The
Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) are
perfecting the synergy between the two organisations towards curbing the
menace of crude oil theft and pipelines vandalism. Towards this end,
the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe
Kachikwu was in Defence Headquarters where he was briefed by the high
powered Committee set up to work out actionable modality for protection
of oil and gas pipelines across the country.
It
would be recalled that issue of oil theft and pipelines vandalism was
extensively discussed few months ago when Dr Kachikwu, then the Group
Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC, visited the DHQ. The aftermath of
that visit was the setting up of a Committee to provide guidelines for
the protection of oil and gas pipelines by the Chief of Defence Staff
(CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin. The Committee, which was headed by
Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, was composed of the Military, Police, Civil
Defence, Department of State Service, NNPC, EFCC, NPA, Department of
Petroleum Resources, NIMASA and other relevant stakeholders.
During
interaction on the Report, both the Honourable Minister and the CDS
agreed that involvement of host communities was very paramount in the
success of any action to be taken. The military, the CDS agreed, would
play major role in quick response while acquisition of new technology
would be also vital for the holistic intervention in the emerging
modality for the oil and gas pipelines protection.
The
CDS further reiterated the Military’s commitment to securing the
National Critical Infrastructure, and warned that any act of criminality
such as pipelines vandalism and other sabotage would not be condoned
and added that such groups or individuals engaging in such criminality
would be dealt with according to the law.
Brigadier RABE ABUBAKAR
Acting Director Defence Information
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