An oil theft situation assessment delegation deployed to the Niger Delta by President Bola Tinubu, at the weekend, promised tough times for the oil thieves in the region.
The delegation, led by the national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, minister of Defence, Malam Muhammed Badaru, service chiefs, and the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, discovered an illegal oil connection in Owaza in Abia, which is causing the country an average of $7.2 million monthly losses, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. stated yesterday.
It added that the clandestine refineries, illegal bunkering operations and environmental devastation the team saw collectively translated into severe economic losses for the nation.
This is coming barely 24 hours after a similar delegation inspected the Port Harcourt Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex to assess start-up readiness.
The team visited the Trans-Niger Pipeline Right of Way in Owaza, Abia where an array of dismantled illegal connections were observed.
The federal authorities bemoaned the economic woes of the country resulting from the activities of the unscrupulous elements and warned that no effort would be spared to completely rid the nation’s oil industry of sharp practices associated with crude oil and petroleum products.
The government noted that despite concerted efforts by all stakeholders to ensure sanity, thousands of barrels of crude oil are still being stolen daily by local and international oil thieves.
“We are ready to do whatever it takes for a peaceful Niger-Delta. Cease and desist from crude oil theft and economic sabotage,’’ Malam Badaru said at the site.
In his remarks, Kyari said while oil theft in vessels could be tracked, oil-bearing communities must play a vital role in curbing oil theft within their communities.
“Oil theft is one of the reasons why Nigeria cannot meet her OPEC daily production quota,’’ he said.
Also speaking at the site, chief security officer of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd., Mr Patrick Godwin, said some arrests had been made and culprits arraigned.
In his comments, Ribadu applauded security agencies, community security contractors, and NNPC Limited for stepping up the fight against oil theft and economic sabotage.
“The environment and livelihoods are being destroyed while the federation is deprived of revenue capable of shoring up the economy and strengthening the naira,’’ he said.
The federal government delegation, however, praised Tantita Security Services, an outfit operated by a former militant leader, Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, for the giant strides being recorded in the war against the menace.
LEADERSHIP reports that Tantita was hired by the federal government in August 2022 to secure the oil pipelines crisscrossing the creeks of the oil producing communities of the states of the region. The government said the security outfit has justified the purpose of winning the contract.
The position of the government was made known during the visit of a presidential team to the creeks of the oil producing communities in the states of the region, on Saturday.
The team, led by the national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also has minister of defence, Abubakar Badaru; minister of state, defence, Bello Matawalle; minister of state, petroleum (oil), Heineken Lokpobiri; minister of state, petroleum (gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, and group chief executive officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari.
Chief of defence staff, Major General Christopher Musa, and chief of army staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, led security top brass in the team.
The team visited the oil industry in Imo, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states for an appraisal of the activities of the oil thieves and the security onslaught against them.
They also visited governors of the states of the region apparently to rub minds with them and seek their inputs into the strategies being deployed to tame the economic saboteurs.
In Delta State, where they wrapped up the tour, the team visited scenes of the shady business deals and inspected various illegal oil platforms, installations and assets seized by the operatives of Tantita from the illicit oil dealers in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of the state.
The team was conducted round by Tantita’s executive director, technical and operations, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, who told the visitors about the challenges and successes recorded by the security outfit.
In a chat with newsmen, Ribadu, who hailed Tantita for the giant strides it had recorded in the war against oil theft, however, lamented that more still need to be done to totally eradicate the menace plaguing the economy.
He said the government had launched an onslaught against the criminals both at the downstream and off shore.
He said, “You see, we have done very well in terms of getting to where we are and we are certainly going to take it forward to the blue waters. So far, things are being put in place to make sure the situation changes.
“Getting to this level with the success recorded by Tantita is an indication that things are happening. Let them (oil thieves) be ready as we are not going to rest on our oars. Definitely, tough times await the oil thieves.”
Similarly, Lokpobiri said, “We are here because of the problems of pipeline vandalisation and illegal oil bunkering going on in the Niger Delta. I believe that it has been a serious problem and we need to fight this criminal to submission.
“As a government, we are going to put a stop to it and work with stakeholders to stop all this nonsense.”
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