Orient Killings: NUPENG-Marine Sues for Peace

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Lower Niger Unit of the National Union of Petroleum and National
Gas Workers (NUPENG-Marine), yesterday, condemned the recent killing of three staff of Orient petroleum Resources and destruction of property worth millions of naira in Aguleri Otu, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State by unidentified gunmen suspected to be from Ibaji Local government Area of Kogi State.
The controversial oil refinery at Aguleri Otu has been in controversy since 2012 when it was commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan which led to recent invasion of the area by armed men who killed three persons and burnt about 10 caterpillars and houses, leaving scores injured.
The two communities have since been laying claims of the ownership of the land where the oil was discovered.
Reacting on the matter, the Lower Niger Unit chairman of NUPENG-Marine, Comrade Bashir Maaji, however called on Kogi and Anambra State government to down their arms and route for dialogue rather than launching attack on each other.
“Let them agree on one thing and once that is done, I don’t think that anybody will up arms again but if it is difficult for them, they can make such recommendations to the presidency to wade in. We have boundary adjustment committee in this country and I believe they know their work. Let us take sentiment and politics out of this matter”  Bashir urged.
While condoling with Orient petroleum and immediate families of those who lost their lives during the attack, Comrade Bashir stated that Lower Niger Unit of NUPENG-Marine  has  written a report to their headquarters  over the incident, stating that no man’s interest worth the blood of any Nigerian.
He also called on Nigerian Navy in Anambra and Kogi States to step up surveillance in the water ways to forestall future occurrences of the ugly trend, adding that” there is need for dialogue and there is need to obtain peace in the area to enable orient petroleum have conducive working environment”
He commended the Anambra State Commissioner of police, Mr. Hassan Karma for deploying police personnel to the area to safeguard lives and properties of the petroleum resources.
The Lower Niger Unit chairman of NUPENG-Marine also noted that the association will strive to discourage and eradicate the engagement of outdated equipment, illicit petroleum transactions, oil theft and vandalism of critical assets of the petroleum sector, stressing that constructive enlightenment programmes of activities across the petro-maritime and shipping sectors is still required among members to enable them inculcate the appropriate practice direction in line with the  government policies.