FG under fire over $1b anti-Boko Haram battle plan

FG’s request for $1b from the Excess Crude Account to bolster the anti-Boko Haram war has come under criticism from stakeholders in the Niger Delta region.

The federal government’s request for $1b from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to bolster the anti-Boko Haram war has come under criticism from some stake holders in the Niger Delta region.

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The Nation reports that the minister of defence, Dan-Ali, during the retirement/graduation of 403 soldiers who underwent skills acquisition training at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi, Lagos, explained that the money was needed to finish off the degraded Boko Haram sect.

He said the $1b was among the initiatives needed by the federal government to ensure that Boko Haram is finally degraded.

But Governor Wike of Rivers state said that special cash should also be given to Niger Delta to battle insecurity and environmental degradation.

He said while he would not condemn the release of a $1billion to tackle Boko Haram, the environmental and security challenges in the Niger Delta far outweighed the Boko Haram conflict.

Guardian reports that the $1b anti-Boko Haram battle plan was faulted by stakeholders in the Niger Delta region and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The newspaper states that some stakeholders in the region described the approval given by governors as discriminatory.

They also called on the National Assembly to block the fund and demand complete breakdown of how the money would be spent.

Meanwhile, the Punch reports that the threats by members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to embark on a nationwide strike from Monday, December 18, has worsened the lingering petrol scarcity in many parts of the country.

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The newspaper stated that the scarcity was severe on Sunday, December 17, in Lagos, Abuja, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states as many filling stations were shut.

Many fillings stations that dispensed petrol refused to sell the commodity on Sunday, as some of their managers stated that they were obeying the directives of PENGASSAN.

In other news, the attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has confirmed that United Kingdom has given the final clearance for Nigeria to draw down a whopping $85 million seized from entities embroiled in the controversial Malabu Oil scam.

Malami told Vanguard on Sunday, December 17, that the money was not yet in the coffers of Nigeria but would soon be repatriated.

Malami said: “Final judicial order for the remittance of the money to the Federal Government of Nigeria was granted by the UK’s court on Friday and the money is now due for remittance any moment from now.”

To business report, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, has announced that the award of $2,809,522,548.36 gas pipeline contract designed to run from Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano.

According to This Day, the presidential spokesperson stated that the 614 kilometre 40-inch pipeline contract was presented by the minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, and approved last week by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Nigerian expresses frustration over scarcity of fuel on NAIJ.com TV

Source: Naija.ng