Protesters storm National Assembly, demand transparency in oil probe

A group, the Nigerian Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, has asked the National Assembly to be transparent about the ongoing probe into the importation of adulterated petroleum products into the country.

It also demanded that representatives of civil society groups, trade unions, and students be part of the ad hoc committee conducting the probe.

The group made the demands during a protest at the National Assembly on Thursday.

On 3 July, the Senate constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the persistent importation of allegedly hazardous petroleum products by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

The committee, chaired by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, promised to expose those behind the importation of contaminated fuel, regardless of their positions or offices.

However, about three months after it was constituted, the Senate panel sought to merge with its counterpart in the House of Representatives to carry out a joint task.

Protest

Members of the group who protested at the entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja for several hours demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged importation.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Energy independence is our right,” “No more water billions on dead refineries,” and “Who are those benefiting from importing substandard fuel?” “Substandard fuel is a threat,” “Imported fuel hurts Nigerians,” “End NNPCL monopoly, support local refineries,” “Stop substandard PMS,” and “Refineries for Nigerians, not empty promises.”

The coalition’s spokesperson, Kennedy Tabuko, expressed dissatisfaction with the legislature’s silence on the importation of adulterated fuel since the two chambers merged to form a joint committee.

Mr Tabuko said that for the sake of transparency, the federal government should direct the joint committee to involve members of the public, such as civil society organisations, leaders of labour unions, students, and market women, in the exercise.

Protesters marching towards entrance of the National Assembly

“First of all, you remember that there was an initial committee constituted by the National Assembly. Because of the power that plays, that committee was dissolved less than how many weeks and a new one was constituted. Uptil the next tomorrow, they have yet to hear anything from them.

“My advice is not to the National Assembly but to the federal government, led by (President Bola) Tinubu. It should constitute a special committee of the people, trade unions, Market Women, Students, and whatever.

“We have civil society, we have labour, we have market women, we have, what is it called? They can bring in their representative. Let it be a people’s probe.

“Let us go and investigate what is actually happening in this refinery. What is the problem? And they will tell us it is a crude oil thing; it is about international policy,” he said.

Non-functioning refineries

Mr Tabuko also expressed concern over the failure of government-owned refineries to function despite committing billions of naira annually.

“Let us go and see in NNPCL, what this thing is. I mean in the refinery. Why is it not working? What is holding us? Are we going to continue like this to 2027, to 2030, to 2032? There must be a timeline.

“If you see what FCT Minister Wike is doing, he awards contracts and goes there every day to check, holds press conferences to say this is the level we have achieved. Why is it not happening in NNPC? Let them be telling us every week that this is where we are.

“They say mechanical components have been completed since last year, and they told us, you know, it takes time. So, don’t tell us that the refinery will start by December. You can also keep quiet until it starts. Let’s see. Let us be sincere for once in this country. It is our own. We are not asking for too much,” he said.

Other demands

Mr Tabuko also demanded a breakdown of the monies spent on rehabilitating government-owned refineries from 2007 to the present and a specific date on which the refineries will commence operations.

The group threatened to stage further protests if their demands were not addressed.