A militant group, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), has threatened to shut down crude oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta region over the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Limited, Chief Executive Officer Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari, for the alleged secret award of pipeline maintenance contracts to some Northern oil contractors and the exclusion of Niger Delta contractors.
According to the RNDA, despite the fact that the multi-billion dollar pipeline maintenance and rehabilitation contract is meant for the build, operation, and supply of refined petroleum products to the nation’s depots and the transfer of crude oil from the creek to the nation’s refineries located in the Niger Delta region, Mr Mele Kyari secretly awarded pipeline maintenance contracts and handed over the nation’s crude oil pipelines to AA Rano and other Northern oil companies, overlooking Niger Deltans and deliberately denying and sidelining the people of the Niger Delta region for selfish interests.
The dreaded militant group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), issued a statement on Monday after an emergency meeting of nine militant groups convened by the leader of the militant group, self-styled Major General Johnmark Ezonebi, also known as Obama.
They threatened to sabotage the secretly awarded contract, explaining that LOT 2 was awarded to AARANO, comprising the Escravos-Warri crude oil pipeline (60 km), the Warri-Benin Products pipeline (90km), and the Benin-Ore products pipeline (110km), which includes the Escravos Terminal Products crude pipeline to Warri Refinery and the Benin Products pipeline to Ore Depot.
According to them, “While LOT 4 is awarded to MRS Oil Company, owned by Sayyu Dantata, covering from the Atlas Cove products crude pipeline depot to the satellite depot, comprising the Mosimi-Ore products pipeline (151.3 km), the Ibadan depot, the Ilorin depot, the Ibadan-Ilorin products pipeline (168.9 km), the Atlas Cove-Mosimi/Satellite products pipeline (72.8 km), the Mosimi depot, and the Mosimi-Ibadan products pipeline (79.1km). This is the juiciest lot among all and was handed over to MRS Oil Company, owned by Sayyu Dantata.”
“While LOT 1 was awarded to Oilserve Company Limited, owned by Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa, an Igbo man, comprising the Bonny-Port Harcourt crude oil pipeline (54.8km), Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu products pipeline (210km), Port Harcourt depot, Aba depot, and Enugu depot. Port Harcourt Refinery-Bonny Export Terminal products pipeline (35km) and Bonny Export Terminal-Loading Jetty products pipeline (32km) to Bonny Export Terminal facilities Engr.
Dr Emeka Okwuosa is also currently handling the 614 km-long AKK gas pipeline being developed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company from the Escravos crude line in the creek.”
They said, “The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, with the coalition of the nine militant groups that make up the RNDA, have decided and declared to resume attacks and destruction of pipelines and other oil and gas installations along Trans-Escravos-Warri Refinery and other NNPC major delivery lines in the creek of the Niger Delta.
“If GMD NNPC Mele Kyari refuses to back down from awarding these multi-billion-dollar pipeline maintenance, rehabilitation, rebuild, operation, and transfer of refined petroleum products and crude oil to the nation’s refineries contract jobs that were secretly awarded in favour of his Northern brothers from Kano State, we may descend on crippling the economy of the nation, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians should hold Mele Kyari, AA Rano, MRS, and others responsible for the aftermath of this declaration.”
“We are deeply pained and have no other option but to resort to hostilities that Nigeria has never experienced in the creeks of the Niger Delta region if Mele Kyari goes ahead with its wicked evil plan of undermining and total neglect of Niger Delta oil companies.
We are going all out to stop the nepotic award of secret contracts on the Trans-Escravos-Warri Refinery to Benin Depot Pipeline maintenance, rebuild, and transfer of refined petroleum products contract job in favour of AA RANO by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, who is operating a cartel of oil Northerners at the NNPC towers. We assume that Mr Mele Kyari is an enemy of the Niger Delta people.”
“We will not allow this contract awarded to AA Rano, MRS, and others to see the light of day. We have started mobilizing our strike force deadly team to strategic pipeline locations and depots to ensure nothing is carried out by AA Rano.
We also strongly warn GMD NNPC Mr Mele Kyari and AA Rano not to take our long silence and patience for granted, and it would be good for them to stay where they are. If not, they will regret going to the various sites of these projects.”
They continued, “Kyari, the enemy of the Niger Delta region, does not mean well for the Niger Delta region. This award of a contract to AA Rano is an affront to the entire Niger Delta people, who naturally and morally are the owners of the crude oil in the creek of the Niger Delta.
But he intentionally undermined us by sheer neglect of Niger Delta sons who are also in the oil and gas industry, more experienced, and have expertise in marine and oil equipment in the downstream sector. We will not sit and watch them have their way this time around on this pipeline contract.”
“Also, Kyari deliberately did not award this contract to any company from the Southwest, where the President hails from. The President, who is the Minister of Petroleum in the country, should be noted.
It is interesting to know that some prominent sons from the Yoruba Nation who are doing well in the oil industry and are suitably qualified also bid for the same pipeline maintenance, rehabilitation, rebuild, and transfer of crude oil and supply of refined petroleum products to the nation’s refineries and depots.”
“But the GMD NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, carefully denied them these jobs. This man called GMD NNPC Mele Kyari does not deserve to be in that seat as GMD of NNPCL anymore because he is a man who is sectional and religious in most of his actions.
He doesn’t want the unity of Nigeria, and Mr. President should remove him immediately before his actions set the nation in turmoil.”
Credit: Tribune
