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Just IN : Fuel Subsidy Removal : Court stops NLC, TUC from embarking on strike action, pending the determination of suit by FG

The National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, from embarking on their planned strike to protest the unilateral removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice O. Y. Anuwe, barred the two organizations from proceeding with the strike action, pending the determination of a suit that was brought before it by FG.
The court held that the interim order, as well as the substantive suit, should be immediately served on both the NLC and the TUC, which were cited as defendants/respondents in the suit marked: NICN/ABJ/158/2023, even it fixed the matter for hearing on June 19.
The court order followed an ex-parte application that FG filed through the Federal Ministry of Justice.
FG’s lawyer, Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiru, who moved the application, maintained that the proposed strike action was capable of disrupting economic activities, the health sector and the educational sector.
FG further tendered Exhibits FGN 1, 2 and 3, which were notices from the NLC, TUC and the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, to their members, asking them to withdraw their services with effect from Wednesday, June 7.
The court, in its ruling, held that it was empowered by section 7(b) of the NIC Act, 2006, with the exclusive jurisdiction in matters relating to the grant of any order to restrain any person or body from taking part in any strike, lockout or any industrial action.
It held that sections 16 and 19(a) of the NIC Act 2006, also empowered it to grant urgent interim reliefs.
The court held that the affidavit of urgency as well as the submission of FG’s lawyer revealed: “a scenario that may gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation at large”.
“Counsel has pointed out that students of secondary schools nationwide, especially those writing WAEC exams nationwide, will be affected; the tertiary institutions who have only just resumed after a long ASUU strike will also be affected, not leaving the health sector, amongst other sectors; and above all, the economy of the nation.
“In my view, this is a situation of extreme urgency that will require the intervention of this court,” Justice Anuwe held.
According to the judge, “Having therefore considered the totality of this application, I make the following orders:
“The defendants/respondents are hereby restrained from embarking on the planned Industrial Action/or strike of any nature, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated 5th June 2023.
“It is ordered that the defendant/ respondents be immediately served with the originating processes in this suit, the motion on notice and the order of this court hereby made.
“The motion on notice is hereby fixed for hearing on 19th June 2023. Hearing notices to that effect shall be served on the defendants/respondents along with the other processes.”
Prior to the order, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, had in a notice that was signed by its General Secretary, M. J. Akwashiki, mobilised its members across the country to withdraw their services from Wednesday.
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$4.2 million in COVID-19 fraud : Dethronement of US-jailed Oba Joseph Oloyede imminent as Adeleke calls development ‘ugly’

• We await directives of govt — Kingmakers
• Adeleke’s intervention will douse tension — Ruling house
The dethronement of Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, who was recently jailed in the United States of America (USA) by District Judge Christopher Boyko over $4.2 million in COVID-19 fraud, is imminent as Governor Ademola Adeleke described the development as ‘ugly’.
Oba Oloyede, who was arrested in May 2024 was later jailed alongside Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi in August 2025, causing ripples in his community, Ipetumodu, the headquarters of Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.
It will be recalled that there was a crisis in the town during the week as princes, chiefs, and kingmakers clashed at a meeting over a call to dethrone Oba Oloyede after he was sentenced to prison in the US.
The kingmakers led by Asalu, Chief Sunday Afolabi Adedeji opposed the call arguing that the state government was yet to obtain a Certified True Copy(CTC) or give any directives.
However, Governor Adeleke after State Executive Council meeting held on Friday night where he reviewed policies and happenings in the state, frowned at the development in Ipetumodu.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi read in part: “He (Adeleke) further instructed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to take action on the ugly development at Ipetumodu where the King was recently jailed in the United States of America.”
Reacting to the development, an heir to the throne, Prince Olaboye Ayoola from the Aribile Ruling House commended Governor Adeleke for his directive noting that it will douse the existing tension in the town.
He said: “Since the embattled monarch was jailed, there is tension in our community, but the directive of the Governor will ease it now. The kingmakers who were opposing his dethronement will heed to the directive now.”
He urged the governor to ensure that Aribile ruling house replaces Oloyede and not move to Fagbemokun because the embattled king did not die but was jailed.
Contacted, Chief Adedeji said: “We can’t do anything outside the directive of the Commissioner, we will be waiting for his directive.”
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Tinubu and Macron have agreed to a stronger partnership for shared prosperity

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visit France President (yesterday
The two nations struck the deal during a “production lunch” at Élysée Palace by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Emmanuel Macron.
President Tinubu, who is on a 10-day working vacation in Europe made this agreement known through his verified X Handle @officialABAT.
He wrote: “Had a productive lunch with President Emmanuel Macron today(yesterday) at the Élysée Palace. We reviewed key areas of cooperation between Nigeria and France and agreed to deepen our partnership for mutual prosperity and global stability.”
The meeting underscores Tinubu’s continued diplomatic outreach during his time away from Abuja, with an emphasis on consolidating Nigeria’s strategic partnerships with France, one of its longstanding allies in trade, security, and development.
The Élysée Palace meeting adds to a growing record of high-level engagements between the two countries, which have in recent years broadened cooperation in energy, counterterrorism, climate action and investment promotion.
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$2 billion Fraud : Kyari, being probed over funding of the repair work on refineries, others, Says EFCC

