.83 tankers involved in oil theft arrested –NSA
.Probe panel wants stiffer sanctions for saboteurs
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has implored host communities and other relevant agencies not to encourage oil and theft which leads to economic loss.
Osinbajo stated this at a One-Day Stakeholders Conference on Oil Theft/Losses, yesterday in Abuja.
He said: “Recognizing that addressing the situation calls for concerned transformative efforts across all tiers of governments.
“And in this respect, President Buhari enacted the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 as a centre piece of legislation aimed at revitalising the oil and gas industry.
“Among other things, the Act stipulates elaborate provision for the need of the host communities in the oil and gas producing areas.
“The aim of this provision is to assuage their sensibility ang give them a sense of belonging, to foster unity of purpose with all content of mutual benefits of all.
“The host communities stand to gain immensely from the sustained production.
“This why the communities should work in unison with other stakeholders to ensure increased production.
“When disruption of production of oil theft and losses occur such communities and states inevitably stand to lose immensely given that the benefits of host communities is based on the algorithm principle.
“So, it is important of course, in order to gain the benefits of the legislation, of course the host communities themselves must ensure continue production and must assist the government as well as the agencies involved in steming oil and gas theft and losses.
“And I think this is important because when a host communities especially is involved in this actions are sensitized as to the importance of ensuring that the Act works to their benefits then I think things may well improve.
“This is public knowledge of course that clandestine syndicates perpetrate this economic crimes using various tactics and the fall of oil tankers that illegally load crude without due authorisation of the appropriate regulatory authorities.
“At the same time, it has been argued that organised crime of such scale cannot be carried out without the compromise and complexity of critical institutions.
“These assertions continue to be contested by the relevant authorities.”
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), disclosed that 83 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft have been arrested.
He said: “83 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft have been arrested, while the theft of over 3 million barrels of crude oil was prevented and 11 million litres of petrol and diesel were recovered.”
But Chairman of the Federal Government’s Special Investigative Panel on Oil Theft/Losses, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), demanded stiffer penalties for crude oil theft.
Ndiomu added that said “frank discussions” must be held to enable the country “crack the code” and put an end to the “criminal enterprise” of oil theft.
The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) regretted that the menace of oil theft has had enormous negative impact on Nigeria’s crude oil production, plunging output to a 13-year low of 800,000bpd.
He reiterated that strategic consultations have been held with state governments of the Niger Delta region and other critical stakeholders to that effect.
He also advocated application of modern technologies to protect oil assets, and a review of security architecture in the region with a view to stem the what he termed “sophisticated network of complicity between elements from the host communities, security agencies and industry players.”