The Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, a General, has assured the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, of the military’s readiness to work with the oil giant to curtail the activities of oil thieves and vandals of petroleum installations.
Olonisakin, who gave the assurance when the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Emmanuel Kachikwu, paid him a visit at the Defence Headquarters, said it is the military’s responsibility to ensure that the nation’s important assets are well protected.
Kachikwu said the purpose of his visit, aside seeking the military’s cooperation in providing security for the NNPC properties, was also to collaborate with the Army Corps of Engineers for pipeline maintenance.
He also briefed the CDS on efforts made so far in the area of securing oil facilities.
“We are trying to equip the Navy a lot more with boats for patrols; we are trying to get trackers and central system to be able to monitor every vessel that comes in and out of the country. We have equally spoken with the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) on other effective way of collaboration,” he said.
The NNPC boss decried the huge loss the country suffered in the past to oil theft, which resulted from over 250, 000 barrels of crude, about 1/5 of the entire country’s production stolen daily and said despite a significant reduction in the loss more still needs to be done to prevent the loss of revenues to criminals.