Buhari blames IPOB for pipeline vandalism, asks western allies brand group terrorists

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) of being culpable in crude oil pipeline vandalism that has hampered production in the country.

He therefore asked the Western allies to designate them as a terrorist group rather than arm and provide safe haven for them.
The President made the assertion in a question and answer interview published in an international online newspaper, bloomberg.com, where he also defended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over his recent attempt to join the presidential race.
Asked why the country’s crude production had been slumping despite him being the Minister of Petroleum, President Buhari said, “Four years ago, we unveiled plans for a new gas pipeline connecting Nigeria to Europe. Last week (2nd June) – in record time – the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) entered into an agreement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its construction.
“Concurrently on 1st July, the NNPC will become a Limited Liability Company and be subject to more robust auditing and commercial disclosure obligations. It will help stimulate investment and boost transparency, where corruption has deterred the former and stymied the latter.
“My administration is the first to pass this landmark reform in our oil and gas sector, after two decades of predecessors’ failure to do so – no doubt due to vested interests.
“Criminality and terrorism in oil-producing regions hamper production, and it would help if our western allies designated IPOB as a terrorist group, given their complicity in damage to pipelines and infrastructure.
“We have invested in our security forces, including the $1 billion military deal with the U.S. for the acquisition of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft. These efforts are making an impact: wells that had to be closed due to criminality have now re-opened. With these efforts, OPEC has raised our quota for next month.”
President Buhari defended Emefiele over his alleged interest to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that only the apex bank’s board could determine whether his action violated the law.
Buhari said, “The CBN governor is appointed by the President. But this appointment is subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. Ultimately, it will be for the CBN’s board of directors to determine whether a CBN governor’s actions have fallen foul of the laws in place to ensure he can most effectively carry out his duties.
“But there is a subtext to the accusations. Because the governor follows a model outside of the economic orthodoxy, he is labelled political. But the orthodoxy has proved wrong time and again.
“Instead, the governor is following an alternative economic model that puts people at the heart of policy. Nigeria should be free to choose its development model and how to construct our economy, so it functions for Nigerians.
The President also insisted that the government will not remove subsidy from petroleum products as he observed that the argument for it being made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other Western bodies had increasingly become untenable.
According to him, “Most western countries are today implementing fuel subsidies. Why would we remove ours now? What is good for the goose is good for the gander!
What our western allies are learning the hard way is what looks good on paper and the human consequences are two different things.
“My government set in motion plans to remove the subsidy late last year. After further consultation with stakeholders, and as events unfolded this year, such a move became increasingly untenable. Boosting internal production for refined products shall also help.
“Capacity is due to step up markedly later this year and next, as private players and modular refineries (Dangote Refinery, BUA Group Refinery, Waltersmith Refinery) come on board.
“The exchange rate is still susceptible to external shocks that can suddenly and severely affect Nigerian citizens. As we step up domestic production – both in fuel (enabled by PIA) and food (agricultural policies) – the inflationary threat shall diminish, and we can move toward unification.”
On fulfilling his campaign promises of fighting corruption, securing the country and fixing the economy after eight years in office, he stated: “We leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it. Corruption is less hidden for Nigerians feel empowered to report it without fear, while money is returned; terrorists no longer hold any territory in Nigeria, and their leaders are deceased, and vast infrastructure development sets the country on course for sustainable and equitable growth.”