A prominent Niger Delta youth leader, Chief Frank Akiefa has called on the National Assembly to probe all marketers who imported adulterated fuel unto the country.
In a statement on Thursday, the immediate past Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council, Western Zone, particularly called for a probe on Brittania-U Nigeria Limited and its MD/CEO, Uju Ijerika.
Akiefa stated this while reacting to a statement by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), calling on the National Assembly to exonerate of Uju.
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The RNDA, in a statement by its Commading Officer, Major GEN JOHNMARK EZON-EBI AKA OBAMA, claimed that Ifejika and her company were innocent of the allegations.
“Our findings showed that the Brittania-U and its MD/CEO Uju Ifejika does not have any hand in the above bad fuel supply saga and therefore any malicious devilish move of any cheap blackmail trying to sabotage the operations of Brittnia-U company in an attempt to malign and paint black the good image of the management staff of the company would be provocative and will be dealt with serious concern in the creek underminding any effect.
“MD/CEO Uju Ifejika , is a mother known to us in the creek of Niger Delta region and the only woman who has been taking full responsibility of building social developmental projects and empowering our community women and youths, building home cottage hospital for free medication for the host communities in the creek of the region.
“She is an amazon that has contributed a lot to the existing peace being enjoyed by the federal government and the NNPC, therefore should not be painted with such outrageous and malicious cheap blackmail.
“It has come to our knowledge that the present saga of importation of PMS mixed with menthol substance was more inside the fuels that was supplied by NNPC which led to short fall of fuel distribution across the country. It has taken a different twist in which some cabals at the NNPC and that of some of the major oil marketers, who brought in the bad fuel want to put the blame on the MD/CEO at Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, Uju Ijerika.”
“The leadership of the RNDA will not fold their hands to accept such inhuman treatment to be meted out to her and we are calling on the National Assembly and the authorities of the NNPC to look elsewhere for another scape goats and other major oil marketers companies who are allegedly involved in the supply of the bad fuel.
“We would no longer condone the attempts to hang our Amazon, Uju Ijerika and the Brittania-U dry in the public space for crime not committed.
“Despite our support for the ordered probe into the bad fuel saga by President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly, the coalition of Militant groups under the RNDA, wants to make it clear that at this juncture anything that touches the Chairman/CEO at Brittania-U Nigeria Limited and the Indigenous Company equally touches us.
“Therefore we are not going to fold our hands and allow such cooked frame up be meted on her as our kinswoman that has contributed a lot to the peace and development to the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region most especially the Forçados axis.”
’We call on those involved in the probe into the bad fuel saga to remain unbiased, open minded and conduct a broad investigation despite attempts by those involved to hoodwink them with media reports. We equally seize the opportunity to applaud and commend the Uju Ifejika, the Chairman/CEO at Brittania-U Nigeria Limited for the good laudable social community humanitarian projects she has been doing so far in our communities in the creek of Niger Delta region and for fostering peace and development in the host communities,” the statement added.
However, Akiefa noted that Ifejika, Britainia-U and other accused companies, should be made to go through scrutiny for endangering the lives of Nigerians.
He described the act by Ifejika and others as inimical to the general wellbeing of Nigerians.
“Every accused person, particularly Uju Ifejika and Britainia-U should be put through the probing process. Their personal greed is what has brought this plight on Nigerians.
“Their deliberate action has led to pains and further exposed Nigerians to danger. Fuel scarcity is here today because of Ifejika and her cohorts.
“The government should leave no stone unturned in bringing anyone found guilty of importing adulterated fuel to face adequate punishment,” Akiefa said.
He also described the statement by the RNDA as a baseless a threat, saying a faceless body cannot dictate the fate of Nigerians, calling on the EFFC and relevant bodies to go after all erring importers.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation raised an alarm of adulterated petrol being imported into the country by importers.
The resultant effect of the adulterated premium motor spirit has seen the country plunge into another round of fuel scarcity in recent weeks.
