DON'T BLAME THE NNPC RESPONSIBLE FOR PETROLEUM SMUGGLING - MELE KYARI

Mele Kyari, the group managing director of NNPC Limited, has attributed the high rate of merchandise smuggling across the border on fuel subsidy.

Speaking at a summit hosted by the House of Representatives Committee on Anti Corruption, Mr. Kyari asserted that smuggling and round-tripping would continue as long as subsidies existed.

He said that NNPC Limited is not responsible for the situation.

"As long as arbitrage is there, you will

continue to have these issues and you

cannot hold NNPC accountable for it

because it is a value chain that involves

everything and everybody," he said.

He also disclosed that some who oppose the changes brought about by the Petroleum Industry Act had threatened his life.

"There is threat to life, I can say this, I have several death threats but we are not bothered about this, we believe that no one dies unless it is his time.

"But this is the cost of change, when people move away from what they are used to something that is new that will take away value and benefit from them, they will react," he said.