By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Twenty Two oil thieves and pipeline vandals have been arrested by the Rivers State police command as advocacy against oil theft intensifies.
Rivers state Commissioner of police, Eboka Friday, said this during the procession organised by the Petroleum Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(PENGASSAN) Port Harcourt Zone last Thursday.
The association processed from Isaac Boro Park to Police Command in Port Harcourt, demanding both government and security personnel to eliminate oil thieves out of business in Nigeria.
According to Eboka; “The Federal and state governments are not happy with the ugly trend and early this year, the state governor in particular has been very vibrant to ensure that this menace stops.
“Remember early this year, I followed the Governor to the bushes to destroy illegal oil refineries. He did not stop there, after that you realise that the soot reduced drastically.
“On the 19th of August, the governor set up a task force panel comprising of the Army, Civil Defence, and police to all front and fight this war against oil theft.
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“Since that time till now we have charged about 22 people to court involved in oil bunkering and destroying many camps and the grace of God, we believe that there will be an increase in production. It is reducing especially in the upland. We have man all our exit points. So, we are on the same page with you.
“I want to assure you that whoever is arrested in this oil theft is concerned will be prosecuted and we will not succumb to any pressure.”
Port Harcourt Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, Peter Onita, in his remarks, said , “We have seen bigger IOCs that produce more than 30 000 barrels of oil, and what will be seen is 3 000 barrels per day.
“Many men and women have been short-changed because the security situation in this country is not what we look for. As an association, we have been engaging and we will continue to engage the government all in the interest to make sure that oil theft and vandalisation of oil facilities are put to stop.
“Today, the OPEC production for Nigeria is put at 1.62 million BPD. As a country, we have the capacity to produce 2 million Dpd but because the oil theft is difficult for close to a year we are struggling to meet up our quota. Because of this theft, IOCs are all leaving the country. That is why we are gathered today because we can no longer fold our hands and what aquatic life and environment and means of livelihood suffer because of the illegal activities of these people.
He added: “We are calling the government to do the right thing. We believe that government will hear our voice. We believe this advocacy prompts those in authority to know what is good is good and that is what Nigerian request.
“We believe that they will call our national body and have a robust engagement to sustain the existence of oil production for the interest of Nigerians and where it is not done, we shall take it a notch higher.”
