The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), on Tuesday, said it may issued a 'Stop Work for Safety' on its members in the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), if immediate action is not taken on the killing of three PPMC staff members by pipeline vandals at Arepo, Ogun State.
The three workers were among those attacked by vandals while in Arepo to repair ruptured parts of the pipelines.
Describing the incident as barbaric and unacceptable, PENGASSAN, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Zaid Kolawole, said it was dissatisfied with the government’s ineptness in the face of threats to the lives of personnel working on the pipelines.
PENGASSAN stated that it had directed its members not to make any further attempt to repair the pipelines until the government could guarantee their safety and security.
The union asked the relevant security agencies to immediately arrest the killers and charge them for murder, threatening that it would order a 'Stop Work for Safety' on its members in PPMC if the perpetrators were not apprehended within the next month.
On his part, PENGASSAN President, Babatunde Ogun, blamed the government and PPMC management that sent out the workers on duties without adequate protection and security.
“The government should have known that the pipeline was damaged by criminals who daringly vandalise national infrastructures and would go to any length to protect their illicit activity,” he said.
“The government should have provided adequate security for the people sent to that area. The management of the company should not have sent the workers to that point without adequate security backing.”
Ogun said it was disheartening that the Police were not even aware that the workers were killed as at Sunday evening, adding that this cast aspersion on the management of the PPMC and the security agencies.
“We have repeatedly challenged government on the need to justify their security votes by providing security of lives and property of all Nigerians. A situation where government seems to have yielded space to all forms of criminals and terrorist to abridge the right to life of Nigerians is simply and totally unacceptable.”
The three workers were among those attacked by vandals while in Arepo to repair ruptured parts of the pipelines.
Describing the incident as barbaric and unacceptable, PENGASSAN, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Zaid Kolawole, said it was dissatisfied with the government’s ineptness in the face of threats to the lives of personnel working on the pipelines.
PENGASSAN stated that it had directed its members not to make any further attempt to repair the pipelines until the government could guarantee their safety and security.
The union asked the relevant security agencies to immediately arrest the killers and charge them for murder, threatening that it would order a 'Stop Work for Safety' on its members in PPMC if the perpetrators were not apprehended within the next month.
On his part, PENGASSAN President, Babatunde Ogun, blamed the government and PPMC management that sent out the workers on duties without adequate protection and security.
“The government should have known that the pipeline was damaged by criminals who daringly vandalise national infrastructures and would go to any length to protect their illicit activity,” he said.
“The government should have provided adequate security for the people sent to that area. The management of the company should not have sent the workers to that point without adequate security backing.”
Ogun said it was disheartening that the Police were not even aware that the workers were killed as at Sunday evening, adding that this cast aspersion on the management of the PPMC and the security agencies.
“We have repeatedly challenged government on the need to justify their security votes by providing security of lives and property of all Nigerians. A situation where government seems to have yielded space to all forms of criminals and terrorist to abridge the right to life of Nigerians is simply and totally unacceptable.”
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