A pro-citizen group, The Natives, has described the recent intervention of the State Security Service, SSS, in resolving the artificial scarcity of petrol across the country as timely and effective.
The group, in a statement released in Abuja by its president-general, Smart Edwards, commended the SSS for rising in defense of ordinary citizens to resist a calculated plot to unleash untold hardship on Nigerians.
Mr Edwards assured Nigerians that the group would work with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited to expose oil cartels and saboteurs responsible for perennial fuel scarcity across the country.
While calling on Nigerians to rally round the security service and the new NNPCL to end what it described as a national sabotage, Mr Edward also condemned a statement credited to Femi Falana against the move by the SSS.
“We therefore condemn in strong terms Femi Falana’s statement that seems to discredit the patriotic moves by the DSS.
“It thus behooves on Nigerians to stand squarely and shoulder to shoulder with its security forces to burst the ring of conspirators and criminals, who are privileged to be in the oil sector, indeed their profit should not be at the detriment of its citizens.
“We are yet to unravel and solve the burden that subsidy places on us as a Nation, where it consumes up to one-third of our national budget because of the activities of players and despicable cabals in the oil sector.
“This is a citizens’ problem, we must rise to the occasion and support the leadership of the new NNPCL, the DSS and every necessary patriotic effort to reposition, reactivate and revive the oil industry for the benefit of Nigerians, such that it promotes our welfare, well-being, jobs for the youths and a prosperous country.
The statement said: “The Natives commend the Department of State Services for their prompt decision to intervene in the organised sabotage of the well-being and peace of Nigerians as the yuletide season approaches.
“We commend the Director General of the State Department and his team for being proactive and responsive to the yearnings of Nigerians, indeed there seems to be a ray of hope, when the intelligence community rises to defend its citizens.
“We are glad to hear and see the DSS as not only restraining or curtailing threats but rising up to enforce sanity and order.
“It has now become a normal that as every festive season approaches the gang in the oil industry and national saboteurs, embark on their evil ride to create artificial scarcity and ensure hardship on citizens to satisfy their profiteering.
“How can we explain that the GCEO NNPCL Mele Kyari, in his recent determination to sustain gains from the relative peace and discoveries in the Niger Delta, has not only been seen moving from location to location to ascertain fuel availability all over the country?”
“And he even announced that there is enough fuel in the depots to meet the consumption of citizens over this period, then suddenly scarcity everywhere to the extent that half of the roads are now blocked creating the emergence of long queues again in the country. This for us is absolutely a case of sabotage and requires thorough investigations.”
