NNPC, IOCs join forces against oil, gas sabotage

 The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said it is working closely with international oil companies to deploy a structured security apparatus in strategic places including the Niger Delta to arrest incidence of oil and gas infrastructure sabotage across the country.

The NNPC’s General Manager, Group Security Department, Mr. Sam Otoboeze, disclosed this in Abuja, adding that the move would complement the Federal Government’s efforts in security operations.

He said the security machinery was tailored at professionally and effectively securing the oil and gas environment in line with global best practices.

According to him, the synergy with the international oil companies and other security agencies would enable the government to make appreciable revenue from oil and gas industry to fund its annual budget.

He said the corporation had already rolled out a community security engagement mechanism where members of oil bearing communities were engaged to secure facilities within their domain, stressing that the strategy was paying off with a drastic drop in oil and gas facility breaches.

Otoboeze decried the recent upsurge in recruitment scandals and crude oil fraudsters at the NNPC, but noted that efforts were being put in place to set up a special security desk in collaboration with security agencies to crack down on the miscreants.

He stated that the corporation’s security department was raising awareness among members of staff in order to reduce the incidence of staff kidnapping and domestic theft.

He also called on all stakeholders, especially members of oil bearing communities, to continue to collaborate with the corporation in securing oil facilities to enable the national economy to grow out of the current recession.