Port Harcourt—The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has sought the support and partnership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
According to reports by the Nigerian Tribune, the request was made on Monday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the IPMAN Chairman, Hon. Bello Bina, while paying a courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Commander of the EFCC, ACE Nwanneka Nwokike, in his office.
Bina was quoted in a statement by Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media & Publicity of the EFCC as stating that the EFCC is the only agency trusted to give solutions on issues of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
According to him, the association is more comfortable with what the EFCC is doing and is ready to collaborate with the agency to curb oil theft.
“In the past, our efforts have been wasted, we were advised that the agency who has the mandate to make our job effective is the EFCC,” he said. 
“We are here to collaborate with the agency which we are more comfortable with and we believe that with your support, our jobs will have a headway.”
In his comments, Nwokike said that the EFCC is working tirelessly to put an end to the menace of illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region, stressing that there is also the need to educate youths within the region on the ills of illegal oil bunkering.
“I assure you that the EFCC has the desire to reduce, if not bring to an end, the menace of illegal oil bunkering.”
“We will educate our youths on the dangers of this, which is part of our mandate, educating our youths on why they must leave these illegalities.
“We must all come together to see how we can tackle this menace. I want to assure you that we will work together,” he affirmed
