MOSOP faction, military bicker over oil theft in Ogoni

A faction of the Movement for Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and the military have bickered over allegation of illegal refining of crude oil and bunkering in the Ogoni area of Rivers State.

MOSOP factional President, Fegalo Nsuke told The Guardian in Abuja that security operatives have been implicitly involved in illegal refining of crude oil in Ogoni.

He said some oil wells are exclusively operated by security officers.

To buttress this, Nuske cited Gio in Tai Local Government, where disagreement over an illegal oil bunkering between security agencies and a youth led to the death of the civilian.

“Tell us, how can security operatives be watching, and pipelines are broken to siphon oil for refining? So, government should ask security agencies to stop bunkering in Ogoni land,” he said.

Other activists in Ogoni that pleaded anonymity, claimed that the reason oil theft thrives in Ogoni was because security agents who should apprehend those involved in economic sabotage were providing cover for the criminals to operate with impunity.

But the Deputy Director Public Relations, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, has challenged Nsuke to provide evidence of military personnel’s involvement in oil theft and illegal refining in Ogoni.

Iliyasu assured the public that once evidence was provided, the military would not go to sleep over it, until all those found culpable were made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said: “Let him (Nsuke) provide proofs. It is not enough to make allegations. If we have any of our personnel involved in any misdeed, be rest assured we will not tolerate such criminality. It is on the basis of what he provides as evidence that investigation will be carried out.”