The call to cancel the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (PINL) by the Federal Government, under the guidance of a Niger-Delta monarch, has been contested by the Anti-pipeline Vandalization/Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering Task Force.
The National Awareness Forum (NAF) has recently called for the termination of the contract by the Federal Government, citing various allegations.
At an emergency meeting in Warri, Delta State, called by its leader, former militant Comrade Fiawei Pathfinder, aka “General” Osama, the task force contended that oil thieves were the driving force behind the campaign to annul the contract with Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (PINL), chaired by Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, with Mr. Osahon Okunbo as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
It said in a communique: ‘Preliminary investigations have revealed that the purported National Awareness Forum is a tool being used by oil theft cabals involved in the illicit theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta region.’
‘And they have the temerity to raise up a call for the termination of the pipeline surveillance contract job that is being handled by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited PINL.’
‘The call is unfounded, frivolous, baseless, and false against a reputable and noble oil company.’
‘We are disappointed that some disgruntled, and unscrupulous elements, who have failed the country and Nigerians by their actions of criminality over the years, would descend so low by saying the officially awarded pipeline surveillance contract awarded to the PINL. should be terminated’.
‘While we condemn in all totality the call made by this group. We are really pained to see this in the media, but we want to disabuse the minds of Nigerians that the allegations are fabricated lies from the figment of their poor imagination.’
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‘The PINL is a company of international repute, which operates according to best global best practices, and this made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Limited, NNPCL, to have confidence in it by awarding it the contract.’
‘We have also resolved to pass a vote of confidence on the management of the PINL because of the remarkable and outstanding achievements that had drastically reduced incidents of criminal activities in the sector, as they diligently carry out their job with sophisticated strategies catalysed by use of modern technology’.
‘We caution those behind the unfounded claims , and their sponsors to desist from the cheap blackmail, which is a sign that they are being frustrated from engaging in their illegal oil business.’
‘The PINL has succeeded in crumbling and frustrating these oil thieves and their sponsors. We implore Mr. President to be wary of them and the NNPCL led by Engr Mele Kyari not to take them serious because there is nothing to backup their tissue of lies’.
‘However, it is also imperative to unequivocally point out and put the records straight despite there were some minor incidents of damages because of acts of sabotage on some pipelines, and oil theft recorded in the months of December 2023 and January 2024, in some parts of Rivers and Bayelsa States, including those in the creeks of Delta State.’
‘The incidents were not linked to PINL management’s failure neither were there any form of compromise or abandonment of the surveillance job in the various pipeline locations.’
‘Rather these are normal NNPCL routine checks on monthly basis in order to cross-check the level of gains made by the various private security firms awarded contracts to secure the pipelines, and safeguard the nation’s oil infrastructures.’
‘Therefore , PINL has nothing to do with those recorded minor pipeline vandalism cases as speculated by the blackmailers.’