By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s President, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, has kicked against the blowing up of Aramco oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia with a drone by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi rebels, who claimed responsibility for the attack at the weekend.
Mr Buhari, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said the destruction of oil facilities in Saudi Arabia was similar to what Nigeria used to experience in the past.
He described the unfortunate incident as an economic sabotage, which should not be supported by anyone, assuring the Saudi Kingdom of Nigeria’s backing in this trying time.
“President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Republic of Nigeria stands in solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following drone attacks yesterday on the refinery plants at Khurais and Abqaiq,” the statement said.
Mr Shehu quoted the President as saying that, “We in Nigeria once experienced attacks on our own oil facilities. Those who sought, by doing so, to undermine governments of the day did not succeed then – nor at any time.”
“The identities of those who sent the drones to attack the Saudi refineries, and from where, may not yet be known. Still, these attacks similarly represent economic warfare aimed at damaging a government, but, in reality, always and only damaging innocent citizens’ livelihoods: those with no place, nor cause, to be harmed,” the President added.
He further said, “The attackers of Saudi Arabia will win no friends in the international community for their actions – whoever they may be, and however certain they be in their cause.”
Adedapo Adesanya