/contractual dealings with Oleh Community Development Association (OCDA) Delta, led by Chief Believe Alakri.

    Other entities restrained by the court from dealing with the embattled OCDA’s leadership are, Agip Oil Company of Nigeria Ltd., Heritage Energy Operational Services Ltd., and OML 30 Community Development Board.

    Chief Magistrate B.O. Williams granted the interim order of injunction following a motion ex-parte filed by aggrieved members of the OCDA led by Chief Israel Onokurefe.

    In a copy of the ruling and enrolled order, the court also restrained Alakri and members of his Executive Committee from parading themselves as the leaders of OCDA pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “I have heard the application by counsel to the plaintiff/applicant and as well gone through the exhibits attached thereto especially paragraphs 19, 11 and 14 of the supportive affidavit.

    “I am of the view that all parties are to stay any action as earlier ordered by the court,” the court held

    It will be recalled that on Dec. 27, 2023, in order to prevent breach of peace in the Delta community of Oleh, the court halted the conduct of election into the leadership of the Community Development Association.

    The order was sequel to an application by Chief Onakurefe and four others, alleging manipulation, violation of the association’s constitution and state guidelines against the outgoing President of the association.

    In the new motion filed by the applicants, they contended that the 3-year tenure of Alakri led leadership of the community association had expired.

    The applicants, however, alleged that in-spite of the expiration of the tenure, Alakri and his executive committee were still parading themselves as the leaders of the community’ association and conducting transactions and businesses on its behalf.

    Relying on the provision of Section 6:3 (C) (iv) of the Constitution of the association, they contended that because the election could not be conducted owing to pending litigation, they ought to have handed over to the Executive of the Joint Abroad Branch of the association.

    The section reads: “If there is a failure to hold annual conference in an election year, then, the tenure of the incumbent executive shall automatically expire.

    “A Board of Trustees shall swears in the Executive of the Joint Abroad Branch of.f the association to administer the union for a period of three months during which election shall be conducted and new executive sworn in”.

    The applicants, therefore prayed the court to stop the Alakri led executive from parading themselves as the leader of the association and Agip oil, Unity Bank, other from having any financial dealings with them.

  • Reps committee quizzes AGIP Oil over alleged tax evasion

    Reps committee quizzes AGIP Oil over alleged tax evasion

    The House of Representatives ad hoc committee on Joint Venture (JV) on Wednesday quizzed the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Ltd over alleged tax evasion.

    Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman ad hoc Committee investigating the Structure and Accountability of JV Business and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) of the NNPC said it was not out to witch-hunt anybody.

    He added that it be would be unfair for oil companies to evade taxes at a time the country was borrowing to fund budget.

    He said almost all the oil companies in the country had no Certificate of Acceptance of Fixed Assets (CAFA) yet they had been enjoying capital allowance claims in violation of the nation’s law.

    The committee said the oil companies did not have the right to choose the law their would, adding that ignorance of the law could not in any way be absolved.

    The  committee asked the representative of Agip if in the course of operations they had not short-changed the nation by way of profit tax and capital allowance

    The representatives of Agip which was led by Director, and General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Barry Nwibani said over the years they relied only on Petroleum Tax Act for payment of taxes.

  • Militants blow up Agip oil facility in Rivers

    Militants blow up Agip oil facility in Rivers

    Suspected militants have attacked an oil facility of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) located at Ogba-Egbema-Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The action signals resurgence of militancy aggression in the region.

    The new militant group in the Niger Delta region under the aegis of Bayan-Men which blew up the oil well, OB5, (Obiavu-5) claimed their action was triggered by an alleged failure of NAOC to deal directly with their host communities.

    Owning the attack on the facility which as at Sunday still have the inferno razing on the facility after a few days, the General of the Bayan-Men in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, on Sunday said their aggression was borne by a refusal of the oil firm to allow the natives to benefit from their operation in the area.

    Alleging that the firm was given to divide and rule tactics, the group demanded that the oil firm deal directly with the 27 communities of Omoku, according to the Federal Government resolution, threatening that a failure would attract stiffer aggression on the firm’s facilities.

    He was quoted: “The only thing we want Agip to do is to deal directly with the 27 communities of Omoku, according to the Federal Government resolution.

    “We don’t want Agip to be negotiating with anybody. They should deal with the communities. If they continue like this, what we have done now is small to what we will do if they continue.

    “They should not keep us together and treat us like one. They should treat communities individually.

    “We are not joking. We are not interested in killing anybody. Our interest is that they must do the right thing else we will keep blowing up their facilities. We are giving them 24 hours to start the process of doing the right thing.”

    In a reaction obtained, the Coordinator-General of Omoku Community Youth Leaders Forum, OCYLF, Comrade Ekeuku Pureheart, who confirmed the ugly development called on the Federal Government and its relevant Agencies to intervene swiftly before the situation degenerates into uncontrollable circumstances.

    He was quoted to have said: “Federal Government intervened a long time ago. Now some uncontrollable boys and some militia groups have blown up Agip oil well, OB5. Obiavu-5 is the name of the oil well.

    “The boys are still threatening that if Agip does not engage directly with the communities of Omoku and give them what is due them that they will do more.

    “We are calling on the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to intervene before things get out of hand. This may cause a drop in production. The government does not need any situation that will result in to further drop in production to occur.

    “The group is saying enough is enough. Agip is working with few individuals in Omoku to oppress the people and the boys are saying they will no longer take that.

    “The group is saying that Agip should deal with individual communities, that is what the law provides. Omoku is a cluster of communities. And the law says when you reach any land treat them differently and give them what is due them.

    “They should adhere to FG resolution of February 27th, 2021, and that agreement must be implemented in line with the Petroleum Industry Act. We are urging the FG to stop up to ensure that the agreement is implemented in full.”