The House of Representatives’ Special Committee on Oil Theft said it had resolved to collaborate with the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to tackle the scourge in the country.
The Chairman of the Committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, following the committee’s visit to the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff.
Doguwa lauded the achievements recorded in recent times by the military and other security agencies in securing government facilities and uncovering facilities used in depriving the country of its crude oil.
He recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) recently inspected an illegal crude oil vessel loaded with thousands of metric tonnes of crude oil.
He said the crude oil was intercepted by Tantita Security Services, a private security firm.
“We also commend the Nigerian military over its commitment to securing government facilities, improving production processes in the oil and Gas sector of the Nigerian Economy,” he said.
He said that the House would continuously subject the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to further legislative scrutiny and amendments to provide for efficient enabling environment for an effective security operations.
This, he believed, would give the novel legislation the impetus to assist the President Bola Tinubu’s administration the much needed support to turn around the economy through the oil and gas sector.
He reiterated the resolve of the House to continue to come up with legislations to improve the socio-economic well-being of the oil producing communities.
He, however, advised that leaders of the communities must warn their wards to desist from sabotaging the economic potentials of the country in their areas.
The statement reported the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as appreciating the commitment for supporting the military in its efforts to secure Nigeria’s crude oil.
He assured that the military on its part would double its efforts, while assuring the Nigerian Armed Forces under his watch of their commitments to collaborate and work with the committee.
This, according to him, would be for the good of the country and and the people.
He lamented the delay in prosecution process of those arrested for oil thefts, adding that such discouraged security personnel in their determination to fight criminals in the oil producing areas.(NAN)
