OIL THEFT: IMAN DIRECTOR GENERAL DEBUNKS ALLEGATIONS ON CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF INVOLVEMENT IN OIL THEFT

~ Says Okwu Nnabuike is an imposter and jobless

~ Calls on President Tinubu to disregard the baseless allegation and focus

The Director General of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Special Task Force on Anti Smuggling and Adulteration, Amb. Chijioke Okoro has debunked the allegations leveled against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla by one Mr. Okwu Nnabuike, an imposter and an acclaimed factional secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Wing.

Speaking to newsmen in his country home in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Amb Chijioke described such allegations as baseless, malicious and wicked.

The Special Task Force Director General on Anti Smuggling and Adulteration hinted that the imposter has no job and a known means of survival as his stock in trade is making baseless allegations against constituted authorities with a ploy to be lobbied for relevance and kick backs. The task force chairman revealed that as a field marshall, he has over three thousand members actively working both on land and in the waterways therefore he and his team are in the best position to give accurate reports and appraisal on the performance of the Chief of Naval Staff in his fights against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta Region especially.

Amb. Okoro intimated members of the press that since the inception of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla as the Chief of Naval Staff, Illegal Oil Bunkering has reduced in the Niger Delta as he has taken the war to their comfort zones as it hasn't been business as usual, he revealed that illegal oil bunkering culprits are crying everyday because their illegal means of survival have been busted and stopped to the bearest minimum, while warning Mr. Nnabuike to desist from maligning the character and high reputation of the Chief of Naval Staff. The IMAN DG for Special Taskforce on Anti Smuggling and Adulteration advised the imposter to get a means of livelihood and stop chasing shadows and clout as those days are over.

The dogged field marshall while encouraging the Naval boss not to be deterred by the antics of the enemies of the state who wish him to fail and bring bad records to Ndi Igbos also used the medium to appreciate the Commander -In - Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment in fighting illegality especially in the Oil Sector and the continued support he has given to the Chief of Naval Staff which he said has shown his love for the Igbo extraction. Amb. Chijioke Okoro enjoined the President to focus on delivering the dividend of democracy to Nigerians especially the Niger Delta and avoid detractors as they have never meant well for his government.

Recall that the factional Secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Wing has issued a statement alleging that on 3rd of May, 2024, MT Montagu went alongside MT Prestigious and discharged 104,4033 BBL of crude. According to him, the crude was loaded from MT Byranston stationed at Newcross Facility SAN Barth OML 24 Marginal oil field therefore he suspected illegal oil bunkering.

Okwu went as far as urging Mr. President to sack the Chief of Naval Staff and replace him with another Igbo man.