The deaths of more than 100 people following an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in Imo state has thrown a spotlight on the lucrative world of illicit refining, which the BBC's Mayeni Jones and Josephine Casserly have been investigating.

Hours by car, motorbike and on foot brought us to a remote illegal oil refinery - a site recently raided and shut down by the authorities.

The smell of oil hits the nostrils first before anything is visible. Then, the lush green vegetation falls away and we arrive at a blackened clearing.

There are puddles of oil on the floor, with burnt, black tree trunks rising from them. The earth is so charred it looks like the scene of a volcanic eruption.

This is part of a creek in the Niger Delta, a dense network of waterways in southern Nigeria.

An oil slick glimmers on the water and what must once have been mangroves is now a tangle of bare, grey branches, their roots tinted with oil.

We are accompanied by local politician, Chidi Lloyd, and his team, who explain how stolen crude oil was brought here by boat.

In the middle of the clearing are two big, rusting metal cauldrons where crude oil was refined or "cooked".

A fire is lit in a pit under the cauldron and the crude oil is heated and condensed into different petroleum products from kerosene to diesel. The heated oil is then funnelled into a cooling chamber.

But this process does not always go to plan - and when it fails, it causes explosions, which can be deadly, such as the one last Friday.

The large death toll reflects how illegal oil refining has become such a huge employer in Niger Delta over the last decade - in a country where unemployment is soaring.

Workers camp out at refineries like this for weeks at a time, often working at night for those behind a highly organised enterprise that involves technical, logistical and financial expertise.

The government estimates that over the last year, more than $3bn (£2.4bn) of oil was stolen. This crude oil, which is siphoned off from official pipelines and then refined in the bush, is sold on the black market in Nigeria or exported.

Soot v 'starvation'

The pollution caused by these refineries is not only felt in the immediate vicinity.

The gas produced in oil extraction is often burnt off, instead of re-used, in an air-polluting practice called gas flaring. But it is not only informal refineries that do this - even though it is against the law - oil companies are at it too.

But as the illegal oil business has been growing, gas flaring has intensified and air pollution has worsened.

It is immediately apparent driving into Port Harcourt, the major city in the Niger Delta.

A thick black cloud of soot hangs in the air, sometimes it is so dense that is impossible to see anything beyond 30m (100ft).

A night spent sleeping in the city can leave a black residue around the nose, despite having the windows closed. A doctor at a local hospital says he is seeing increasing numbers of patients with respiratory problems linked to the pollution.

But some, like Osaja who lives in a lavish mansion in the city and asked us not to use his real name, think this is a price worth paying.

In his soft voice he tells us that he runs two illegal refineries and is involved in supplying stolen oil, as well as refining and selling it.

His collection of luxury sports cars and swimming pool hint at his wealth.

"Is it not better you live with in a polluted environment than you die of starvation? If you are hungry will you smell anything?

"If the reason for the pollution is generating enough funds for everybody to live, you'll even forget that there's pollution," he says.

'Modern-day Robin Hood'

Some of those who have failed to find jobs elsewhere agree.

A photographer in his 30s tell us how he started doing jobs at a refinery in the bush when he could not find enough work.

He "cooked" the crude oil - which produces a lot of smoke that the workers inhale. He said when it went wrong and explosions occurred they would run into the creek, but that did not always bring safety as if there was oil on the water it would catch fire.

Airtel Africa has confirmed that Central Bank of Nigeria has awarded its subsidiary, Airtel Mobile Commerce Nigeria Ltd, with a full super-agent licence.

According to the firm, this licence will allow it to create an agency network that can service customers of licenced banks, payment service banks, and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.

In a statement, the firm said, “Further to our announcement of 15 November 2021, Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with presence in 14 countries across Africa, today confirms that the CBN has awarded its subsidiary, Airtel Mobile Commerce Nigeria Ltd, with a full super-agent licence.

“The licence allows us to create an agency network that can service the customers of licenced Nigerian banks, payment service banks and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.”

Super agents are firms approved by CBN to recruit agents for agency banking, such as financial services within communities on behalf of banks in order to deepen financial inclusion.

This development is coming about five months after the telco was granted an approval-in-principle licence.

The supreme court has affirmed the nullification of the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Andy Uba, in the November 2021 Anambra governorship election.

