Arepo Explosions: Angry Amosun Blasts NNPC Officials For Aiding, Abetting Vandals

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GOVERNOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN OF OGUN STATE, (RIGHT), OGUN STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, IKEMEFUNA OKOYE AND OTHERS AT AREPO, SCENE OF THE PIPELINE EXPLOSION. PHOTO BY WUMI AKINOLA

An upset Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Sunday, accused officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of conniving with vandals to wreak havoc on the country’s economy through pipeline vandalism.Amosun stated this when he visited scene of the corporation’s pipeline explosion at Arepo village in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state, which claimed a yet to be ascertained number of lives.

Fuming at the non-challant attitude of NNPC officials, who he said deliberately abandoned the multi-billion naira project for it to be damaged by hoodlums, Amosun said, “It shows that we are our own problem in this nation. We are our own enemies, because, this is clearly a failure of governance. We have NNPC there, I have to say it and I am saying it with every sense of responsibility that, NNPC by their inaction is aiding and abetting the vandals.

“I want to believe that they are part of this pipeline vandalism with their inaction. Because, you can’t have somebody there as Group Managing Director and they allow this to happen.

“Even the security people here are risking their lives. Look at the canoe NNPC is using at this age and time. Even when they say the place is combustible, they can use solar power canoe. If they agree, I will get all these place cleared before the end of March.

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GOVERNOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN OF OGUN STATE, (RIGHT WITH HAND RESTING ON HIS HIP), OGUN STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE(IN FRONT), IKEMEFUNA OKOYE & A FLOATING CORPSE FROM THE PIPELINE EXPLOSION (INSET)

“Look at where they said the security watchtower is. Who will stay there to watch anything? This is not good for us as a nation, we are our own enemies. Public property are not looked after. We should do the right thing. This is a multi billion naira investment.

“How can we not spend a small amount to maintain it? That is why I said NNPC with their inaction are part of this problem. I want to believe that they are the people aiding and abetting these vandals. How can some vandals put everybody in this nation into problem? Just look at dead bodies littering the place?

“There is no access to go there and these are the people with sophisticated weapons. I even understand that it was the same spot where NNPC engineers were killed, so which officer will want to risk his life? If, we have this type of investment, of course it will do us good. We have started erecting the platform. They will put CCTV there and there will be control room.

“If they want to stop vandalism in Ogun State, I don’t know of any other state, they should come and we will discuss because I don’t want Ogun State to be on the front pages of newspapers for wrong reasons. I will write again to the appropriate authorities and I have been doing that.

“This is not good for us as a nation. Every time, they will say that vandals have done this and that, what have they (NNPC) done. Some people will be in Abuja blowing big grammars, very ineffective” Amosun said.