A media group, Volunteer Media Advocacy for Accountable Leadership has called on the media to support the Nigeria military in their quest to rid the country of oil theft and illegal bunkering.
The group stated this in reaction to the recent reported arrest of a journalist, Fisayo Soyombo by the Nigerian military during a raid at the site of oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.
National Coordinator Volunteer Media Advocacy for Accountable Leadership, David Augustine who spoke to news men in Lagos, said Nigeria doesn’t need any form of distraction as it has taken the bold step of reviving the mouribon refineries especially the Port Harcourt refinery.
He explained that oil theft has had serious negative consequences for the Nigerian economy and all hands must be on deck to support the military to eradicate the menace and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Augustine said in the past one or two months, the Nigerian military efforts against oil theft and illegal bunkering have been yielding desired results, wondering why any journalist would seek to distract the ongoing efforts.
According to him, the recent efforts of the military has increased crude oil production, noting that the country is close to achieving the federal government plan to produce two million barrels of crude oil daily.
Augustine said Soyombo was arrested at the scene of an active crime scene, and not because he was a journalist, cautioning against twisting the narrative to give an impression of media repression.
“Fisayo Soyombo didn’t reveal his identity to the security personnel for a long while after the arrest. Why did he do that.
“Soyombo thinks everybody knows him in Nigeria. That is a foolhardy assumption. If they do, then it means he is actually seeking for attention and award and not altruistic enough in his supposed calling of revealing the rot in the Nigerian system.”
Augustine said, it is apparent that Soyombo is twisting the narrative, making it appear as if he was arrested because he was a journalist.
“Journalist or not. The media doesn’t grant immunity to anyone against investigation. If anyone is arrested at a crime scene, security agencies must carry out due diligence and their investigation.
“Oil bunkering sites are dangerous. Soyombo could have informed security personnel of his mission. He could have been killed if the bunkerers had exchanged gun fire with the soldiers.”