The Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Darlington Oji, has disclosed that about 15 Special Advisers to the governor were duly approved by the Rivers State House of Assembly before the current political crisis in the State.

Oji made the disclosure in a Television programme in Port Harcourt, recently, while reacting to issues surrounding appointments, the impeachment moves against the governor and his deputy, and allegations of financial mismanagement.

He clarified that the appointment of Special Advisers was carried out in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, and received the approval of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, before the crisis began.

According to the Special Adviser, the appointments did not require any further screening, countering claims that the governor violated due process in constituting his advisory team.

On the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, Oji described the process as unfounded and lacking constitutional backing.

He said that several lawmakers who initially supported the impeachment move were now reconsidering their stance after discovering that the process had no legal basis.

Oji also attributed the impeachment plot to personal and political ambitions, saying it is not motivated by the interest or welfare of the people of Rivers State.

Speaking on the financial position of the State after the Emergency Rule, the Special Adviser disclosed that the governor met about ?600 billion in the state’s coffers upon assumption of office.

He explained that the availability of funds enabled the administration to continue governance smoothly without the need for a supplementary budget.

The governor’s aide also refuted allegations of financial mismanagement against the governor, and stressed that all allocations to lawmakers and constituency projects were transparently handled.

He maintained that the Fubara administration remained focused on development, stability, and good governance despite the political distractions in the State.

Oji expressed confidence that the impeachment moves would eventually be abandoned as legislators and the public become more informed, adding that the governor’s leadership has continued to reassure citizens and sustain political stability in the State.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has said Nigeria will begin exporting urea in 2028 as the country positions itself as a major hub for value-added oil and gas products.

The authority also disclosed that Nigeria would soon commence large-scale fertiliser exports.

The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Saidu Mohammed, made this known while fielding questions from journalists during a tour of facilities at Indorama Eleme Fertiliser and Chemicals Limited in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Wednesday.

The visit was part of his three-day tour of selected midstream and downstream oil and gas facilities in Rivers State.

According to Mohammed, Nigeria is striving to become a major hub for value-added products in the oil and gas industry, noting that the midstream sector is critical and requires significant investment to unlock its full potential.

He said the country had no reason to continue importing value-added products such as urea and fertilisers, particularly given the scale of private-sector investments currently being made in the sector.

“The midstream segment of the oil and gas business is a tremendous one that requires massive investment. We need between $30bn and $50bn today if we are to put Nigeria on the right footing as a hub not only for oil and gas but also for secondary derivatives,” he said.

“Value-added products like fertilisers and urea are things Nigeria has no business importing. With the expansion going on at Indorama and several other facilities, including Dangote Fertiliser, I am confident that within the next 24 months, Nigeria will join the league of urea-exporting countries, which is where we should be.

“And this is not just about being an energy hub, but also a hub for secondary derivatives of oil and gas,” Mohammed added.

The NMDPRA boss commended Indorama for its level of investment, describing it as a clear demonstration of the kind of development Nigeria needs in the midstream sector.

“It is a manifestation of what Nigeria needs. We require more midstream investments — fertiliser plants and other value-addition initiatives on our hydrocarbon resources — to propel the nation forward,” he said.

Explaining the choice of Rivers State for the facility tour, Mohammed said the state was selected because of its strategic importance to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, hosting key national assets including refineries, processing plants and manufacturing facilities.

“The midstream and downstream segments are well represented in Rivers State. Whatever aspect of gas processing, manufacturing or refining we want to see, we can find it here.

“We selected a few facilities to give us an overview of activities in the sector. That is the essence of this visit,” he said.

He added that the authority’s role was to create an enabling environment for operators to thrive while attracting additional investments into the sector.

“The authority is here to facilitate, provide support, and create the right environment for operators to expand investments, while we also attract more investors into the sector,” Mohammed said.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Indorama Eleme Fertiliser and Chemicals Limited, Mr Munish Jindal, said the visit was important as it allowed the regulator to better appreciate operations, achievements and challenges in the midstream sector.

