The Senate President, David Mark, said on Wednesday that he will readily endorse a penalty of death for perpetrators of oil theft, commonly called bunkering, as four senate committees opened hearings on the Petroleum Industry Bill driving to overhaul the oil sector.
Mr. Mark’s comments came as senators, separately, held a six-hour closed door meeting with the service chiefs over escalating violence that has seen dozens killed within the past weeks, mainly in the northern states.
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Rear admiral Ola Ibrahim, Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Azubuke ihejirika, Chief of Naval staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeobi, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Alex Barde and the Director of the State Security Services, Ita Ekpenyong. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, was absent.
Senate spokesperson, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the talk was to know “what the problems are and also to be able to work with the security agencies to bring the very serious security problems we have to possible resolution.” He refused to provide further details of the briefing, and the senate’s position.
At the inauguration of a joint committee hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill, Mr. Mark accused “big men” in the country of sponsoring massive oil theft that has seen reasonable cuts in oil production levels.
He said oil theft was becoming a “major embarrassment” for the nation, and the PIB must be crafted to curb that.
“The bill must ensure that the current pace of oil theft is minimized to the barest minimum. It appears we are beginning to get bad names in the international community. Few individuals must not make us earn such bad names,” Mr. Mark said.
“The law must prescribe huge punishment that will serve as deterrent. If it will attract death penalty, I am ready for it, I will endorse it. Oil theft cannot be done with a tea cup, big men involved in it are powerful, it is unusual situation that requires unusual solution.”
Mr. Mark added that the bill be made to expand the frontier of oil exploration beyond the Niger Delta region, adding that by so doing, Nigeria’s economy will get a boost and incidences of agitation from various regions will be reduced.
JD:I see,so Mark will support the death sentence for those involved in bunkering.What of those involed in corrupt practices,what sentence should they get?those who steal billions of the peoles money that leads to massive suffering,massive loss of lives,what sentence should they get?A slap on the wrist?a 750k fine for stealing 27 billion naira? If this is the thinking of the leader of our legislative house,if this is the thinking of a man who had once said telephones are not for the poor,if this is the mindset of a strong presidential aspirant in 2015(is there a vacancy?),then my ideas and thoughts of Nigeria has not changed.As they say on the streets” we don enter one chance”
weldon Mr. jimi, David mark is just trying to catch pipu’s attention, I could remember watcing one of their plenary meeting on Pension Fund scam where he was ‘chanting egede’ these pipu are tactically decietful.
They can say all they want, we must do the needful come 2015 if not then one chance truly
Oga JD, what do expect from him. He will never sanction death penalty for corrupt politicians, cos he might just be the first to go. Corruption and oil thiet are one and the same. It is the same ‘ big men’ who steal our money, that sponsor oil pipeline thief. Kill corruption and pipeline vandalisation will cease.
Don’t mind them; they are all playing to the gallery; talk is cheap. They talk talk talk without any concrete action to move the nation forward. All they care is their pocket; devil’s incarnates they are.
Let them continue buying time; one day; monkey go go market e no go come back; very soon.i believe so!
Jimi, my husband and I listen to you all the time. It is now part of ‘breakfast’. It is always hilarious to hear the rantings of some of our so called political elite. I think that a hard-line statement such as his, should be backed up with consistency and impartiality; followed thoroughly to the end looking at the social implications. I always say, our biggest problem is and has always been – a lack of good education. http://www.thelearningcraft.blogspot.com
jd, na real one chance! if our legislators really want to move this country forward and put immense pressure on the executive as well as the judiciary, they must start with themselves. slash your salaries and allowances, cut down on all the excesses, push for heavy crackdown on corruption and in doing so; relegate sentiments(ethnic and religious). only then can we say there’s an honest political revolution that we crave for. God bless nigeria!