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Group Hails PINL, Military for Uninterrupted Oil Production in N’Delta
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
A group under the aegis of Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has commended the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), the military and other stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring uninterrupted crude oil production in the Niger Delta region. The group made the commendation yesterday, in Port Harcourt, at a press conference themed “X-raying the gains in the fight against illegal bunkering: the surveillance prospective.”
The spokesperson of MOSIEND, Charles Omusuku, noted that through trust-building measures, employment opportunities, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, PINL has transformed communities from being passive observers to active partners in protecting oil infrastructure.
He said success of PINL in combating oil theft and illegal bunkering “is a testament to the power of collaboration between private-sector innovation, community engagement, and government support.”
According to Omusuku, “For decades, pipeline vandalism, oil theft and illegal bunkering have long posed significant threats to our nation’s economy and the coastal livelihoods of millions in the oil producing communities, this scourge has plagued our oil industry, resulting in significant revenue losses, environmental degradation, and insecurity within oil-producing Communities.”
He noted that the challenges have threatened the foundation of the heavily oil dependent economy by draining the nation’s revenue, hindering development and contributing to hybrid environmental and health challenges.
Omusuku stressed that PINL’s approach, leveraging on top-notch technology and grassroots engagement, has recorded uninterrupted operations in the way of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) due to near zero infraction.
He stated that “The partnership of PINL and the military in the fight against oil theft and sundry vices has played an indispensable role in safeguarding Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure. The unwavering commitment to security challenges, intelligence gathering, and rapid response to threats has significantly improved the safety of oil installations and deterred criminal activities”.
Also that “The presence of the PINL and the military taskforce in the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta ensures that the menace of illegal bunkering and oil theft is curtailed to the barest minimum if not completely eradicated.”
He further noted that through advanced surveillance technologies, community engagement, and operational efficiency, PINL curtailed to a large extent, cases of pipeline vandalisation and illegal bunkering in Rivers, Abia and Imo States.
The group, commending the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL) on their commitment in the smooth process of the oil production, reaffirmed commitment to continue supporting efforts that promote transparency, security, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.
On his part, President of MOSIEND, Dr Kennedy Tonjo West, recalled that TNP was shut down because of infraction on the pipelines that led to siphoning of the crude in the country running to billions of naira.
He said the combined efforts of PINL and other stakeholders have yielded significant benefits, including reduction in oil theft that has translated into increased crude oil exports and revenue for the Federal Government, which are critical for national development and Nigeria.
West explained that the stakeholders’ efforts have also impacted positively on the reduction in environmental degradation, “due to fewer cases of illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism, the ecological damage to the Niger Delta is being contained, setting the stage for long-term environmental restoration.”
He, however, urged that the federal government will consider PINL very strongly for sustenance so that more people can be employed and issue of illegal bunkering, oil theft can be minimised to a logical end
“The company’s efforts in tackling insecurity around the oil pipelines in the region has added in the increase of 1.8million barrel per day that the nation is experiencing presently. And so for us the environment right now is relatively peaceful. But you have to still engage the communities and review areas that needed to be reviewed,” West added.