Jindal, who noted that Indorama had been operating in Nigeria for over 20 years, said the NMDPRA chief had played a role in the establishment of the company.

“We thank the authorities for the understanding they have developed over the years for the midstream industry. In the early days, it was challenging to explain our operational realities and needs, but that understanding has significantly improved over the past 18 years,” he said.

While expressing appreciation for the current regulatory framework, Jindal said some existing provisions were no longer relevant to midstream manufacturing companies and had requested exemptions.

“There are one or two issues that may benefit the oil and gas industry generally, but are no longer relevant to midstream manufacturers like us. We have requested that the authority look into these areas and consider exemptions where appropriate,” he said.

The tour of midstream and downstream facilities in Rivers State by the NMDPRA chief and his team ends on Friday (today) with Mohammed indicating that further visits to facilities in other states would follow, noting that three days were insufficient to cover all relevant areas.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu said the US-Nigeria military and security cooperation has translated into tangible operational gains.

Ribadu said this in Abuja, yesterday at the inauguration of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group.

“I would like to place firmly on record Nigeria’s appreciation for the depth, quality and impact of US-Nigeria military and security cooperation.

“Since the November 2025 engagements, this cooperation has translated into tangible operational gains.”

He listed some of the gains to include enhanced intelligence sharing, closer coordination between US AFRICOM and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters,  and sustained engagement across Nigeria security institutions.

“It has materially strengthened our counter-terrorism posture and situational awareness across multiple theatres of operation” Ribadu said.

The NSA said the engagements had moved decisively beyond dialogue to action and had supported improved target identification and operational fidelity.

He said the engagements had also strengthened joint planning, and enabled more effective disruption of terrorist networks and transnational criminal elements.

According to him, these efforts have resulted in the neutralisation of many terrorists, the destruction of logistics hubs, and the interception of key facilitators and logisticians.

He commended the US commitment to the timely delivery of outstanding articles of war such as drones, helicopters, platforms, spare parts, and associated support systems procured over the past five years.

Ribadu said the cooperation had been conducted with respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty, within agreed frameworks, and with a clear emphasis on joint operations, accountability and the protection of civilians.

He said the Federal Government had taken deliberate and decisive steps to confront insecurity with the formal declaration of security emergencies in vulnerable and high risk areas by President Bola Tinubu.

The NSA said the president had authorised intensified joint operations, and directed the sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations, particularly those communities experiencing recurrent attacks on civilians and religious groups.

“These directives have been matched with concrete action.

“Nigeria is expanding early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms, developing a national database to serve as a single, authoritative source of accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties arising from violence.

“This effort will strengthen evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and the effectiveness of security responses,” he said.

Ribadu said investigations and prosecutions relating to attacks on religious communities had been intensified to ensure that violence was met not only with force, but with justice and accountability.

According to him, Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens, Christians, Muslims, and those of other beliefs is non-negotiable.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the current engagement represented the third high-level engagement by senior U.S. government leadership since Nigeria’s delegation visit in November 2025.

He said the bilateral engagement was a reflection of not only a shared commitment to religious freedom and civilian protection, but also a mature strategic relationship grounded in trust, candour, and shared responsibility.

According to him, we want Nigerians to know that this partnership is working and yielding tangible gains, and to please bear with us.

In her remark, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said the US partnership with Nigeria was built on shared interest in investment, security, energy and regional security.

She said the focus of the meeting was to work together to deter violence against communities, prioritizing countering terrorism and insecurity, investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable.

Hooker said the idea was to reduce the number of killings, forced displacements, and abductions in parts of the country.

“We appreciate Nigeria’s close cooperation with the US on degrading terrorists’ capabilities to perpetrate violence against communities.

“The Dec. 25 airstrikes were closely coordinated with Nigeria and we will continue to work with them to defeat these heinous groups,” she said.