BY NONYELUM JULIET
Asaba
The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has said that Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla was not capable of handling activities of oil theft.
In a statement signed by the national coordinator of the group, Comrade Israel Uwejeyan expressed dismay over the recent revelations of criminal activities which are tantamount to sabotaging the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu administration and bringing the Nigerian Navy into disrepute, it’s said.
“It is deeply disheartened by the recent revelations of criminal activities within the Navy. We are deeply concerned about recent reports implicating the Navy in nefarious activities such as crude oil theft, diversion of crude oil, and providing security escorts for crude oil thieves on our waterways”.
According to NDYC, the youth of the Niger Delta region, cannot overlook the egregious actions and tarnished reputation that have characterized the Navy’s operations under Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla’s command.
“Therefore, we express our loss of confidence in his ability to lead effectively”.
“It is imperative to reiterate that the primary mandate of the Navy is to secure our waterways, protect maritime resources, and ensure the safety of all maritime activities. Any involvement in criminal activities not only undermines the security apparatus, the security and economic stability of our nation but also directly sabotages the efforts of the Government”.
“The NDYC condemns in the strongest terms actions by the Navy that compromise the security and integrity of our waterways.
“We call on the appropriate authorities to thoroughly investigate these allegations that includes the recent criminal incident that occurred on Friday the 3rd of May 2024 involving MT PRESTIGIOUS and MT MONTAGU and those found culpable must be brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others and to restore the integrity of the Navy.
“At a time when our country is in desperate need of all available resources to alleviate the suffering of the masses and stabilize the economy, it is incredibly saddening and unacceptable for such activities that not only undermines the efforts to stabilize our economy but also exacerbates the suffering of the Nigerian people to be taking place.
“We therefore pass a vote of no confidence on the Chief of Naval staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and call for swift and thorough investigations into these criminal activities and those found culpable must be brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others and to restore the integrity of the Navy.
“In conclusion, the Niger Delta Youth Congress NDYC vehemently denounces the scandalous activities within the Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla. It is imperative that swift and decisive action is taken to rectify these egregious transgressions.
Our collective efforts must be directed towards promoting lawful and sustainable maritime activities for the benefit of all Nigerians”.
