The Abia Government has set up an intelligence monitoring team that will insure?the security and safety of all the?NNPC pipelines in the state.
Chief Don Ubani, the?Commissioner?for Petroleum and Solid Minerals’ Development, disclosed this in an interview with the?News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Friday.
Ubani said?that members of the team,?including?security personnel, had been stationed at various locations, where the NNPC pipelines passed to?gather?information on threats to the lines.
“This synergy yielded results a forthnight ago, as some vandals lost their lives along the pipeline while exchanging gun fire with the team,’’ he said.
Ubani said?that his office had also embarked on psychological welfare to fight?crude oil theft, adding,?“once I get a report on a planned operation, I go on air mentioning names of communities and persons involved''.
He said the ministry had evolved stringent measures to tackle the menace of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft due to its adverse effect?on the economy of the state.
“Before now, the monthly allocation of Abia was hovering at N3.5 billion and above, but due to incessant cases of crude oil theft, we now receive less than N3.3 billion monthly,’’ Ubani said.
The commissioner?warned traditional rulers, especially those from oil bearing communities in Owaza, Obi-Iwom, Ogwe and Ihie in Ugwunagbo area, to call their wards to order.
He said the call became necessary because of an alert from the office of Petroleum Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC) on resurgence of?vandalism of?the pipelines around the area.
Ubani said that anybody caught stealing?crude oil or vandalising?oil facilities would not be spared, adding that?adequate safety of the pipelines would add impetus to economic development and safety of the state.
He urged residents of the area to support Gov. Theodore Orji’s efforts aimed at stemming the tide of pipeline vandalism in?Abia. (NAN)