The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, has said the oil marketers involved in the alleged illegal collection of N232 billion fuel subsidy must not go unpunished.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recently said 50 oil marketers illegally collected N232 billion.

The Chairman of the Ilorin chapter of the NBA, Rafiu Balogun, who spoke at the association's annual dinner and award night, urged the Federal Government to discard increasing the pump prices of petroleum products as it would incur the wrath of Nigerians.

He said the recovery of N29 billion by debt swap from the illegally-collected N232 billion as stated by Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala was not satisfactory and called for the blacklisting of the marketers, in addition to their prosecution.

Balogun hailed the government's efforts to sanitise the oil sector and enjoined it to ensure there is no sacred crowd.

He said: "Corruption in the oil sector is another vexing issue of national importance, which must be tackled by the Federal Government. The subsidy scam and the huge amount lost are worrisome and sad.

"We praise the government for the efforts made to sanitise the sector. The prosecution of the individuals and companies involved is commendable. We, however, warn that there must not be sacred cows. Government must be as transparent as possible.

"This takes us to the Ribadu Report. The Federal Government should not jettison the report as it could still be useful in the investigations into the fraud and the perpetrators. The recent revelation by the Finance Minister that a whopping N232 billion was illegally collected by 50 oil marketers and Federal Government has only succeeded in recovering N29 billion through debt swap is disheartening.

"It is in the light of the above that we call on the Federal Government not to make any attempt to increase the pump price of petroleum products. If it does, it will stir the anger of Nigerians. They will resist the increase because the subsidy issue has turned out to be tainted with corruption and fraud."

The state Chief Judge, Justice Olatunji Bamigbola, described legal justice as the mainstay of the country's democracy and hailed the NBA for its contribution towards the sustenance of justice.

He also praised the NBA for inculcating in its members discipline and ethics of the legal profession.