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Malabu Oil Block: ex-minister Orubebe’s wife quizzed over N360m deals

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Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godsday Orubebe’s wife Maureen, has been grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a N500 million deal linked to the $1.092 billion Malabu Oil Block scandal.

Mrs. Orubebe is also being investigated for alleged money laundering.

She was alleged to have bought three assets from the company of one of the suspects on trial over the Malabu Oil Block Settlement Agreement.

The assets were alleged to be part of those which over $523 million (out of $1.06b) was used for.

Investigation showed that  the two properties valued at over N360 million, are located in Maitama and Katampe districts of Abuja.

Mrs. Orubebe allegedly paid N360 million to a firm, A. A. Oil which had been under probe by the anti-graft agency.

It was learnt she could not account for how she came about N360 million as a housewife.

A source at the anti-graft agency said: “Following the tracking of over $523million out of the $1.092 billion Malabu Oil Block cash by our investigators, it was discovered that part of it was used to acquire choice properties by one of the suspects implicated in the Settlement Agreement deal.

“In the process of tracing some of these assets, our operatives uncovered how two were sold to Mrs. Orubebe, who claimed to be a housewife.

“When we invited her, she said she had been into property business and that she sold a house in Apo District for N100million whose proceed  she used to buy a duplex on Panama Street in Maitama.”

The source added: “We have grilled her but because of COVID-19, we released her on bail.”

The OPL245 is an offshore oil block with about nine billion barrels of crude.

It was auctioned for $1.3 billion (about 1.1 billion euros).

Although the Federal Government received only $210 million as Signature Bonus, about $1.092 billion was traced to a London bank account which was suspected to be slush funds allegedly used to bribe some middle men and politicians in the country.

A former President was accused of benefiting about $200 million as proceeds from the Malabu oil deal.

About $523 million out of the $1.092 billion paid for the block was shared out as bribes to some former ministers and politicians.

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Nigeria meets 96% OPEC quota in Aug., as output averages 1.63mbpd – NUPRC

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Nigeria’s upstream oil sector has recorded a year-on-year output increase, averaging 1.63 million barrels per day (bopd) of crude oil and condensates in August 2025,

This is an improvement from 1.58 million bopd in the same period 2024.

This is based on Crude Oil and Condensate Production for August 2025 report, released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Saturday.

The report was signed by its Head, Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu.

It said that Nigeria’s crude oil output in August met 96 per cent of its Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota, set at 1.5mbpd.

It said that the performance demonstrated the country’s capacity to meet its production targets under the OPEC agreement.

“A breakdown of August 2025 production comprised 1.43 million bopd of crude oil, which grew by 5.47 per cent compared to August 2024, which posted a daily crude oil average of 1.36 million bopd.

“This reflects a steady recovery and improved operational performance across the industry,” it said.

The report said that daily condensate production in August stood at 197,229 bpd, reflecting a slight decline from 220,435 bpd in August 2024.

It said that on a month-on-month basis, there was a slight drop of 4.7 per cent in combined crude oil and condensate production from 1.71 million bopd in July.

“Similarly, crude oil production itself declined by 4.8 per cent, down from 1.5 million bopd in July 2025.

“The month-on-month drop was driven by a single day unscheduled maintenance at an oil facility.

“In the month of August, the lowest and peak combined crude and condensate production were 1.59 million bopd and 1.85 million bopd respectively.

“In the month under review, Forcados Terminal topped the production charts, delivering a total of 8.99 million barrels, including 8.08 million barrels of crude oil and 915.2k barrels of condensates,” it said.

It said Bonny Terminal followed closely, after producing a combined 6.26 million barrels, consisting of 5.8 million barrels of crude and 418,270 barrels of condensates.

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BREAKING: Fubara arrives Port Harcourt Airport

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The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has arrived the Port Harcourt Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.

Fubara’s aircraft touched down at about 11.55am as his supporters waited for him to step down from the aircraft.

 

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Tinubu has concluded his work vacation ahead of schedule and will return to Abuja on Tuesday, Says Onanuga

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President Bola Tinubu will on Tuesday, September 16, return to Abuja to resume official duties after ending his vacation earlier than planned.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement on Monday.

He said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has concluded his work vacation ahead of schedule and will return to Abuja on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to resume official duties.”

The President had departed Nigeria for France on September 4, 2025, to spend part of his annual holiday. He was initially scheduled to split the period between France and the United Kingdom.

While in Paris, Tinubu held a private luncheon with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.

Both leaders reportedly reviewed key areas of bilateral cooperation and agreed to strengthen partnerships in pursuit of mutual prosperity and global stability.

This trip is Tinubu’s seventh visit to Paris since assuming office in May 2023 and his first since the BRICS summit in July and August’s TICAD9 in Japan.

In the first nine months of 2025, the President has undertaken 15 international trips across 11 countries.

These include high-level summits, bilateral engagements, presidential inaugurations, and annual leaves.

On January 6, Tinubu kicked off his diplomatic itinerary with a visit to Accra, the capital of the Republic of Ghana, to attend the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama on January 7.

He was in the United Arab Emirates to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Summit from January 12 – 16, where he held side meetings with Gulf investors and officials on trade and energy cooperation.

From January 27-28, he visited Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit.

February saw the President travel to France before attending the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia, where he joined other African leaders in discussions on regional security, climate adaptation, and continental trade integration under the AfCFTA.

From April 2-21, Tinubu embarked on a two-week working visit that included France and the United Kingdom.

In mid-May, the President travelled to Vatican City, attending the historic inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

From June 28 to July 4, Tinubu undertook a landmark state visit to Saint Lucia, where he addressed CARICOM leaders in Castries.

From Saint Lucia, he proceeded to Brazil, arriving in Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit (July 4–7).

The Brazil visit continued into August, with President Tinubu returning for a two-day state visit.

This came after he visited Japan in the same month to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, where he pitched Nigeria’s investment readiness to Japanese multinationals and met Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on maritime security and digital infrastructure.

Before he arrived in Japan, Tinubu and his entourage stopped over in Dubai, UAE, on August 15 and arrived in Yokohama early in the morning on August 18.

It was his second visit to the Gulf state within the year.

In September, he again embarked on a working vacation to the United Kingdom and France, his third visit to Paris this year and second to London.

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