Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ, on Thursday described allegations that its men are actively involved in aiding crude oil theft in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, as “irresponsible” and “myopic”.
The position of the DHQ came in response to an interview granted on national television recently by Fisayo Soyombo, an investigative journalist and Founder of Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ.
Upon his release from detention last week after he was picked up from an illegal crude oil refining site in the Niger Delta region, Soyombo had insisted that the Nigerian military is colluding with oil thieves to sabotage Nigeria’s oil wealth.
Responding to questions from journalists shortly after its routine briefing, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations recalled efforts that have been put in place to checkmate crude oil theft, including the creation of a centralized operations command and the metering of oil flow fields.
He noted that these measures and many more have jointly shot up Nigeria’s daily crude oil output.
On his part, Soyombo had dismissed the military’s statement linking him to “illegal activities” and oil bunkering, insisting that he was on the illegal refining site for an undercover investigation.
On more operational efforts at curbing oil theft on the Niger Delta, Buba said troops in recent weeks denied oil thieves of an estimated sum of N57 billion.
He added that troops also recovered: “53,101,430 litres of stolen crude oil, 9,179,181 litres of illegally refined AGO and 90,595 litres of DPK”. “Others are; 156,095 litres of PMS amongst other items”.
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