The Ijaw Elders Forum, a coalition of Ijaw groups, has written to President Bola Tinubu to demand a review of disposal procedures for boats and trucks seized for complicity in oil theft.
The letter, dated July 31 and seen by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, he condemned the threat of oil theft on the Nigerian economy and the environment of the Niger Delta.
According to the letter, signed by Efiye Bribena, the forum’s secretary, the indiscriminate blowing up of vessels used for oil theft had an adverse impact on the environment on which people depend.
“We are writing to express our utmost discontent with the way seized ships and trucks with stolen oil in the Niger Delta have been disposed of.
“The destruction of ships loaded with crude oil exacerbates the existential threat to the environment and the survival of people.
“Indeed, the destruction of the MT TURA in the latest incident of the shelling of the vessel was extremely horrible and unacceptable,” the forum said.
The forum recommended the implementation of measures in the interest of the environment, transparency and the national economic interest.
“NNPCL and the Military Authorities should improve the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the removal of such vessels in the future.
“Every effort should be made to evacuate stolen crude to the nearest oil flow station, oil terminal or refinery prior to proper disposal of such vessels.
“The corresponding authorities must install an open access portal to monitor the vessels that are seized with crude oil and stolen products, up to the point of final disposal,” he said.
The forum sought collaboration with organizations such as the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the International Maritime Organization.
The letter was also endorsed by representatives of the coalition made up of the Ijaw Professionals Association, Ijaw Nation Forum, G24 Embasara Foundation and Ijaw Women Connect.
They urged the federal government to be transparent and reveal the masterminds of the syndicate, as well as the prosecution of the owners of the seized vessels.
They called on the president to convince oil industry regulators to urgently order oil companies to safely decommission all idle wells and pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
The Ijaw Elders Forum urged federal government agencies in the oil sector to discourage artisanal refineries and put machinery in place to promote the construction of modular refineries in oil communities.
(YAYA)
Read More Related News Here
Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; Ijaw elders write to Tinubu about the procedure for disposing of seized vessels