Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), yesterday, accused Federal Government of failing to tackle pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region.
The organisation lamented the economic and environmental effects of the continued vandalism.
Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the Chairman, National Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalisation, Petroleum Product Adulteration and Monitoring, Nwozuzu Chigozie, stressed the need for government to legalise illegal refineries than to destroy them.
Chigozie called for a probe in the direct sale and direct purchase (DSDP) of crude oil scheme spearheaded by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He said: “The Federal Government has lost the capacity to stop vandalism and illegal refinery.
“They have failed in their capacity to provide to Nigerians functional refineries. It is ridiculous that in this modern era, Nigeria is still importing refined products. How can Nigeria be taking crude abroad for refining?”
IPMAN accuses FG of failing to protect pipelines
(FILES) In this file photo pipe is stacked at the southern site of the Keystone XL pipeline on March 22, 2012 in Cushing, Oklahoma. - TC Energy, the Canadian company behind the Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and the United States, on January 20, 2021 suspended construction of the oil conduit that new US President Joe Biden has pledged to quickly block. (Photo by TOM PENNINGTON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
