NUPENGASSAN condemns insecurity, killing of members

Oil and gas sector workers under the joint umbrella body of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (NUPENGASSAN) have expressed concern over the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem.

The unions stated this in a statement signed by their presidents, Ndukaku Ohaeri and Williams Akporeha.

While lamenting the recent killing of an oil and gas worker along Owerri-Okigwe road by bandits, the union warned that unless drastic measures were taken, the security challenges will only get worse.

“For us as concerned relevant stakeholders, it has become necessary and expedient for us at a time like this to urgently alert the Federal Government of the grave dangers that the current situation is posing on the image of our country and the multiplier impacts on the livelihoods of the citizenry.

“We therefore call on the government and those saddled with the responsibility of securing lives and properties to rise to the occasion and stem the tide of insecurity and other emerging crimes in order to protect and stabilise our overall socio-economic and political interests.”

“As responsible and responsive organizations, NUPENG and PENGASSAN will not keep silent and watch the nation turned into a banana republic. Our members continue to live in fear as the mostly t argeted group by these bandits,” it added.

It further called on security agencies to fish out the bad eggs amongst them, adding that “as those directly affected by the negative effects of the kidnappings, killings and assassinations which have put the lives of our members and the general public in danger, we like to draw the attention of the top echelon of the security agencies to the rot in their respective organisations and implore them to tackle the issue by smoking out the bad eggs within their folds.

“We should have security agencies that the people can trust to offer useful intelligence reports to and our security officers should be properly trained, equipped and motivated enough to act on such information to smash criminal gangs before they strike,” the unions urged.