President Muhammadu Buhari has urged security agencies to eradicate crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region before May 29, 2023, stressing that government can no longer tolerate criminality.
Buhari gave the directive while addressing troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, in Effurum, Delta State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, respectively, on Thursday.
The president, who was represented by Timipre Sylva, minister of state petroleum resources, said Nigeria could no longer tolerate the activities of the criminals, who have through their activities, destabilised crude oil productions in the last couple of years.
“Mr President has mandated us to eradicate crude oil theft completely, especially in the south-south by May 29 2023 as one of the legacies of his government, although we are not where we want to be, but we are happy at what we are seeing,” he said.
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Prior to the renewed efforts of the Federal Government in tackling the menace of crude oil thieves, the nation’s daily crude oil production was about 900,000 barrels per day but the scaled-up security efforts helped to shore up production to about 1.5 million barrels per day.
He said that their efforts have been noticed by Nigerians, managers in the oil industry as well as the international community, and asked that they intensify their efforts.
“Today we have seen a significant change in the whole thing and we are happy about it. We want to return in another few months to show Nigerians that we have successful tackles the problem of oil thief and pipeline vandalism in the country,” Sylva said.
Mele Kyari, group CEO, NNPC Limited, disclosed that the Federation Government has set up a special court to expedite the trials of criminal elements involved in oil thief and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region.
Kyari, who also expressed gratitude to the troops for their efforts in restoring confidence in the pipelines, confident that the collaboration between security agencies and the private security company contracted by the company will yield results and restore full confidence.
Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff, urged the troops to remain steadfast in the campaign to stamp out crude oil thief in the country.
