With the recent pact with Britain Defense by the Nigerian Defense Ministry for the curtailing and putting to end to Oil Thefts in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, estimated to be about 100,000 barrels per day [said to be the highest in the world]. Are we getting closer to curtailing this MALAISE?
With the recent pact with Britain Defense by the Nigerian Defense Ministry for the curtailing and putting to end to Oil Thefts in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, estimated to be about 100,000 barrels per day [said to be the highest in the world]. Are we getting closer to curtailing this MALAISE?
Close to $7 billion dollars [N1 trillion naira] Nigeria is the only country the world over that it;s citizens steals crude oil. The malaise is also taking it's toll on Nigeria foreign revenues Mr. Sunmonu said his company alone loses about 60,000 barrels daily to crude oil criminals and may be forced to shut down if the tide is not stemmed.“This is really getting to the crunch, I must say. It is getting to the crunch, that rather than allow people to continue to attack my pipelines and devastate the environment. “I may actually consider shutting-in the pipeline completely. So, it is getting to that crunch point and I hope that every hand will really join us in actually getting this under control, “Frankly speaking, my worry is not about the economy per se; the economy itself is huge, but I worry more about the devastation.”
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“The devastation for the people of Niger Delta, the destruction it will cause to the social and environmental aspects of the people of the Niger Delta and to Nigeria as a whole; we are in a crisis and I cannot as MD of SPDC, in all good conscience, just continue to put my head in the sand,” he said. ” the Shell boss stated.--
Why has this malaise remains untamed and not curtailed? Despite several helipads that dots the entire Niger Delta, Bonny River River Channel and the Atlantic Ocean across to Eket and Warri for easy overfly and aerial view of the Atlantic Ocean complimented with the Nigerian Navy patrol boats, nobody could stem this tide!
Is the system so bad? Are there compromises? Analysts could not beg to disagree. International organizations has described oil thefts in Nigeria as a 'Sophisticated Ring', that involves who is who in the Nigeria polity. The custodian of Nigerian International territorial waters and it's aerial counterpart, Nigerian Airforce are simply not doing enough to arrest the leaders of this 'Sophisticated Ring', or is it lack of manpower, logistics and equipments?
The country is suffering from this untamed malaise and enough of of this. The Oil thieves are a times audacious, take the recent attack on the security officials and killings of the NNPC and Nigeria security agents at Arepo village in Ogun State. There are allegations by some residents of Niger Delta that armed and unformed service men escorted large ocean going barges loaded with crude oil allegedly owned by this 'Sophisticated Ring' member is quite worrisome.
With JTF Operation 'Pulo Shield', in the Niger Delta and the Bonny River Channel and the 2 Amphibious Brigade, [encompassing David Ejoor Barracks, Warri, 1 Amphibious Battalion, Port Harcourt, Field Artillery Battalion, Elele, and the Abak Barracks], Nigerian Airforce Base, 5 Naval Bases; Rumuolumeni, James Town, Onne, Borokiri, and in Warri, this 'Sophisticated Ring' still operates with impunity and their activities ought to have been checkmated!
Is Nigerian government not having confidence in the system by signing a defense pact with Britain for the checkmating of oil thefts in the Niger Delta?
In his reaction to my earlier story on JTF, it's spokesman, Lt Col Onyeama claims that JTF have arrested some of these oil thieves, the question is; how many of them has being charged, and prosecuted? Am not blaming anybody for the lapses, but the truth must be told.
Why has this 'Sophisticated Ring' remained UNTAMED!
Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi.
Alternate Email: [email protected].
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