Defense Chief Vows To Crackdown On Oil Thieves

Defence chief vows to crackdown on oil thieves

By Aisha Musa

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Friday, said the military was taking steps to crack down on crude oil thieves, affirming that their days were numbered.

Christopher also assured Nigerians that the military would play its part to ensure that the country meets its crude oil production target of 2.1 million barrels per day.

“For the criminals, those that are hell-bent on stealing our infrastructure, stealing our crude for whatever reasons, their days are numbered they should be rest assured that we are coming after them,” Musa told journalists after he briefed President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

For over two decades, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest oil producers, has grappled with a significant oil theft challenge.

The country loses an estimated 200,000 barrels of oil per day to theft, representing about 10% of its daily production.

This occurs primarily through pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering, where oil is siphoned off and sold in the black market.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has assured Nigerians of improved security measures, stating that crime rate is declining across the country.

Egbetokun’s comment came days to a planned nationwide protest against insecurity and food crisis.

The police chief, who presented security briefs and received commendation from President Tinubu, disclosed that President Tinubu charged the various security formations to improve their synergy in securing the country.

He attributed the decline in crime rates to effective synergy and strategies implemented by security agencies, vowing to sustain efforts to maintain the downward trend in crime rates.