A socioeconomic organisation in the Niger Delta region, the Anti-Pipeline Vandalisation/Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering Task Force Group has faulted a call on the Federal Government to cancel the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract being handled by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL).
The push is being made by a body which identified itself as the National Awareness Forum (NAF).
Rising from an emergency meeting convened by former Niger Delta militant leader, Comrade Fiawei Pathfinder (well known as General Osama), in Warri, Delta State, the Anti-Pipeline Task Force stated that “such a call on government by any forum is condemnable”.
In a communique by signed by Pathfinder, the group noted that “preliminary investigations have revealed that the purported National Awareness Forum (NAF) is a tool being used by oil theft cabals involved in the illicit theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta region”.
According to the communique, “the allegations by the Forum are fabricated lies from the figment of their pool of imagination”.
The group therefore urged President Bola Tinubu and the management of the NNPC Limited “to discard the libelous statements made against the management of PINL because its Chairman, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, and the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Osahon Okunbo have worked tirelessly round the clock to engage all critical stakeholders and the pipeline host community youths, including that of traditional rulers from Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia and Imo States to solve the issues”.
The communique partly read: “The call is unfounded, frivolous, baseless and false against a reputable and noble oil company.
“We are disappointed that some disgruntled, unscrupulous and criminal elements who have failed the country and Nigerians by their actions of criminality over the years, would descend so low by saying the officially awarded pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited PINL should be terminated.
“While we condemn in all totality the call made by this group of criminal elements calling for the cancelation of the pipeline surveillance contract, the leadership of Anti-Pipeline Vandalization/Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering Task Force Group unanimously and vehemently dismiss all unfounded and baseless allegations leveled against the management of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL).
“We are really pained to see this in the media but we want to disabuse the minds of Nigerians that the allegations are fabricated lies from the figment of their poor imagination. The PINL is a company of international repute, which operates according to best global best practices, and this made the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to have confidence in it by awarding the contract to PINL.
“We have also resolved to pass a vote of confidence on the management of the PINL because of the remarkable and outstanding achievements that had drastically reduced incidents of criminal activities in the sector as they diligently carry out their job with sophisticated strategies catalysed by use of modern technology.
“We also warned those behind the unfounded claims and their sponsors to desist from no cheap blackmail which are signs that they are being frustrated from engaging in their illegal oil business. The PINL has succeeded in crumbling and frustrating these oil thieves and their sponsors.
“We implore Mr President to be wary of them and the NNPCL led by Engr Mele Kyari not to take them serious because there is nothing to backup their tissue of lies.
“However, it is also imperative to unequivocally point out and put the records straight; despite there were some minor incidents of damages as a result of acts of sabotage on some pipelines and oil theft being recorded in the month of December 2023 and January 2024 in some parts of Rivers and Bayelsa States including those in the creeks of Delta State, the incidents per se not linked to PINL Management’s failure neither there were any form of compromise or abandonment of the surveillance job in the various pipeline locations.
“Rather these are normal NNPC routine checks on monthly basis in order to cross-check the level of gains made by the various private security firms that it awarded the contract to secure the pipelines and safeguarding the nation’s oil infrastructures. So, PINL has nothing to do with those minor pipeline vandalism cases recorded as seen to be the failure of PINL as being speculated by sponsors of cheap blackmail these faceless and nefarious groups including the socalled, National Awareness Forum that is not known neither exist anywhere as a recognized civil society organization in the country not even in the Niger Delta region”.
