Alex Enumah in Abuja
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has urged the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, to “name and shame” all those behind oil theft across the country.
HURIWA also said that millions of Nigerians are looking up to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure the prosecution of those involved in the stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil resources.
The group, in a statement on Tuesday, advocated the seizure of assets traceable to anyone found to have engaged in the stealing of the nation’s resources.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, who issued the press statement, however, applauded Kyari’s resolve to give full disclosure of information available on the identities of the alleged oil thieves within and outside government as well as security forces perpetrating diversions and outright thefts of massive crude oil resources from the Niger Delta oil producing communities.
Also, Onwubiko asked the federal government to set up an independent team of forensic auditors on crude oil to conduct investigation and publicly announce their findings within one month.
According to HURIWA, the composition of the independent forensic investigators by President Muhammadu Buhari would demonstrate his determination to frontally address the numerous issues and revelations raised by the NNPC Limited leadership.
“The all-out war on crude oil theft declared by the GMD of NNPC and the threats to his life made by crude oil thieves could be an indication that his hands may be clean of the charges of conspiracy.
“From available indicators, Kyari has so far put out deep insights on the modalities adopted by crude oil thieves and these are veritable tools for the federal government to use as sound reason to set up an independent team of forensic auditors on crude oil thefts with wide-ranging mandates.
“The team should have a time frame of one month to conduct the investigation and publicly announce their findings by way of naming individuals within government, military and other circles who are involved,” the statement read in part.
