DHQ warns pipeline vandals

By OKOSUN DENNIS

The Defence Headquarters has warned individuals and groups engaging in any pipeline vandalism and other economic sabotage to stop it as the military would no longer condone such criminal act against critical infrastructure in the country.

It added that such groups or individuals engaging in such criminality would be dealt with according to the law.

Toward that direction, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) are perfecting strategies with a view to curbing the menace of crude oil theft and pipelines vandalism.

Tompolo tackles EFCC over NIMASA N34bn fraud

The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu was in Defence Headquarters on Tuesdaywhere he was briefed by the Committee set up to work out modalities for the protection of oil and gas pipelines across the country.

It would be recalled that issues of oil theft and pipelines vandalism was extensively discussed few months ago when Dr Kachikwu, then the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC, visited the DHQ.

It was learnt that the aftermath of that visit was the setting up of a Committee to provide guidelines for the protection of oil and gas pipelines by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin.

Oil producing communities propose petroleum industry tribunal

The Committee headed by Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, was composed of the Military, Police, Civil Defence, Department of State Service, NNPC, EFCC, NPA, Department of Petroleum Resources, NIMASA and other relevant stakeholders.

During the meeting,  both Ministries agreed that the involvement of host communities was very paramount in the success of any action to be taken.

The CDS further reiterated the Military’s commitment to securing the National Critical Infrastructure from the vagaries of vandals.