The Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has warned that there is an imminent attempt to blackmail Chairman of Tantita Security Services, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari, and the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro.
The IYN, in a statement by its President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, on Sunday alleged that a cabal of “oil thieves” who are uncomfortable with gains of the fight against oil theft being spearheaded by Tantita Security Services are behind the purported blackmail.
The group’s statement is coming on the heels of a video making the rounds wherein a group of protesters stormed the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, United States, accusing the trio (Tompolo, Kyari and Otuaro) of corruption.
The IYN in the statement stressed that the alleged well-grounded oil thieves and their cabal are funding and orchestrating the campaign of calumny against the three leaders.
The group said it is not new that the deadly cabal that almost ruined the economy of the country by stealing billions of petro dollars from the country would not give up their lucrative crime without a fight.
They said some of those fighting Tompolo, Kyari and Otuaro are those who allegedly pressed to be appointed to head PAP without success.
The IYN further said the attainment of 1.8m barrels of crude oil per day benchmark under the Tinubu-led Federal Government and the gains made in the fight against oil thieves should be maintained.
The group equally said that the antecedents of Otuaro and his capacity to deepen consultations and sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta might be hurting those behind the campaign of calumny against the trio.
The group therefore called on the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to ensure a thorough investigation of those behind the blackmail and bring them to justice in the interest of national security.
They also urged the President, Senator Bola Tinubu, to be resolute in sustaining the reversal of the evils of oil theft against Nigeria and her citizens.
They equally called on all sister organizations in the Niger Delta to support the fight against oil theft, Tantita Security Service Limited, the NNPCL and the PAP leadership.
