Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has disclosed that while huge amount of dollars has been in the last one year on pipeline repairs, a record volume of crude valued at $7billion has been lost to crude theft via illegal bunkering within the same period.
This is even as the federal government’s effort to combat the unending episodes of oil theft propelled by the escalating cases of pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering has resulted in the establishment of a Joint Oil Industry and Military Task Force with the mandate of eradicating the oil theft menace.
The Team which was created at the end of a round table on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry convened by the Minister of Petroleum Resources is made up of personnel from the oil industry and the Military as well as the Police Force.
The meeting had in attendance the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petirin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, representatives of the Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Inspector General of Police while the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Austen Oniwon led all the NNPC JV Partners to the session.
The minister, in a statement issued yesterday, decried the menace of oil theft, said the new understanding will strengthen partnership with leadership of security agencies in curbing the problem.
“In the last six months the level of oil theft in the country has become alarming and has necessitated the need for this round table with all stakeholders. We are looking at short, medium and long term solutions to tackle the issue as oil theft is taking its toll on the nation’s economy,’’ she said.