In the judgment delivered on Tuesday, the apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of justices, held that Uba did not emerge through a valid primary.

The court held that the primary which produced Uba was conducted in breach of the party’s guidelines.

George Moghalu, an aspirant in the APC primary election, had approached the court challenging the process and the outcome of the primary.

He sought N122.5 million in damages, including a return of the cost paid for expression of interest and nomination forms, as well as N100 million “for the breach of contract to commence and conclude primary election”.

In a judgment delivered in December 2021, Inyang Ekwo, a federal high court judge, had held that the primary that produced Uba was not validly conducted as it was in breach of the electoral act and the party’s constitution.

He had described the conduct of the primary by APC as “crude and primitive” and ordered INEC to delete Uba’s name from its record as a candidate in the election.

Ekwo had also ordered the party to refund the N22.5 million paid by Moghalu for expression of interest and nomination forms.

The appeal court, on February 23, said it found no reason to set aside the high court judgment that disqualified Uba and the APC.

The decision was affirmed by the apex court on Tuesday.

New pictures of the persons abducted by gunmen during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack have surfaced online.

The victims were abducted when bandits attacked a Kaduna-bound train on March 28.

Eight passengers were killed during the train attack, while a yet-to-be-confirmed number of persons were kidnapped.

In one of the pictures, the victims were women and kids seated on the floor while the second picture showed men, with half of them standing and the other half seated.

Abdulfatai Jimoh, chairman of the forum of the abductees’ families, confirmed that the pictures were just released.

“Yes, the pictures are true. They are pictures of the victims. I’ve seen them. The one of the men and the ones of women and children,” Jimoh said.

He added that the families were still praying that the victims are found safely.

TheCable had reported that the bandits contacted several family members of the kidnapped passengers, demanding various amounts as ransom to facilitate the release of the captives.

The ransom reportedly demanded by the kidnappers ranges from N5 million to N100 million.

The bandits are also said to be demanding the release of 16 of their top commanders and sponsors in government custody in exchange for the hostages.

Alwan Hassan, acting managing director/chief executive officer of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), who was also abducted during the attack was later released by the bandits because of his “old age”.

A video of the abductees appealing to the federal government for help had earlier surfaced on social media.

Following the release of the video, family members of the abducted victims had  issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the federal government to ensure the safe rescue of the abductees.

Meanwhile, the federal government has said it is making efforts to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.

Russia will on Wednesday stop supplying gas to Poland and Bulgaria, the two NATO and EU members said, an escalation in the deepening rift between the West and Moscow over Ukraine as tensions also surged in neighbouring Moldova, reported.

Kyiv accused Moscow of blackmailing Europe and of trying to drag Moldova into the conflict after authorities in the Moscow-backed region of Transdniestria said they had been targeted by a series of attacks.

Staunch Kremlin opponent Poland is among the European countries seeking the toughest possible sanctions against Russia for invading its neighbour.

Poland's state-owned PGNiG (PGN.WA) said supplies from energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) via Ukraine and Belarus will be cut at 0800CET (0600GMT) on Wednesday, but Warsaw said it did not need to draw on reserves and its gas storage was 76% full.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on "unfriendly" countries to pay for gas imports in roubles, a move only a few buyers have implemented so far.

"The ultimate goal of Russia's leadership is not just to seize the territory of Ukraine, but to dismember the entire centre and east of Europe and deal a global blow to democracy," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Tuesday.

His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Russia was "beginning the gas blackmail of Europe".

"Russia is trying to shatter the unity of our allies," Yermak said.

Bulgaria, which is almost completely reliant on Russian gas imports, said it had fulfilled all its contractual obligations with Gazprom and that the proposed new payment scheme was in breach of the arrangement.

It has held initial talks to import liquefied natural gas through neighbouring Turkey and Greece.

Gazprom said it had not yet suspended supplies to Poland but that Warsaw had to pay for gas in line with its new "order of payments." It declined to comment regarding Bulgaria.

The invasion of Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, has left thousands dead or injured, reduced towns and cities to rubble, and forced more than 5 million people to flee abroad.

Moscow calls its actions a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists.

Ukraine and the West say this a false pretext for an unprovoked war to seize territory in a move that has sparked fears of wider conflict in Europe unseen since World War Two.

