House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the circumstances and reason for the recent destruction of the illegal oil bunkering vessel by the security operatives in the Niger Delta.
The House said the vessel should have been preserved for evidence in the prosecution of the crime.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Onofiok Luke (PDP, Akwa Ibom) at the plenary on Wednesday.
Presenting the motion, Luke noted that oil theft was a problem that has existed for a long time in the Niger Delta and has caused serious environmental degradation in the region.
Read also: Forcados’ return moves Nigeria closer to OPEC quota
He said the unhealthy development has also negatively impacted the revenue generation of Nigeria, causing the country to lose 470, 000 barrels per day amounting to 700 million dollars monthly, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The lawmaker said: “There has been several news reports that high-powered technology is applied in the stealing of crude oil (particularly at Forcados line) and transported through a four-kilometre pipeline to a platform in the sea with as much as 200 barrels of crude oil reported to have been stolen every day from the location since 2014.
“The responsiveness of the private security firm (Tantita Security Services) in curbing oil theft which led to apprehending an illegal oil bunkering vessel and handing same to the security agency.”
He said the House is disturbed by the reported destruction of the said vessel by security operatives instead of preserving same as evidence for prosecution purposes.
