Pipeline vandalism: Amosun blames NNPC

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has charged the Federal Government on the management of petroleum pipelines, attributing the incessant vandalism in various parts of the country to dereliction of duty on the part of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The governor, who made this call when he visited the site of a vandalised pipeline along Iperu-Ogere road in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state yesterday, said the issue of vandalism is a reflection of the state of the nation.

He lamented that a similar incidence at Arepo recently claimed the life of a pregnant woman, pointing out that even though President Goodluck Jonathan gave him audience in 2012 on how to combat the menace, nothing has been done till now.

“Vandalism is a daily occurrence, which shows the way we are as a nation. I still maintain that NNPC is part of the problem, being the agency assigned to ensure that things like this do not happen. This is either dereliction of duty or neglect on the part of the agency of government.

“I don’t know how it would be difficult for us as a nation to prevent the recurrence of this ugly incidence. I mentioned some solutions in 2012 when I visited Arepo and when President Jonathan invited me to his office over it, but nothing has been done about it till now,” he added.

Amosun, who said that governors of various states, which the pipeline passes through, should be involved in checkmating vandals. He also alleged complicity of influential people in the whole scale vandalism.

While decrying Federal Government’s decision to contract the protection of the pipelines to a group, Amosun wondered why this should be so “in this age and time, when technology and relevant security agencies are in place.”

He also called on the Federal Government to employ the services of credible stakeholders and security agencies in forestalling the menace.

On his part, the State’s Commander, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Akinwande Aboluwoye urged all and sundry to give information to security agents on how to tackle vandalism to bring an end to both its environmental and economic havoc, saying that “the vandals live among us.”