Russia's ambassador to the United States has warned Washington to stop sending arms to Ukraine, saying that large Western deliveries of weapons were inflaming the situation.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned late on Monday that: "NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war," saying the risks of nuclear conflict should not be underestimated.

U.S. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there was no reason for the conflict in Ukraine to escalate to nuclear war. "A nuclear war cannot be won and it shouldn't be fought," he said.

In Transdniestria, an unrecognised sliver of land bordering southwestern Ukraine, authorities said explosions had damaged two radio masts that broadcast in Russian and that one of its military units had been attacked.

It provided few details, but blamed Ukraine, while Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu blamed the "escalation attempts" on "pro-war" factions in Transdniestria. read more

Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. The Kremlin, which has troops and peacekeepers in the region, said it was seriously concerned.

Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic with close cultural ties to NATO member Romania, expressed alarm last week after a top Russian general said Moscow aims to forge a path through Ukraine to Transdniestria.

Meanwhile fighting continued in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Russia's defence ministry said its forces had "liberated" the entire Kherson region in southern Ukraine and parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions, Interfax news agency reported.

If confirmed, that would represent a significant Russian advance.

One of Putin's closest allies, Nikolai Patrushev, said Ukraine was spiralling towards a collapse into "several states" due to what he cast as a U.S. attempt to use Kyiv to undermine Russia.

More than 40 countries met in Germany to discuss Ukraine's defence.

Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters while flying to Tuesday's meeting that the next few weeks in Ukraine would be "very, very critical".

In potential humanitarian relief, Putin agreed "in principle" to U.N. and International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) involvement to evacuate civilians from a besieged steel plant in Mariupol, according to the United Nations.

The UN’s annual report on mitigating calamities shows that a radical rethink is needed to protect those who suffer most

If the world seems beset by constant disasters, from the pandemic to drought, we only have ourselves to blame.

Over the past two decades, we have experienced up to 500 disasters a year as a result of human activity. By 2030, this could rise to 560 a year – or 107 a week.

Given the disproportionate impact these disasters have on the most vulnerable, the tragedy is that the world is actively reversing social and economic gains, particularly in developing countries, by underestimating the threat. With this broken risk perception, humanity itself is on a spiral of self-destruction – a key finding of the UN’s Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 (Gar 2022).

Not only are the most exposed developing countries left with just a negligible share of international funding to prevent disasters or mitigate their impact, they are also the least insured, leaving the poorest to pay the highest cost. The world’s priorities are not aligned to those facing the greatest risk.

Climate change and disaster impacts are set to displace 216 million people inside their own countries by 2050, and push 132 million into poverty by 2030.

To prevent this, and shore up progress made around the world in reducing poverty, governments, development actors and the financial sector must reconfigure the way disaster risk is seen and managed. All sectors need to properly measure the true costs. For instance, the Asia-Pacific region loses an average of 1.6% of GDP to disasters each year, while Africa loses an average of 0.6%.

Yet “financing disaster risk” is too often isolated from other forms of risk management, leaving planners blind to the true cost of the climate crisis, which is causing that same dramatic increase in the number of disasters.

In reconfiguring how we manage these true costs, development projects, financial investments and governments should carry out regular social and environmental impact assessments to account for risk and indirect impacts so often neglected in these analyses.

More investment could then be better directed towards disaster risk reduction, which accounted for less than 5% of disaster-related aid financing between 2010 and 2019, and a minuscule portion of the global development pot.

Reducing the risk and impact of disasters around the world also means addressing the behavioural biases that too often place potential disasters far away, and far into the future. Global, regional and national institutions urgently need more systems that factor in how human minds make decisions about risk, considering the various biases that feed into this thinking. In particular, insurance and financial products should be reconfigured to incentivise risk reduction decisions.

After the 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Chile, its government helped incentivise safe construction by providing funds to poor families to cover the cost of “half a good house” that adhered to building codes, while allowing the personalisation of homes. Other tools, such as “opt-out” disaster insurance, could help overcome human decision-making barriers.

The increasing scale and frequency of disasters have made it clear that risk systems need to work with, not just for, affected people, to achieve the greatest possible buy-in.

In Nepal, flood early-warning systems come with flood risk communications co-designed with the most vulnerable communities themselves, resulting in a clear reduction in deaths due to flooding.

