A group, Arewa Intelligentia Caucus (AIC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to investigate the Nigerian Navy under its present Chief, Admiral Ogalla, over allegations of crude oil theft, economic sabotage, and promotion of insecurity in the country’s waterways.
A statement issued by its president, Abubakar Ciroma, and Publicity Secretary, Nasir Adamu, said the allegation made by another group, Oodua Integrity Network, should not be discarded.
The group recalled that the Federal Government had contracted the surveillance and protection of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region to private security companies when the Navy abysmally failed in its duty.
These security companies are: Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), operated by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, and Pipelines Infrastructures Limited (PIL), managed by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase ÌII are placed under the supervision of a Project Management Office- the Inter – Atlas Synergy Limited (IASL).
According to the Arewa group, crude oil production has improved dramatically to over 1.7 million barrels per day, from below 700 thousand barrels it was before they stepped in. It lamented that instead of giving cooperation to the private organisations, “the Navy is busy, maligning, mudslinging and fabricating stories to impugn their reputation”.
The group added: “The Navy smells a rat where there is none. It has never given the security companies a breathing space, most especially Tantita. It is either sabotaging their work to criminalise them, give them a bad name, or it directly engaging or aiding thieves to siphon crude.
“On this note, we ask that an unassailable panel such as the one headed by Obazee is constituted to probe the Navy over the many allegations against it. There is no smoke without fire.
The Chief Naval of Staff, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, should be relieved of his duty to prevent interference with the investigation”, the group insisted.