Ex-GCEO: I have nothing to hide
Former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kolo Kyari, is being probed over funding of the repair work on refineries.
He was taken before investigators at the Abuja Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday.
As of 8:30pm, he had not been allowed to go, raising suspicion whether or not he was detained.
Under investigation, according to sources at the anti-graft agency, are:
•How the over $2 billion meant for Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) was spent: The money, it was learnt, was made available, thus: $1.55 billion to the Port Harcourt Refinery; $740.6 million (Kaduna Refinery) and $656.9 million (Warri Refinery).
•The contracts awarded during his tenure:
Kyari, before submitting himself to interrogation, had always insisted he had nothing to hide.
In a statement on his invitation, titled: “Hard questions, honest answers”, Kyari said: “I have done my part; the EFCC must do theirs. When each of us does our duty – without fear of favor, with honour, respect and commitment – Nigeria moves forward.”
On arrival at the EFCC headquarters, his international passport was seized.
The four state-run refineries are: Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) (2); Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC).
They have installed capacity to produce 445,000 barrels per day (bpd)
The two Port Harcourt refineries have a combined capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd), Warri has a capacity of 125,000 bpd and Kaduna has 110,000 bpd.
But the refineries remained non-functional for years despite several attempts to refurbish them.
About $18 billion has been sunk into TAM since 2010 but the refineries were still in poor state.
According to an EFCC source, Kyari was asked to “state how much was voted for TAM during his tenure, what was expended and the balance, if any.
“Detectives were also curious to know how N4.8 trillion was incurred as operating costs on the refineries when they weren’t working.
“The most crucial aspect of the investigation is why the refineries broke down shortly after repairs.
“Some of his former top officials have refunded money to the EFCC from TAM cash. Kyari is to explain what he knew about how the slush funds came about.”
The source said: “After the probe of TAM, Kyari will proceed to the second phase of the investigation, which is about the humongous contracts awarded during his tenure.
“So far, we have seized his international passport to limit his movement to the country in the course of investigation.”
TAM has been a major money pit of NNPC in the last three years, in particular.
On June 24, 2022, the Federal Executive Council awarded Maintenance Services for Quick Fix Repairs of Warri Refinery to Daewoo Engineering and Construction Limited at $497, 328, 500.
The contract was different from the 2017 job award to Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited for Tech Plant Survey of Warri and Kaduna Refineries at 2, 025, 000.32 Euros.
The rehabilitation of the Kaduna Refinery and Petro-Chemical Company (KRPC) had, in the past 10 years, gulped N2.26 billion.
The NNPCL approved a renovation deal with Daewoo Engineering and Construction Limited to renovate Kaduna Refinery in February 2023 to restore the refinery to production of 110,000 barrels of petrol per day and at least 60 per cent capacity by early last year.
Kyari was appointed NNPCL GCEO in 2019 and served till April 2, when his appointment was terminated.
On August 28, Kyari’s successor, Bayo Ojulari, said Nigeria lost between $300 million and $500 million monthly while the Port Harcourt Refinery was operating.
He said: “When I resumed, one of the first priorities I focused on was the refinery. I did a quick review to see if we could quickly fix it. What I found is that we were losing between $300 million to $500 million on a monthly basis in the refinery.
“We were pumping about 50,000 barrels of crude to go into the refinery. What was coming out was less than 40 per cent equivalent of what was coming in.”
Ojulari spoke in his Abuja office when he met with the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
After years of being in comatose, the NNPCL restarted the Port Harcourt Refinery in November, 2024. Kyari announced the reopening of the facility to a huge applause by Nigerians, but the operation was halted in May, barely one month after Ojulari’s resumption.
Ojulari said he halted the operation of the refinery to prevent further losses, and work towards a sustainable arrangement.
Ojulari explained: “The first thing we said was rather than continue to lose, let’s quickly stop and look for a way to put this refinery into a sustainably profitable venture.”
He said the NNPCL was working to revive the moribund refineries to operate at full capacity by adopting the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model (Public, Private, Partnership), which PENGASSAN advocated during the meeting.
The NNPCL chief said talks were on to find a viable solution to the refining crisis, ensuring the refineries become a sustainably profitable venture.
He said the national oil company had concluded a technical review for the three refineries, pointing out that the long term neglect and lack of maintenance were major reasons behind the huge losses recorded monthly, despite the huge investments to make them work.
The NNPCL chief, who explained that a lot of money has been spent on the refineries, admitted that it has been challenging to translate those funds into profitability.
He likened the situation of the refineries to parking an old car for some time without any greasing and oiling. He added that the Port Harcourt Refinery has been difficult to put back because of years of neglect and it’s been difficult: when you fix one thing, the other thing is still there.
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