When the risk of disaster is largely of our own making, the silver lining is that it is within our power to stop it. The world has two opportunities to come together to act on the recommendations of Gar 2022. The first is the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, from 23-28 May, in Bali, Indonesia. The second is the Midterm Review of the implementation of the UN’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will conclude in 2023.

Policy, finance and development sectors must start by accounting for risk and investing in inclusive risk reduction, particularly in the most affected countries. Only then can we protect the most vulnerable while safeguarding the social and economic gains made worldwide.

• Mami Mizutori is the UN secretary general’s special representative for disaster risk reduction and head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has shortlisted 18 firms from among 75 bidders seeking to operate and toll 12 economically viable highways on a concession basis.

The ministry has also concluded the evaluating proposals for phase one of the Value-Added Concession (VAC) under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), revealed a statement from Hakeem Bello, spokesman of the minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday.

The 12 roads of 1,963 kilometres will be managed by technically and financially capable private sector firms/consortia. They are Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Katsina, Onitsha-Owerri-Aba, Sagamu-Benin and Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga.

The rest are Kano-Maiduguri (Kano-Shuarin), Kano-Maiduguri (Potiskum-Damaturu), Lokoja-Benin, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta and Lagos-Badagry-Seme.

The winning operators are expected to add value to the roads, construct and operate tolling facilities, as well as install and operate weighbridges.

The bid evaluation process was approved on Thursday at the Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting chaired by Fashola, where the head, Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) unit of the ministry, Abimbola Asein, said proposed preferred/reserved bidders had been identified.

The process started on March 29, 2021, with the opening of the HDMI portal, and by May, 2021, 75 firms/consortia submitted valid applications.

A team evaluated the bids and prequalified 18 firms who proceeded from October, 2021, to February, 2022, when the Request For Proposals (RFP) were opened.

The due diligence of the 18 firms are ongoing and bidders can be disqualified if they falsify submissions, the ministry said.

The ministry afterwards will negotiate the technical and financial terms and get a nod from the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and approval of Compliance Certificate by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before signing the concession agreement to finalise the contract.

Angel investor and CEO, Badal Shah, breaks down the boxes every entrepreneur must check.

Today's investors are looking for a lot more than just a clear and present pitch. Apart from the executive team and business plan---prospective players want to be assured their investment is sound while the company has real plans for growth. 

Badal Shah is a multiple-exit entrepreneur with experience in chemical manufacturing, real estate software and healthcare technology. He currently serves as the CEO for his own start up, The Anthos Group, while also being on the board of directors at The Federal Savings Bank and Cabrera Capital Holdings. Herein the active angel investor shares some of the key characteristics he looks for in promising start-ups...

People plus passion

Active investors have heard hundreds of promises regarding the "next big thing". What pitches often miss, however, is the "wow factor". It is essential to highlight actual passion for the project in question.

"I am inspired by people," says Shah. "Those that have tested new concepts, pivoted from their first love and created something that the public is willing to make part of their lives."

Real passion must always radiate from the actual pitch.

Thesis and fit

Start up companies and investors play a lot of matchmaking. In many cases, new businesses bypass an investment because the chemistry just wasn't there. It is important to identify this early on because neither side wants to be micro-managed, or deal with extra stress, in an already high-stress situation.

"It's always difficult to balance being humble with being direct about why your company is the best and most investable opportunity," says Shah. 

Building relationships, accommodating to the investor's schedule, and presenting in ways they prefer are important factors that go beyond the actual pitch.

Transparency

When a company asks for a large sum of money, honesty is expected by an investor. As the founders build a relationship with an interested party, it is imperative that they are transparent about all areas of their lives so that the same trust can carry on through the relationship.

"I need to understand the founders philosophies, family life and hobbies," says Shah. "These are important attributes to understand if they can handle the marathon in front of them."

An investor looks at the big picture, so it is important to share all of the details.

"They can have great concepts, but what is their support structure like?" asks Shah. "If it is not intact, the investment can be risky." 

Strategic raise

Remember that founders are always in capital raise mode. It may not necessarily be in a formal presentation, but you are constantly being evaluated as you share your ideas with new contacts. The company and your coworkers rely on you for the well-being of this venture.

"A great founder should always be raising capital from strategic investors," says Shah. "The greatest time to raise capital is when the company does not need it." 

