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Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Anti-Petroleum Crime Committee, South-South zone, Prince John Okorosa, has alleged a threat to his life over the war against illegal oil and gas business in the region.
Okorosa said some men in an unmarked Toyota Hilux van, suspected to be on a sinister mission, visited his residence in Port Harcourt twice last week: “The strange visitors on ascertaining that I was not at home reversed and left the place.
“It is no surprise that the criminals, who have been at the receiving end from the Anti Petroleum Crime team in the region, are fighting back. My life and that of my family are in danger. They are saboteurs of our economy and would do everything to stop the fight against their criminal activities, especially in the creeks.”
Prince Okorosa, who appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for protection, declared that he would not be deterred by the antics and threat of the petroleum thieves in the region.
“We have a responsibility to stop crime and criminality in the oil and gas sector of the economy. This is a case of crime fighting back and there is no stopping us,” he said.
Okorosa, further raised the alarm over plans by some persons to cause crisis in the leadership of IPMAN.
He said the objective of the group was to destabilise the operation of the team and fictionalise the body; warning the public to be wary of persons parading themselves as members of IPMAN as he remains the only recognized leader in the region.
“IPMAN has no faction. Alhaji Sanusi Abdul Fari is the National President. As a matter of fact, a Supreme Court ruling permanently rested whatever dispute that existed. And I remain the duly recognised chairman of the South –South region”.
He insisted that the task of eradicating illegal oil activities in the South-South region of the country, as directed by the president of IPMAN, Fari, would be carried out to the latter.
“I wish to reinstate that no amount of threat will stop me and my team. I have the directive of the IPMAN president to stop the oil criminals in the region. We have achieved results and no stopping us,” he concluded.
