Nigeria’s military has vowed to monitor and “ensure the integrity” of the metering systems when deployed at flow stations across the Niger Delta region.
This was disclosed at the weekend by the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ, adding that operations will be deployed to track the movement of crude oil from the point of loading to destination point.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba told news men that the military is “rejigging” and redesigning operational strategies to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region “through a comprehensive approach”.
He said going forward, operations would now be conducted through a unified command structure for all security agencies operating in the Niger Delta region. “Operations will also concentrate on surveillance of the pipelines, jackets and well head to forestall breaches,” he said.
General Buba said these operations would target specific areas that have significant capability to boost crude oil production. “The targeted areas includes, but are not limited to enforcing and ensuring transparency by International Oil Companies operating in the region”.
“Overall, operations will galvanise the support of the people of the Niger Delta as well as the stakeholders in the oil sector to support the drive to boost the nations oil production. Importantly,operations will ensure prosecution of culprits engaged in crude oil theft,” the DHQ noted.
Last week, the Federal Government reeled out plans to install metering systems across 187 oil field flow stations in the Niger Delta. The decision, the government said, is to ensure transparency, accountability, and to curb crude oil theft.