Prominent activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has called on President Bola Tinubu to bolster security around Nigeria’s recently rehabilitated oil refineries. In an open letter on Monday, Adeyanju urged the President to deploy the Nigerian Army to safeguard the nation’s vital oil facilities from theft and sabotage.
The plea comes in the wake of Tinubu’s commendable strides in revamping the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which have begun production following extensive rehabilitation efforts. Adeyanju applauded the President for his commitment to addressing the challenges of high petroleum product costs in Nigeria.
“Recently, the media was awash with news of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries and the subsequent production of petroleum products from the Port Harcourt refinery,” Adeyanju stated in his letter. “Following my personal confirmation of the veracity of these stories, I am compelled to publicly commend President Bola Tinubu for rehabilitating the refineries.”
He highlighted that the restoration of these facilities has the potential to significantly reduce the price of petrol and other petroleum products, creating competition within the oil sector and alleviating the financial burden on Nigerians.
However, Adeyanju stressed the urgent need for additional measures to protect the nation’s oil resources. He expressed concern over the Nigerian Navy’s ability to single-handedly secure the facilities, calling for the army’s intervention to complement ongoing efforts.
“Having taken steps to revamp the refineries, the President must go further by blocking all illegal exploitation of the nation’s oil resources by non-state actors,” he said. “The Nigerian Navy is overstretched and can no longer protect our oil facilities alone. In this light, I call on the President to direct the army to maintain increased presence across our oil facilities and protect them from oil theft.”
While commending the administration for its progressive actions on the refineries, Adeyanju also emphasized the importance of improving the overall quality of life for Nigerians. He urged Tinubu to implement policies that align with his campaign promises to uplift the nation’s living standards.
The rehabilitation of the refineries is seen as a significant step toward achieving energy self-sufficiency and reducing the cost of petroleum products for Nigerians, with hopes that these measures will be accompanied by robust security frameworks to sustain the progress.
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