…..says Nigeria loses N60 billion crude oil to thieves every month
The former presidential candidate of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prosecute those behind the persistent theft of crude oil in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, he claimed that Nigeria loses cruse oil worth over N60 billion due to the activities of the thieves working in cahoots with their foreign collaborators.
Applauding the resolve by President Tinubu to tackle the menace, he called on the authorities to visit the full wrath of the law on anybody found wanting no matter whose ox would be gored.
Kachikwu expressed satisfaction with the role being played by Tantita in dealing the death knell to the activities of oil thieves in the country.
According to him: “Who are these bad guys? This is the question nobody wants to answer. Nigerians are tired of hearing that there are big men in the corridors of power behind this. Who are they? We are tired of hearing they are very powerful.
“Who are they? We are tired of hearing that vessels that were impounded by the Navy were released in the middle of the night. Who gave the instruction? We are tired of hearing that over N60b worth of crude is stolen every month. We want to know who these people are.
“How can Nigeria be losing more oil revenue to criminals than what we sell officially? Why do allow some IOC’s under declare their daily production? Why do we allow some marginal field operators sponsor the theft of crude oil to add to their daily production?
“Who issues the permits the vessels use to carry stolen products? Who monitors our territorial waters and how are very large carriers allowed to come in and load stolen crude oil?
“Why this criminal conspiracy of silence amongst all those in this ecosystem? Nigeria is dying under the burden of debts but the same Nigeria is losing over N60b monthly to stolen products.
“How can we watch some IOC’s perpetually under declare what they produce and what they export? Is this still the era of slave trade? Our children are dying, our nation is at war, our economy in tatters, tens of millions unemployed and we all keep quiet while a criminal cartel cripples Nigeria.
“For the first time in decades the Fed Govt is taking this fight seriously but they should go the extra mile by arresting and prosecuting all those involved both local and foreign.
“This fight is not just for NNPCL and Tantita. It is a fight for all Nigerians. We are being duped. If rumours of current and former state governors being involved in bunkering are proven to be true, then the government must expose them. Expose former ministers and current minsters. Nigeria is bleeding and we must stop this bleeding now.
“In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
“People of Nigeria, this is the time to act before it is too late. Our demand is simple: President Tinubu end the theft of our oil and prosecute all those involved.”
Continuing, he noted: “What these guys had hoped was that with the advent of the Tinubu administration this fight would lose steam but to their shock and dismay, the current government has taken the fight to the next level. So why is Tantita in the news? Why do we hear calls for the Fed Govt to scrap the contract to Tantita?
“It is very simple. Tantita is beating the heck out of the bad guys daily. The bad guys are frustrated as it is no longer business as usual. Wherever they go, Tantita is waiting for them. Their vessels are being destroyed, crew are getting arrested and stolen product is being recovered.
“This is indeed a bad time for the bad guys. A government who for over forty years looked the other way while a few stole her precious oil has no other choice but to fight back now. Nigeria is on the brink of economic collapse and the government now knows not to leave anything on the table for the bad guys.”
