The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality (MOSIEND), has called on the federal government to get the local communities in the Niger Delta region in the fight against oil theft and illegal bunkering.
This is as it said the office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) alone cannot stop the ongoing oil theft and illegal bunkering, which is on the rise in the region.
MOSIEND national president, Dr. Kennedy West, who spoke with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, said there was the need for the federal government to partners with the group to ensure that the government’s efforts towards eradicating the menace get to the communities.
West said: “Stamping out oil theft in the Niger Delta cannot be the sole responsibility of the Chief of Defence Staff. The Chief of Defence Staff has nothing to stamp it out. You have fleets of gunboats and JTF on the sea, yet, you still have issues of oil theft, illegal bunkering skyrocketing. That means that you need the collaboration of the people.
“MOSIEND has been deep into orientation, as started with JTF in the past and it is still ready to partner with the current government to make sure that we also take the efforts being put by the government to the communities.”
