The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) has revealed that 83 oil tankers involved in crude oil theft have been arrested, while over three million barrels of theft of crude oil has been prevented, and 11 million litres of petrol and diesel recovered.
At a stakeholders’ conference on oil theft and losses held in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Tuesday, Monguno noted that technology remains a significant force multiplier for any integrated solution or framework to address the issue.
The special investigative panel on oil theft and losses set up by the Federal Government has however called for stiffer penalties for persons and organisations found guilty of oil theft in Nigeria.
The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd.) regretted that oil theft had had an enormous negative impact on Nigeria’s crude oil production, reducing output to 800,000 barrels per day.
Ndiomu said that strategic consultations had been held with the state governments in the Niger Delta region, and other critical stakeholders to ensure the menace is curbed.
He advocated deploying modern technologies to protect oil assets and reviewing security architecture in the Niger Delta region with a target of stemming the complicity between elements from the host communities, security agencies and industry players.
Ndiomu noted that the conference resulted from field visits to locations and facilities on and offshore, as well as extensive engagement with various stakeholders in the region.
He said: “The criminals have now increased the level of sophistication, considering the various methods they employ to tap primary pipelines with illegal secondary pipes to load on barges and sell to international collaborators, or to process locally for illicit domestic sale”.
He, however, expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to address the scourge of oil theft with a comprehensive approach, adding that crude oil theft is arguably one of the most significant issues in Nigeria.
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo urged host communities and other relevant agencies not to encourage oil theft, stressing that it leads to economic loss.
He said: “Oil theft and sabotage of oil and gas assets are a clear and present danger to our economy and national security.
“Not only do they pose a serious threat to oil exploration and our energy economy, but they also impact negatively on revenue accruals to the Federation and the business prospects of investors in the oil sector”.
Osinbajo further said that host communities stand to gain immensely from the sustained oil production.
He said: “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 atand to lose immensely given that the benefits of host communities is based on the algorithm principle”.
