The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Navy have agreed to work together to control crude oil theft and other social crimes in the national mining concessions and maritime waters.
Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha who confirmed the deal when he visited the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin in Abuja, said there was need for the Corporation and the Navy to strengthen ties for the economic and industrial growth as well as the stability of the nation.
Dawha, said the Navy had supported NNPC in securing its assets and facilities in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, adding that the forceful patrols and scrutiny had led to the arrest of pirates and illegal bunkers’ over the years.
He explained that the presence of the Navy especially in Nigerian territorial waters had gone a long way in stabilizing NNPC operations in Escravos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Bonny, Atlas Cove in Lagos and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company operations in Benin city and environs.
Statement sent to the daily independent yesterday By Ohi Alegbe the Group General Manager Public Affairs NNPC quoted his boss expressing the readiness of the Corporation to sustain the appointment with the Navy and other security personnel, especially in the areas of pipeline security, vandalism, crude and product theft and the associated crimes of kidnapping and abduction of oil workers on the near shore, offshore and deep water.
