A Delta State based organisation, Itsekiri Progressive Youth Movement (IPYM) has called on the Inspector – General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other relevant security agencies to investigate the alleged threats to life, raised by the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari.
While playing host to a delegation from the national body of the Petroleum & Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) led by its president, Comrade Festus Osifo, Ojulari had alleged that he was facing threats to his life because certain forces were not comfortable with the reforms he has introduced to instill sanity in the oil sector.
He said the reforms have unsettled the forces who benefit tremendously from the current inefficiencies in the oil and gas sector, particularly the comatose shape of the nation four refineries.
“We are under attack. We will not budge to short-term pressure, as it will not be in the best interest of Nigerians. You cannot drive change without a price, and the transformation is tough.”
The IPYM, in a statement issued at the weekend said an orchestrated protest staged in Abuja calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack Ojulari and his alarm of threats to life should not be treated with levity by security agencies.
The statement signed by Comrade Jerry Atiene and Hon. Romeo Ogedegbe, National Chairman declared that security agents must unmask individuals behind the threats to life of the NNPCL GEO.
“We were deeply troubled, when the NNPCL Boss, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed that his life and those of the company’s management staff were being threatened.
“Patriotic Nigerians and critical stakeholders, should be worried by Engr. Ojulari’s statement that his offence was introducing reforms in the oil and gas sector, in – line with President Bola Tinubu’s determination to revive the moribund public refineries in PortHarcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
“Security agencies, should swing into action immediately, to unmask those behind the threats and blackmail.”
While positing that the Ojulari – must – go protest at Abuja, was a classical case of corruption fighting back, the group called on the GCEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, not to be deterred in his resolve to make the NNPCL profit – oriented and ensure the four public owned refineries across the country, work optimally.
The group further pleaded with Nigerians, to give the Engr. Ojulari – led management of NNPCL more time to turn around the fortunes of our public refineries toward a progressive trajectory and contribute more meaningfully to our national development.