The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC), yesterday, called on President Bola Tinubu to overhaul the Naval High Command in response to the ongoing issue of oil theft.
The youths felt that the call became necessary because of endless allegations of oil theft in the Niger Delta region despite the huge presence of naval officers.
The National President of OYC, Okwu Nnabuike, in a statement, said that there were disturbing allegations of high calibre oil theft still going on in the Niger Delta. Okwu said that only a few days ago, there were allegations that on May 3, 2024, MT Montagu went with MT Prestigious and discharged 104,4033 barrels of crude.
The crude was loaded from MT Byranston stationed at Newcross facility, SAN Barth OML 24 Marginal oil field. He said: “MT Montagu only discharged MT Prestigious and did not take away any product from it. The ship was arrested by private security and was released by the naval officials who said that they were acting on orders from above after a series of agitation by stakeholders.
“Even when there was a counter order that the ship be re-arrested, the navy officials allowed another tank vessel to either evacuate the exhibit or dilute it, in the name of taking samples, which ideally should be taken in a small bottle for lab test. What was the vessel doing there, as shown in one of the pictures?”
Okwu, who said that it appeared the naval officials were sabotaging the Federal Government’s efforts to ramp up oil production, said that the avowed promise by Tinubu to rid the country of corruption must be demonstrated through the immediate overhaul of the naval high command.
While recalling the group’s support to the President during the 2023 general elections, he said that Nigerians are going through excruciating pains whereas a few individuals are living in opulence.
He added: “We are alarmed, like many other Nigerians, over what is going on in the Niger Delta region. We stand for zero tolerance for corruption and support for the growth of the economy and total support for the Tinubu-led Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight.
“Based on allegations we have sighted as narrated, we call for the sack of the naval hierarchy, starting from the Chief of Naval Staff under whose watch the officials have been unable to tame oil thieves.
“However, we urge the President to appoint another Igbo man as his replacement. This is the only way to restore sanity to the oil production chains.”
