Abia To Arrest Community Leaders Over Vandalism

The Abia State Government last Thursday said it would apprehend and prosecute the leaders of oil-bearing communities in the event of vandalism of oil facility in their domain.

The Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals, Chief Don Ubani, made this known when the community leaders from Umuaraba in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia visited him in Umuahia.

Ubani said that the leadership of oil-bearing communities would no longer be speared if the people failed to unveil the bandits.

He reminded community leaders of oil-bearing communities of the need to check pipeline vandalism in their domain.

Ubani said that it was imperative for the leaders to help safeguard the oil facilities because pipeline vandalism had affected the economy adversely.

The commissioner said the state was losing much revenue as a result of crude oil theft, noting that in spite of repeated appeals some hoodlums still tamper with oil facilities.

He added that the government had set up a formidable security team to monitor unwholesome activities on the oil pipelines and oil facilities.

Ubani said that the warning became necessary to ensure that communities of the affected areas strengthen their internal security.

Responding on behalf of the community, Mr Christopher Nwosu assured the commissioner of the readiness of Umuaraba community to partner with government to stop the menace.

Nwosu also appealed to the government to help organise forum to adequately enlighten the youths on the dangers of oil vandalism.

He said that some community leaders in the area had in the past suffered undue detention and harassment in the hands of security operatives.

In another development, a Commissioner in the Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ASOPADEC), Chief Emeka Stanley  has commended the State Government for its collaboration with other agencies to check pipeline vandalism.

Stanley, who spoke in an interview in Umuahia, said that the collaboration was fruitful as the menace of vandalism had dropped drastically.

He said that the effort of the group, which included the commission, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), security agencies and oil marketers, had helped to boost oil production in the area.

“As you know, pipeline vandalism affected the quantum of oil production in the state and consequently, 13 per cent derivation to the state went down.“But now that the ugly cankerworm has been checked, the oil production level from the state has increased, with an attendant increase in our derivation share,’’ he said.

Stanley commended Gov. Theodore Orji, for establishing the commission, noting that the organisation had helped to accelerate socio-economic development in the oil-producing communities in the state.

He said that ASOPADEC’s skill acquisition and youth empowerment programmes had engaged thousands of youths in the state in productive ventures, adding that the commission was also paying monthly stipend to unemployed youths.

According to him, it is this intervention by the commission that helped to engage the idle youths in profitable ventures during the dark days of kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and other violent crimes in the state.

The ASOPADEC commissioner said that the commission applied funds to the development of health, education, roads and the traditional institution in the state.