PRESS STATEMENT:

Mr. Lai Mohammed Lied to the Nation on the Killing of Petrol Station Worker in Abia State

The National Leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) strongly condemns the uncharitable and very provocative lie of the Honourable Minister of Information on the national network television to the whole world on the facts concerning the killing of one of our members, Comrade Chibuisi Chikezie Okameme, aged 26, a petrol station worker in Abia State who was killed by a mobile Policeman whilst discharging his legitimate duties as Petrol station worker and in the frontline of the struggle against the COVID 19 pandemic on Sunday 5th April 2020.

The Union takes seriously exception to this blatant lie and dishonorable attempt to twist the fact of the incident.

For the record, the Police man in question is currently in detention, he has made confessional statement to the dastardly acts and postmortem carried out on the deceased wherein bullet wound was identified and specimen of bullet removed from his body.

We find this lie to be very callous, wicked and uncalled for. We wonder how an elderly person and a Minister of the Federal Republic will be lying against the dead.

Mr. Lai Mohammed is definitely not fit to hold such an exalted office of an Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We demand the following on this matter;
1- Immediate retraction of the lie on the same media platform he used to lie to everyone.
2-Removal or resignation of Mr. Lai Mohammed as a Minister of the Federal Republic.
3-Immediate prosecution of the Mobile Police man involved.
4-Immediate payment of compensation to the family of the deceased by the Federal Government.

Our demands must be met within seven (7) days from today Thursday, 23 April, 2020.

To clear this wicked lie of Mr. Lai Mohammed, we implore the Nigeria media to visit No 29/30, Greenmac Energy Limited in new Umuahia road, Aba, in Abia State for proper and diligent interview of the family of the deceased, his Employer,the Abia State Police Command and other witnesses to the killing.

Our Union takes lives of our members very serious and precious and we shall do all we can to get justice.

NUPENG also uses this medium to appeal to our members across the country who have been saddened and devastated by this wicked lie against the dead to still be patient, continue to render their services to the nation and exercise restraints until the National Secretariat of the Union issue further directives which may come sooner than later.

The Union calls on all well meaning Nigerians and all other social partners globally to rise in one accord to condemn the callous and wicked lie of Mr. Lai Mohammed against the dead just because the dead worker is no more living to defend himself.

Mr. Lai Mohammed should remember however, that the call from beyond gives no warning and we shall all be held accountable one day even if it is not here on this earth.

Our solidarity remains constant for the Union makes us strong!

Signed:
National President of NUPENG,
Comrade (Prince) Williams Eniredonana Akporeha,

General Secretary of NUPENG,
Comrade Afolabi Olawale.