Listening skills

"Is the CEO an active listener?" asks Shah. "If they are listening, and willing to continuously learn, you have someone that is going to succeed."

The open mind can reach new levels while a closed one misses opportunities. Every entrepreneur can identify certain advice that changed their course. While founders may be the technical experts, they should always be open to ideas and guidance.

"If they are not actively listening?" adds Shah. "It is a dangerous sign and my check is off the table."

When owners are pitching, they are being evaluated far beyond whatever their concept might be. Relationship building, synchronization and transparency will cultivate your meet-and-greets with investors and, as a result, put your business in a great position to succeed.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, has declared openly that he and the people of Ogun state would give their support to the presidential ambition of  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to enable him continue with some of the laudable projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. 

He stated this today while receiving the Vice President at a stakeholders meeting held at the Akarigbo Palace Sagamu, the Alake Palace in Abeokuta and the Presidential Lodge, Ibara, Abeokuta, as well as the Palace of Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland. 

Abiodun said Osinbajo, in the last seven years, has contributed immensely to the many successes recorded by the federal government, noting that he “is eminently qualified to lead the country”. 

In his words Governor Abiodun said “the Vice President presence here is homecoming. We are pleased with his decision to run for the office of the president. He is competent and committed to leading the country in a higher capacity.

“Your steadfastness, integrity and character are all well known. You are serving this country and the president meritoriously for the last seven years as the vice president. We have no doubt that you will do well as the president and we will support you,” Abiodun stated.

The governor, who extolled the VP’s academic exploits and recalled how he stood behind his gubernatorial election described him as a man who is interested in fairness, justice, equity and the Rule of Law.

Responding, Osinbajo said he was not in the state to campaign, but to inform his people of his intention to run for the office of the president.

He said he had consulted widely across all sections of the society, including President Muhammadu Buhari before he threw his hat into the ring to succeed his boss.

Recounting his contributions to the present federal government, Osinbajo said he was actively involved in the Nation's judicial reforms and its repositioning to work optimally and ensure that judges were adequately enumerated.

He said his working with Buhari had exposed him to governance at the highest level and placed him in a position to tackle serious issues concerning the economy and security, among others.

“The Vice President's position is an opportunity to serve and I have served with utmost loyalty. I put everything into my work. I am a candidate who will hit the ground running when I am elected.

“I have the requisite knowledge to do the job and build on what others have put in place. My presidency will bring peace, unity and development to the country”, the VP said.

“After all I have learnt if called upon to serve the nation, should I say No? I have decided that I will run for the office. I have sworn an oath to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is an oath to our people, our children and the future of Nigeria. I owe nobody else any allegiance outside the oath,” he added.

Osinbajo, who commended the Abiodun-led administration for the giant strides it has recorded in the last three years, expressed hope that his quest to lead the country would be fruitful.

The Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, in his remarks, posited that the vice president was competent with the required qualification to lead the nation, stressing that his performance as the acting president was there for all to see.

Speaking on the ambition of the Vice President, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, attested to the competence of Osinbajo, saying: “the vice president has paid his dues and is eminently qualified to succeed as President.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised alarm over what it called plans by criminal elements to return the country to the pre-2015 era reminiscent of IED attacks on soft and hard targets in parts of the country.

DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said in a statement that though there are already reported cases of such incidents in some areas, the Service has uncovered a ploy by suspected criminal gangs to forge an alliance among themselves with a view to launching further attacks on critical infrastructure and other frequented public places like worship and relaxation centres, especially during and after the holidays and festive celebrations.

“The objective is to achieve some self- serving interests as well as cause fear among the citizenry,” he said in the statement.

“The Service, however, recalls its earlier warning that some groups and individuals were plotting to stoke violence in the country.

“Following these, patrons, owners and managers of aforementioned public places are advised to be wary of this development and implement basic security measures to deter the threats.

While the Service is committed to the disruption of this trend and pattern of violent attacks, it will continue to partner with other security agencies to ensure that necessary drills are emplaced in order that public peace and order are not jeopardized.

“To this end, residents are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses and share, with security and law enforcement agencies, useful information on the activities of criminals.

“Meanwhile, the DGSS, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, fwc wishes all and sundry a hitch free Workers’ Day and Sallah celebrations.”