Following the resolution by senior oil workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to shut down Nigeria’s oil exports by midnight of yesterday, due to alleged refusal of the Rivers State Government to release detained 22 offshore ExxonMobil workers, the state government has freed the oil workers.

Apparently dissatisfied with the role played by Rives State Police Command in the arrest of the workers, Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, on Friday removed Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mr Dandaura Mustapha, and replaced him with Mr Gobum Mukan, who was asked to assume duties immediately in Port Harcourt.

A statement jointly signed by President, PENGASSAN, Mr Nduka Ohaeri and General Secretary, Mr Lumumba Okungbawa, said the arrested 22 ExxonMobil officials on essential duty, were going for ‘quarantine’ before going offshore.

Following the refusal of the Rivers State Government to release the workers, PENGASSAN in a another statement issued yesterday, ordered its members to withdraw all services relating to crude oil production, refining, distribution and supplies.

The union accused the federal government and others of failing to effect the release of their members who, it said were on legitimate national assignment.

According to PENGASSAN, “the federal government and relevant authorities have failed to secure the release of these 21 comrades on legitimate national assignment. The leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has no other option regrettably than to direct all our members to commence the withdrawal of services as follows:

By midnight Sunday, April 19, 2020, all export facilities will stop operation as well as suspension of Production and Maintenance Services Reports.

“That by 12 noon on Monday, April 20, all our members will withdraw all forms of services relating to crude oil production, refining, distribution and supplies.”

Following this threat, the state government yesterday released the 22 workers without charges.

PENGASSAN confirmed in another statement yesterday that with the intervention of authorities, an unconditional release was secured for all union members.

Having achieved the primary demand in our ultimatum, we hereby suspend the planned industrial action. We call on federal government of Nigeria, agencies and all oil and gas industry stakeholders to guarantee unfettered movement of oil and gas workers on essential services in all territories of the federation if we are to continue to provide these services.

“We also call on Federal Ministry of Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to immediately adjust its COVID-19 testing protocol to include all offshore-going workers. This will prevent possible incidence of COVD-19 on oil installations with its grave consequences and eliminate need for 14-day self-isolation before travelling offshore with its attendant huge cost implications on organizations and psychological effect on workers.

We appreciate the federal government and other relevant authorities for their intervention and thank all patriotic Nigerians who supported our cause. We salute our members for their show of maturity in the face of obvious and unwarranted provocation, especially the MOBIL 21,” it added.

Thisday