Senate Fumes Over Renewed Militancy In Niger Delta, Tasks FG

The Senate has reacted to the renewed bombings of oil and gas pipelines in the Niger Delta area of the country by suspected militants, The Nation reports.

READ ALSO: Tompolo Warns Buhari Not To Toy With Militants

In a statement issued in Abuja, on Thursday, January 21, by the chairmen of four committees of the Senate including committees on gas, petroleum (downstream and upstream) and media and public affairs.

The upper chamber told the Federal Government to take necessary measures to safe guard the pipelines in the interest of the country.

Condemning the act, the chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who read the position paper of the committee, said that the activities of the militants who blew up the pipelines should not be accepted.

He said the vandals action was unpatriotic as they decided to bomb pipelines at this time of national emergency when the country is faced with dwindling price of oil and insurgency in the northeastern part of the country.

“It is very disheartening that at a time when all hands should be on deck to revive the economy and ensure the survival of the country, some people could decide at this point in time in the history of the nation to further sabotage the efforts of the present administration to bring some sanity into our country.

“It is therefore apt for the Senate to condemn strongly and make an ambiguous statement about this dastardly act that portends to send the hands of the clock backwards. This sabotage has led to the shutting down of two refineries that had just started working few months ago.

The chairman urged the militants to give respite to Nigerians in order for us to see some governance.

“It is not good enough for an administration to be fighting one war there and they are waging another there, when will he have time to govern? So please help us appeal to them so that Nigeria can move forward,” he said.

He pleaded with the vandals to stop “this mindless act by giving Nigerians necessary respite to allow this present administration to stem the tide of poverty and want ravaging our people.”

Speaking also, chairman Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan stated that the bombings affected major gas pipelines in Nigeria. He disclosed that the committee on Gas had invited the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) who explained that Nigeria will lose over 200 million score of cubic feet of gas on a daily basis with low supply of electricity.

Akpan said: “This is the gas terminal that supplies Egbin and most of the NIPP along the South Western region of this country.

“In a period where we are grappling with the challenges of domestic gas supply, we believe very strongly that the act of vandalism should be condemned.”

Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (downstream) Senator Barau Jibrin, hinted that members of the committee are very anxious about the development especially when two refineries that recently started working had to be shut down.

READ ALSO: Tension: Ex-Militants Go Wild, Attack Residents In Rivers

He called on Nigerians to plead with those behind the act of sabotage to stop their unpatriotic act in the interest and wellbeing of country. Jibrin thanked the NNPC for the assurance to restore normalcy as soon as possible.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was forced to close the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries following the attack on some oil and gas pipelines by militants suspected to be loyalists of Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

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