*The Federal Government of Nigeria has described crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region of the country as 鈥榓 national disaster and the perpetrators as criminals鈥� as the perpetrators are destroying livelihoods of the people 聽and the ecosystem

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

Against the backdrop of the rising cases of illegal oil bunkering and outright theft of the national wealth in the region of the West African country, the Federal Government of Nigeria has warned that it would no longer condone any form of criminality on its oil and gas facilities and installations.

绿帽献妻 reports the government said that the days of crude oil thieves, pipeline vandals and illegal refiners, especially in the Niger Delta region are numbered.

Stolen crude at an illegal oil-refining site

Garba Deen Muhammad, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC Limited, in a statement disclosed the warning emanated from the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, and Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), during the recent on-the-spot assessment of some pipelines damaged by pipeline vandals and other criminals in some areas and communities of Rivers State.

The NNOC noted at Ibaa Community, in Emeoha Local Government of Rivers State where the Federal Government鈥檚 delegation witnessed an illegal refinery burnt down by the military, the Minister said apart from causing huge losses for the country, the criminals were also destroying livelihoods of locals and the environment.

In resolving the problem, Sylva said: 鈥淭he community must be involved, the security arm must be involved and the third arm which is the operating publics must also be involved.

鈥淚 want to let everybody know that these criminals have their days numbered because the country has lost so much from their activities.鈥�

General Irabor also said that in carrying out Mr. President鈥檚 directives to contain losses from these criminalities, the Nigerian Military would deploy a different strategy and new drive by pursuing not only the criminals, but also their sponsors.

The CDS stated: 鈥淲e are not only zeroing in on the criminals, but also on those, who are supporting them.鈥�

Komolafe, speaking at the forum, described the acts of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism as 鈥渁 national disaster and the perpetrators as criminals.

The NUPRC Chief Executive said: 鈥淔or those who want to do legitimate business, there are clear government regulations on how that is done. But what we鈥檝e seen here today are criminals and their activities will no longer be tolerated.鈥�

In the same vein, Malam Mele Kyari, EVC/CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, explained that the scale of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism seen in the community was beyond explanation.

Kyari stated that all hands must be on deck to contain the spate of crude oil losses in the country.

In recognising the current leadership of the country鈥檚 Military, he expressed confidence that through a collaborative effort of government security agencies, host communities and oil companies operating in the area and with the deployment of the right technology, the menace would be contained.

Nigeria lost $3.27bn to oil thieves in 14 months: NUPRC

In a related development, the Federal Government has raised an alarm over the rising rate of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, disclosing that about $3.27 billion worth of oil has been lost to vandalism in the past 14 months.

The government said high-level cases of oil theft have become a threat to the country’s corporate and economic existence, with the industry now thinking of transporting crude oil from fields to export terminals by trucks.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in a presentation at a recent stakeholder engagement on oil theft in Abuja聽 said the government was extremely worried about the tragic situation.

The Commission disclosed that most of the crude oil losses came from Bonny Terminal Network, Forcados Terminal Network and Brass Terminal Network.

It listed factors that were aiding the criminal activities as economic challenges, inadequate security, poor surveillance, poor community engagements, exposed facilities and stakeholder compromises.

The commission stated that due to the high level of theft, the country has been unable to meet its OPEC production quota.

Engr. Komolafe, Chief Executive of NUPRC, disclosed that the government was determined to end the menace so that the country can benefit from the rising price of oil and also to protect the environment from oil spills.

鈥淭he issue of oil theft has become a very worrisome issue to the government of Nigeria and I believe to you as investors, too,” he said.

He also emphasised the government and the oil companies’ work together resolve the issue especially on the agreed volume of oil lost to vandals as the issues strike at the heart of Federation revenue.

“You will recall that in the last one week we have set up a crack team for us to determine the accurate figure because as a government we cannot continue to act on the basis of an abstract or inaccurate figure in dealing with an important issue as crude oil theft because the issue goes to the heart of Federation revenue.

鈥淭he concern of the government is to increase our national oil production. Basically, we are an oil economy and when the upstream is sick it affects the wellbeing and the health of the country.

“The situation that is happening in the upstream is getting to the level of threat to the existence and wellbeing of Nigeria.

鈥淎s a responsible regulator we are very concerned about it. We have been doing a lot and we are not relenting.

鈥淲e will do everything possible to increase oil production in a manner that will make the nation benefit from the upward swing in the international price of crude oil,” Komolafe said.

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