… Impounded petrol tankers
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has removed the Rivers State Commandant of the Corps, Micheal Ogar, over the barricade of the Corps headquarters in the State, by members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG.
Recall that Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG yesterday shutdown activities at the Rivers State Command of NSCDC, in protest over the impounding of three trucks with 130,000 litres of premium motor spirits, PMS, by the Corps.
The tanker drivers barricaded the entrance to the headquarters of NSCDC in Rivers State, along Olu-Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt with over 30 petrol tankers, hindering human and vehicular movement in one of the busiest business districts of the city.
Leader of the protest and Public Relations Officer, PTD branch of NUPENG, Port Harcourt Zone, Comrade Johnbosco Alex, said the trucks and their drivers were arrested in August 2022, despite proof that the products they were carrying were not adulterated, but genuinely loaded from the tank farms.
Johnbosco said despite the court order on January 29, 2023, that the NSCDC in Rivers State should release the trucks and the products, the Corps rather sold the products and refused to release the trucks.
In a swift reaction, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has constituted a high-powered investigation panel to look into the circumstances leading to the blockage of the entrance of Rivers State Command of the NSCDC, by members of NUPENG.
The committee headed by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations, Dauda Mungadi, according to the Corps, is to objectively investigate the role played by the State Commandant and members of the command Anti-vandal team in the crisis.
The Commandant General who ordered the removal of the Rivers State Commandant, Micheal Ogar, directed him to hand over the affairs of the Command to his Deputy, pending the deployment of a substantive State Commandant.
Audi in a statement by the Director, NSCDC Public Relations, Olusola Odumosu, expressed shock at the action taken by NUPENG which according to him, painted a surprising scenario and an unwarranted contradiction to the ideals of the Corps.
He maintained that humility and integrity in service delivery is the watchword of the Corps, hence any breach of trust or suspected compromise by any personnel will not be treated with kid’s gloves.
“I have constituted a high-powered committee to carry out full scale investigation into the incident in Port Harcourt. Nigerians are fully aware that we are the lead agency in protection of critical government assets and infrastructure.
“Therefore, under my watch, no act of indiscipline, compromise or sabotage would be condoned from anyone within and outside the Corps.
“I have given the committee a marching order to ascertain the role played by either of the parties and anyone found guilty would be severely dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law.”
The NSCDC boss further expressed confidence in the ability of of the committee to carry out unbiased investigation and appealed to members of the public and all interested stakeholders to await the outcome of the investigation and proposed recommendations.
He assured that NSCDC will continue to sanitise the oil sector by waging war against oil thieves and illegal oil bunkering activities sabotaging the nation’s economy.
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