Oil theft: Ohanaeze youths urge Tinubu to overhaul naval high command

Tyouth wing of the apex Igbo socio- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council W orldwide ( OYC), yesterday, called on President Bola Tinubu t o overhaul the Na val High Command in response to the ongoing issue of oil theft.

The youths felt that the call became necessary because of endless allegations of oil theft in the Niger Delta region despite the huge presence of naval officers.

The National President of OYC, Okwu Nnabuike, in a statement, said that there were disturbing allegations of high calibre oil theft still going on in the Niger Delta.

Okwu said that only a few days ago, there were allegations that on May 3, 2024, MT Montagu went with MT Prestigious and discharged 104,4033 barrels of crude. The crude was loaded from MT Byranston stationed at Newcross facility, SAN Barth OML 24 Marginal oil field. He said: “MT Montagu only discharged MT Prestigious and did not take away any product from it. The ship was arrested by private security and was released by the naval officials who said that they were acting on orders from above after a series of agitation by stakeholders. through the immediate over“Even when there was a haul of the naval high comcounter order that the ship be mand. re- arrested, the navy officials While recalling the group’s allowed another tank vessel to support to the President dureither evacuate the exhibit or ing the 2023 general elecdilute it, in the name of taking tions, he said that Nigerians samples, which ideally should are going through excruciatbe taken in a small bottle for ing pains whereas a few indilab test. What was the vessel viduals are living in opulence. doing there, as shown in one He added: “We are alarmed, of the pictures?” like many other Nigerians,

Okwu, who said that it ap - over what is going on in the peared the naval officials were Niger Delta region. We stand sabotaging the Federal Gov - for zero tolerance for corrupernment’s efforts to ramp up tion and support for the oil production, said that the growth of the econo my and avowed promise by Tinubu to total support for the Tinuburid the country of corruption led Federal Government’s must be demonstrated anti- corruption fight.