Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, President, Network of Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (NOCSON), has called on the federal government of Nigeria to release names of those involved in the oil theft and illegal bunkering in the country irrespective of how highly and lowly placed the individual might be.

He made the call while marking the World Human Rights Day in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Comrade Ogbidi said the activities of the oil theft and illegal bunkering have sabotage the nation’s economy adding that president Muhammadu Buhari must muster the courage to name them for Nigerians to know who their really enemies are and must not shield them.

“At this point in time, we want to call on president Muhammadu Buhari to publish the names of oil theft as discovered by the series of operations of the Independent Security Contract that was awarded to the former Niger Delta warlord, Tompolo that discovered series of illegal oil wells where our oil is being siphoned as series of oil theft by an unlicensed, unapproved vessels moving our oil out of this country.

“This is a crime that is perpetuated by high networked individuals in this country.

“Whether within the security agencies, whether within the political class or among the elite, the president of this country must find the courage to as a matter of fact identify and publish the names of oil theft and oil bunkers in this country that has sabotage our economy and further worsen the suffering of Nigerian people.

“We call on our president as one who rules on the mantra of fighting corruption, to do the needful and publish and make public the names of those that are involved in the oil theft in Nigeria that has plunged our economy into quagmire”, he said.

Ogbidi, while decrying the level of insecurity in the country, said the government of the day must rise up to the task of protecting the lives of her citizenry just as he urged him to address the issue of hunger and starvation in the country.

He maintained that NOCSON as a human rights group, has mapped out plans to address the issues of human rights abuses.

He pointed out that NOCSON would work with the Nigerian Police, Edo State command to ensure that human rights violation is brought to the barest level in the state.

“And also, we as a Network of Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria, we will be having series of activities to mark World human rights day in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force, Edo State command.

“We shall be visiting various divisions to look at issues that bother on human rights and to see how the dignity and the rights of our people is being protected and ensure that they are not violated.

‘Among other things, we shall be looking at issues of prolonged and unnecessary detentions, bail issues and issues of human rights abuse and tortures and as well as other things that bother on the rights of our people.

“I want to appreciate the new Commissioner of Police for his desire to ensure that the sustenance of human rights is in top gear in Edo State and deem it fit to accept and collaborate with the Network of Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria to mark this year’s day of world human rights day activities.

“And also to the nation, Nigeria, it should be a time for us to renew our social contracts, to ensure that the leaders of our country know the reason why they have been given the responsibility to govern the people and they owe them the responsibility that their rights is protected and that they ensure justice for all irrespective of the race, colour and ethnic affiliations or political affiliation but everyone one must enjoy the basic benefits that the government should provide for the people”, he stressed. (Daily Independent: Text, Excluding Headline)

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