Oil Theft: Naval Chief Blames Poverty, Unemployment, Weapons Proliferation

•Bayelsa government sets up LG task forces

Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, yesterday blamed the pillaging of the nation’s hydrocarbon in the Niger Delta on proliferation of small arms and light weapons, communal clashes, poverty and unemployment.

He however admitted while declaring open the Maritime Stakeholders Meeting at Naval Headquarters in Abuja that the traditional means of combating oil theft and other security threats in the maritime environment has not yielded the desired result.

In another related development, to combat the menace of incessant oil theft in communities across Bayelsa State, chairmen of the eight local government councils have been mandated to constitute task forces in their areas.

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State who stated this, Tuesday, during a meeting with local government chairmen in Government House, Yenagoa, said the decision to set up the local government task forces on oil theft was borne out of a meeting between governors of the oil producing states and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, last week in Abuja.

The Chief of Naval Staff also explained that the subsisting scenario prompted the drive for greater collaboration among stakeholders in the quest for effective development of maritime sector.

He noted that the stakeholders meeting seeks to address emerging security issues arising from implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, contemporary trends in maritime security as well as other law enforcement issues which border on maritime and energy security.

According to him, the federal government’s drive to develop the nation’s blue economy requires support of all stakeholders represented here today.

Noting that President Bola Tinubu had expressed desire to enhance the ease of doing business within the maritime environment as well as the oil and gas sector in order to eradicate poverty in line with the Renewed Hoped Agenda, Ogalla said that the stakeholders need to align their discussions with these strategic level policy directions.

He also disclosed that the NN had sustained her maritime security operations through surveillance, response capability and law enforcement in addition to collaboration with all maritime stakeholders.

He said: “We rejigged our operations and established OP DELTA SANITY in Jan 24. This operation has achieved remarkable successes in curbing oil theft. Over 35 ships involved in oil theft have been arrested and handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies.

“Other measures have also been put in place to curb pipe line vandalism and illegal refining sites. The Nigerian Navy will continue to lean on your support, especially the oil sector regulators, to improve our daily production output for enhanced national revenue and economic prosperity in line with presidential mandates”.

While expressing optimism that its deliberations will foster tangible outcomes that would facilitate a more secure maritime environment, Ogalla reassured the stakeholders of NN’s commitment to the fulfilment of its statutory roles in order to emplace a conducive maritime domain for economic prosperity of our nation.

He concluded that the major security threats in the maritime domain include violent agitations, oil theft, pipeline vandalism, piracy and sea robbery.

Meanwhile, a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted Diri as saying that the teams would collaborate with the Bayelsa State Community Safety Corps to check oil theft.

Senator Diri noted that the incidence of crude oil bunkering and theft have had multiple effects, including low oil production output thereby affecting revenue accruing to states as well as degradation of the ecosystem.

According to him, “Arising from the meeting in Abuja, l have also invited you since you are at the local government level of governance in the fight against crude oil theft.

“The issue of oil theft and oil bunkering are of serious concern in our local government areas and since the federal government has involved states and local governments in combating the menace, all hands must be on deck to stamp it out.

“Federal government is working to shore up oil production and if we are able to stop oil theft, production will increase thereby increasing revenues for states and local governments.”

On the August 1 nationwide protest, Senator Diri charged council chairmen to assert their authority by ensuring that the prevailing peace was maintained across communities in the state.

He equally directed that council chairmen should liaise with officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with a view to provide accommodation to the agency to enable it carry out its duties in their areas.