Abuja, Sept. 21, 2023 (NAN) The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), an NGO said it has submitted a document to efficiently address organised crimes in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea.
The Executive Director, YEAC-Nigeria, Mr Fyneface Dumnamene said this on Thursday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Dumnamene said that the document was issued at the end of the National Conference on organised crime in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea (NACOCINAG) held on April 28.
According to him, the 7-page communiqué with 19 recommendations has been submitted to President Bola Tinubu and other relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA) including the Service Chiefs.
“The document is for the effective implementation of mitigating organised crime in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.
“The organisation is at the forefront of the campaign against pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refineries, and pollution.
“It is imperative to submit the communiqué to Mr President, as certain recommendations are required to be implemented by the Federal Government.
“The government will also liaise with other countries in the Gulf of Guinea through the Gulf of Guinea Commission, to address the menace of organised crime in Nigeria at large and the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.
The executive director said the organisation recommended immediate action such as establishment of a Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI).
He said that PACORDI was proposed by the YEAC-Nigeria for the innovation, standardisation and integration of artisanal refineries into the national economy.
He said that the document recommended the immediate issuance of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s approved 18 Modular Refineries licenses for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta.
Dumnamene said that the essence of the licenses was to mitigate organised crime and support sustainable youth empowerment.
“The document also emphasised the importance of partnering with other presidents in other countries in the Gulf of Guinea for the establishment of an effective taskforce against organised crime,” he said.
Dumnamene said the organisation requested a presidential directive to all security agencies to collaborate with the YEAC-Nigeria on organised crime in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea (NOCINAG).
He said that the collaboration should extend to other relevant stakeholders to help gather and share a platform that would generate intelligence information to strengthen the fight against organised crime in the areas.
“We also ask for immediate establishment of a Coast-Guard Mechanism to be known as Nigeria Coast and Border Guards (NCBG).
“The NCBG will collapse all government-private security arrangements into a standby supportive maritime security mechanism against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering.
“The NCBG will also work to mitigate the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, among others, to strengthen homeland security efforts,” he said.
Dumnamene said that the stakeholders including local and international development partners support the work, projects and programmes of YEAC-Nigeria as a think-tank on organised crime mitigation mechanisms across the country.
He also called on other relevant stakeholders to support the efforts of the organisation, adding that the support would reduce crime and enhance development in the country and Gulf of Guinea. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Source: News Agency of Nigeria