In a bid to curb oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil in the Niger Delta area, a presidential delegation inspected government assets in some states within the oil-rich area on Saturday.
The Federal Government on Saturday, discharged a high-powered delegation for stakeholders’ engagement and on-the-spot assessment of the progress of the war on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, during the visit, commended the management of Tantita Security Services Limited for their efforts in pipeline protection in the Niger Delta region, noting that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is determined to stop all forms of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the country.
“We’re here because of the problem of pipeline vandalisation and illegal bunkering that is going on in the Niger Delta.
“I believe that it has become an existential problem and we need to fight them. We need to fight these criminals to submission.
“What is happening here is so bad that we cannot even know the implications unless maybe when people start dying in their numbers, that is when people will know that a few persons were profiting from this crime are here to wipe all of them out.
“So, as a responsible government, we have decided that we are going to put a stop to it.
“We are going to work with stakeholders to ensure that we stop all this nonsense in our society. We are not going to allow them.
“I want to also use the opportunity to express our gratitude to Tantita that has been commissioned by the NNPCL to be able to do some work but we are going to do a lot more.”
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, said the Federal Government would sustain its partnership with Tantita Security Services Limited, to control the crime of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the Niger Delta, adding that the Federal Government will soon take additional measures to ensure that things change for the better in pipeline security.
Ribadu said, “We have done very well to get to where we are now. We are certainly going to take more measures. So far, things are beginning to change. Give us little time and you will see things change for the better.”
The delegation was led by Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Tinubu.
On the delegation with the NSA were the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja.
Others include Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; and Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources, Ekperipe Ekpo.
Also part of the delegation was the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Chief of Air Staff, Commander Operation Delta Safe, representative of the DG DSS and SA to the President on Energy.
The team from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), led by the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, the Executive Vice President Upstream, Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye, and the Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Mr. Bala Wunti were also part of the delegation.
