The Ijaw Elders Forum (IEF), a coalition of Ijaw groups, has written to President Bola Tinubu, urging a review of the procedures for disposing of vessels and trucks seized for involvement in oil theft. The letter, dated July 31 and seen by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), strongly condemns the damaging effects of oil theft on the Nigerian economy and the environment of the Niger Delta.
The IEF, represented by Chief Efiye Bribena, Secretary of IEF, highlights the indiscriminate destruction of vessels used in oil theft as having a devastating impact on the environment, which the people rely on for their livelihoods.
“We write to express our utmost dissatisfaction with the current mode of vessel and truck disposal in the Niger Delta. The destruction of vessels loaded with crude oil compounds the existential threat to the environment and the survival of our people,” states the IEF letter.
The IEF is advocating for the implementation of measures that prioritize the protection of the environment, transparency, and the national economic interest. They recommend that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and the military authorities improve the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the disposal of seized vessels.
The IEF proposes that stolen crude be evacuated to the nearest oil flow station, oil terminal, or refinery before vessels are properly disposed of. Additionally, they call for the establishment of an open-access portal to track vessels seized with stolen crude and products until their final disposal.
The IEF also seeks collaboration with stakeholders such as the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to address the issue.
The letter was endorsed by representatives from various organizations, including the Ijaw Professionals Association, Ijaw Nation Forum, G24 Embasara Foundation, and Ijaw Women Connect.
The IEF further urges the federal government to adopt a transparent approach, revealing the masterminds of these syndicates and prosecuting the owners of the impounded vessels. They also appeal to the President to intervene with oil industry regulators to expedite the safe decommissioning of idle wellheads and pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
Furthermore, the IEF urges government agencies in the oil sector to discourage artisanal refineries and take steps to promote the construction of modular refineries in oil-producing communities.
NAN
