The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Association of University Students (NAUS) and The Natives, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), on Sunday commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for issuing an ultimatum to oil marketers over fuel scarcity in some parts of the country.

The DSS on Thursday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to relevant stakeholders in the oil industry to end fuel scarcity during a meeting with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), the leadership of the major marketers, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) and the tanker drivers branch of NUPENG.

But, activist lawyer, Femi Falana, had described the ultimatum as an empty threat.

His statement had attracted condemnation from several bodies and groups including NANS, NAUS and also The Natives, whose Supreme Leader and President General, Smart Edwards condemned Falana for discrediting the DSS.

Addressing a press conference, Edwards said: “I want to categorically commend the Director General of the State Department and his team for being proactive and responsive to the yearnings of Nigerians; indeed there seems to be a ray of hope when the intelligence community rises to defend its citizens.

“We are glad to hear and see the DSS as not only restraining or curtailing threats but rising up to enforce sanity and order.”

He noted that it has now become “normal” to have artificial scarcity in the country at every festive season, blaming such on “the gang in the oil industry and national saboteurs,” who inflict “hardship on citizens to satisfy their profiteering.”

Edwards avowed: “This act of the State Security is applaudable, for rising up to the challenge, in defence of ordinary citizens, to resist any calculated plot to unleash untold hardship on Nigerians.”

He urged Nigerians to stand with its security forces to “bust the ring of conspirators and criminals, who are privileged to be in the oil sector.”

Speaking further, he said: “How can we explain that the GCEO, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, in his recent determination to sustain gains from the relative peace and discoveries in the Niger Delta, has not only been seen moving from location to location to ascertain fuel availability all over the country, he even announced that there is enough fuel in the depots to meet the consumption of citizens over this period, then suddenly scarcity emerges, to the extent that half of the roads are now blocked creating the emergence of long queues again in the country.”

According to him, “this for us is absolutely a case of sabotage and requires thorough investigations.”

He reminded Nigerians of Tompolo’s exposure in November of the conspiracy around Nigeria’s crude oil by IOCs and powerful forces with the active connivance of locals and security agencies, as well as the allegation of threat to life by NNPCL’s GCEO, Mele Kyari, in obvious reference to the existence of a powerful cartel behind this national sabotage and the plundering of the country’s wealth.

“We, therefore, condemn in strong terms Femi Falana’s statement that seems to discredit the patriotic moves by the DSS,” Edwards stated.

According to him: “This is a citizens’ problem. We must rise to the occasion and support the leadership of the new NNPCL, the DSS and every necessary patriotic effort to reposition, reactivate and revive the oil industry for the benefit of Nigerians, such that it promotes our welfare, well-being, and [provides] jobs for youths and [make us] a prosperous country.

The group urged the secret service to go further and carry out “national operations as the ultimatum has not only signalled readiness but also capacity to halt this madness.”