Arewa Assembly petitions Police, DSS over alleged NNPCL blackmail
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari and others during the signing of the agreement
Published By: Nimot Sulaimon
By Nimot Sulaimon
The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has petitioned the Acting Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Security over what the group termed coordinated attacks against the top management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), especially its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, and Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, amongst others.
In the petition titled “Petition Against the Ceaseless Blackmail on NNPCL Management by Some So-called Civil Society Organisations: The Need to Bring the Menace to an End,” the AYA warned that the politically orchestrated attacks against mainly top management personnel of the oil giant must stop.
Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker, of the Arewa Youth Assembly, said, “It is most disturbing that these elements, in their recent advocacy, decided to single out the management of the NNPCL mainly of Northern extraction for attack, namely: Mele Kolo Kyari, GCEO NNPCL (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited), Umar Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer, NNPCL, Danladi A. Inuwa, Executive Vice President, Business Services, and Ahmed Dikko, MD Port Harcourt Refinery.”
Danlami singled out those he alleged were being used in the cyberbullying and blackmail to include the Northern Youth Council, Sardauna Platinum Leadership, “and so-called civil society organisations” for “taking advantage of the current political climate in our country to exert undue pressure on our new government and force a change in the leadership of NNPCL.
“The relentless harassment and manipulation tactics employed by these groups not only weaken the stability and progress of our nation but also pose a significant threat to the hardworking and dedicated management of NNPCL.”
The youth speaker claimed that the media attacks were designed to incite the common people in the north against the administration of President Bola Tinubu and derail the government.
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The statement reads in part: “We strongly believe that these unpatriotic elements are trying to cash in on the complaints in Northern streets and communities about the appointments of Mr. President, which we believe hasn’t violated any constitutional provision and incites people of our region against the government, thereby derailing the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We have strong evidence in custody that shows that such characters have been sending text messages to the management staff of the corporation, threatening them with protests and whatnot.
“These satanically inspired threats, we believe, are capable of reducing their productivity, which, in the final analysis, will affect our economy as it is oil-dependent.
“Therefore, we wish to call on all relevant security agencies to take swift and appropriate action to address this issue and put an end to the ceaseless blackmail and protests against NNPCL management. We implore them to investigate these organisations thoroughly, as their actions warrant serious scrutiny and pose a threat to national security and cohesion. They should equally check whether they are legal entities or not.”
A spokesperson of the oil company, who preferred not to be named, said the NNPCL too had forwarded all such messages bordering on threats and blackmail to relevant security agencies.
“The GCEO has directed that no management or staff of the NNPCL should engage these elements any longer who hide under the guise of FoI or civil society to threaten or blackmail the company. Our books have been made public several times; therefore, there is nothing to fear.
“Very soon these mushroom groups and those behind them will have busy time with the security agencies,” the official hinted.
