By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has revealed that it has prosecuted more than 100 suspects arrested in connection with crude oil pipelines vandalism in the Niger Delta region.
ONSA’s Director of Energy Security, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, gave the revelation during a stakeholders’ engagement organised by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, for its host communities across Rivers, Imo and Abia states, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday.
Flag-Amachree, who was represented by Young-Harry Amachree, said the ONSA has taken it upon itself to ensure that pipeline vandals are prosecuted and urged community leaders to come forth with names of those involved in such economic sabotage in their communities.
He said: “On the issue of where suspects are arrested and taken to the Police Station, the next moment they are released, the Office of the National Security Adviser took it up immediately it got wind of it. From that moment, there is a structure which is working now. As I am talking to you, there are teams on ground.
“We have prosecuted more than 100 suspects as we speak. Today, up to 15 suspects have been taken to Prison (Correctional Centre). We work day and night, 24 hours to make sure that all those involved in these illegal activities are dealt with.
“So, I am giving you an assurance, whatever information you have about these vandals, these bad people amongst us, please, don’t hesitate to call the people you need to call for them to call us to apprehend those vandals.”
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In their presentation, stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to upwardly review the contract of the surveillance company incharge of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL).
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders at the event, President of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Dr. Kennedy West, said an upward review of the PINL’s contract will lead to economic boom within communities in the Niger Delta region.
He said: “The essence of the federal government engaging local companies to secure pipelines to add to the efforts of the military is to give it a stakeholder-community content. This is exactly what they are doing.
“There are other companies that were also given the same contract, but you and I have never been invited for an engagement like this. Possibly because we are not carrying guns and they don’t see us necessary.”
He thanked the Pipeline Infrastructure, saying by engaging the stakeholders, they are getting it right.
“Also, we are using this medium to call on NNPCL to do an upward review of the contract based on current realities so that there will be financial boom within the communities. The communities have suffered a lot; this is the only platform, this is fora where communities could ventilate their grievances, ” he stated.
Earlier in his welcome speech, PINL’s media consultant, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said the company’s mandate to protect the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) has been achieved through strategic engagements with the host communities.
Mezeh said: “PINL’s mandate to protect the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) has been achieved through strategic engagements with the host communities. This collaborative approach has not only led to strong relations but also forged a united front in the fight against crude oil theft.”
