Chief
Style Benjamin, National Chairman of
Host Communities of Nigeria Producing
Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) on Sunday dissociated the group from ongoing fraudulent
jobs and contract scams in Bayelsa.
Benjamin said in Yenagoa that fraudulent people were using the name
HOSTCOM to defraud unsuspecting people in Bayelsa and across the Niger Delta
region.
The
HOSTCOM leader said that its findings indicate that at least 3,000 victims have
lost N70,000 each to the scam in the creeks.
He said
that the efforts of the leadership of HOSTcOM to arrest the trend were yielding
fruits as three persons were already being prosecuted for allegedly obtaining
money from Bayelsa people under false pretence. .
He said
that the fraudsters h posed as representatives of HOSTCOM promised thei victims of facilitating
training and giving them pipeline security surveillance jobs.
“Mr
Ikiobofa Amasamana, Timila Arthure and Osain James all males are currently standing trial at the Bayelsa
State Magistrate Court for allegedly using the platform of HOSTCOM)
to obtain money from people.
“These
set of persons including Mike Emu from Delta State had been collecting money
and defrauding people in Bayelsa job for
nonexistent oil pipeline security surveillance contract jobs.
“Each
Bayelsa victim caught in the web of fraud
say they paid around between
N68,000 to N70,000 and they run into thousands of unsuspecting members of the
public from oi communities
“They
were told that they will be given a pipeline surveillance security job that
they will be paid N350,000 monthly.
“During
Police investigation, th imposters were asked to present original certificate
of incorporation of the company and the certificate of incorporation of
HOSTCOM, they couldn’t present them.
“They
said they were collecting the money in anticipation. They said they will train
and any time the government gives them the contract they will give them the
job.
“In
Bayelsa alone, about 3000 persons have paid and they are going out sowing
paramilitary uniforms for their victims and using same to lure more unsuspecting
people in the rural areas,” Benjamin said.
.
.
He
regretted that the activities of the fraudsters, if not checked could lead to
sabotage of oil facilities when the thousands of defrauded people within the
host communities realise that they have been defrauded.
He
however said that there would be ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ as the
leadership of HOSTCOM, Federal Government, and oil firms had reached concerete
arrangements of the proposed 10 per cent equity for host communities.
According
to Benjamin, the Federal Government was working to raise the 10% equity
for the host communities proposed by the Petroleum Industry Governance
Bill (PIGB).
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