Breaking News: Economic Sabotage as Port-Harcourt Refinery Suffers Massive ‘Attack’; Proposed Takeoff Threatened

 

The Port Harcourt refinery has come under massive attack by a gang of youths who have invaded the facility and looted parts of the strategic oil infrastructure.

This development has jeopardized the planned take-off of the refinery, whose extraordinary maintenance has been practically completed.

The refinery’s long-awaited restart could be delayed by the destruction of the plant.

Wednesday’s attack came a day after the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company, Mr Mele Kyari, said the Port Harcourt refinery was almost completed and could start production in two months.

CONCLAVE reports that about 100 youths besieged the refinery premises in Eleme area of ​​Port Harcourt and blocked roads leading to the area.

According to the news that reached our editorial team, the young people vandalized the pipes and cables of the structure.

Dozens of them have reportedly vowed to prevent anyone from accessing the roads leading to or from the refinery.

An official who spoke to our correspondent said that the refinery’s management was facing considerable sabotage in their attempts to restart operations.

“There have been orchestrated acts of vandalism inside the plant and there is an ongoing blockade preventing the start of work.

“Hundreds of people gathered at the entrance of the PHRC, preventing workers from doing their jobs and vowing that the refinery’s resumption will not take place,” he said.

THE CONCLAVE reports videos showing vandals caught overnight cutting cables and stealing equipment from the refinery.

At the time of writing it has not been possible to confirm who the sponsors of the destructive youth are.

According to credible sources, plans are underway to deploy security forces, including the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and Nigerian Police, to the refinery to prevent large-scale destruction of the plant.

Industry observers were quick to condemn the act of sabotage at the Port Harcourt refinery on Wednesday, saying: “It is ironic that this is happening when we say we want the refineries back at all costs.

“We said we wanted to stop the importation of petroleum products. We said we wanted to see a country where efficient supply of one of the most important raw materials in the life of a Nigerian was not a problem, and then, out of the blue, we now find ourselves in this situation.”

An oil and gas industry player has said Nigerians must raise their voices against these acts of national sabotage and lack of patriotism.

According to him: “Our refineries must function and the government must act immediately to stop this unfortunate sabotage. Nigeria needs competition in the oil refining sector if we are to really bring down the price of PMS.

“The fact that the NNPC is now a commercial entity should not mean that infrastructure considered national assets, such as the Port Harcourt refinery, should remain unprotected.”

Video below;

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