A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have said it has uncovered fresh plot by embittered oil thieves to blackmail, smear and tarnish the image of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The CSOs, consisting of 42 different organisations, said yesterday that the move by the oil thieves, whose businesses have been truncated by the recent stoppage of payment for fuel subsidy by the Federal Government and the total war declared by the Kyari-led NNPCL against oil theft and pipeline vandals, is to dis-inform and set Nigerians against the national oil company and its top officials under false pretext of fighting for public interest over the temporary pain being experienced as a result of the subsidy removal.
An issued statement, signed by co-conveners, of the 42 CSOs, Abubakar Ibrahim, Bashir Faisal, Comrade Rafiu Shaibu, noted that having failed in its several bids to malign him, it has now engaged some faceless, fictitious and unknown groups to gather in the streets and cause public disturbance in the name of protest calling for the removal of NNPCL GCEO.
While calling on security agencies to beam their searchlights on these groups and their sponsors, the CSOs urged Nigerians to ignore the noisemakers who are playing the cards of their corrupt, fraudulent oil crooks who have milked Nigeria dry for their personal gains.
Part of the statement stated that: Its interesting that Kyaris sins are his stance and fight against some sudden oil billionaires, who are milking the countrys resources with the continuous payment of fuel subsidy by the federal government, and also through crude oil theft.
We understand their frustration and pains, but they should know that its no longer business as usual. They can no longer divert our common wealth. Rather, these resources shall be used to create more jobs and make Nigeria better. They can no longer divert and smuggle petroleum products to neighbouring countries where they sell at higher rates and thus make more profit even after collecting subsidy money from the Nigerian government.
The era of some persons feeding fat on our common wealth is gone. Therefore, the incessant attack and vituperation against the NNPCL and its GCEO cannot stop the good works he (Kyari) is doing.
Since Kyari assumed office, even as the Group Managing Director of the defunct NNPC, he has operated a very transparent system. Several times, he has made open the books of the oil company for public scrutiny.
Nigerians should also know that for the first time in over 40 years of its existence, the NNPCL under Kyari is beginning to win the war against corruption in the system, pipeline vandalism and oil theft, which has led to a major increase in daily oil production, reaching 1.6 million barrels per day.
Nations and investors all over the world are beginning to win the confidence of the NNPCL courtesy of the great innovations introduced into the system by Kyari We call on the security agencies to investigate these faceless groups and their sponsors who are bent of killing the nations with lies and hatred in their bid to loot the economy, the group noted.
