Tough time awaits pipeline vandals, say NNPC, Civil Defence

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have pledged to work together to run pipeline vandals and oil thieves out of business in the country.

A statement on Monday by NNPC spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu, said the two organisations made the commitment when the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, received the Commandant General of the Corps, Abdullahi Muhammadu, at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

Kyari, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, Engr. Adeyemi Adetunji, disclosed that as part of efforts to rid the nation of the menace of pipeline breaks, the new management was putting in place a performance-based pipeline protection system to enable relevant security stakeholders to live up to their billings.

The GMD noted that the collaboration between the NNPC and NSCDC had gone a long way in ensuring uninterrupted supply and distribution of petroleum products through the pipelines and various depots.

“I want to applaud the NSCDC for contributing their quota towards protection and security of our pipelines. Their efforts have made our pipelines to be available for the transportation of petroleum products from one asset to another petroleum asset,” Kyari said.

Earlier, the Commandant General of the Corps, Muhammadu, represented by Deputy Commandant General, Aminu Abdullahi, said protection and security of NNPC pipelines and oil assets were part of the constitutional responsibilities of the Corps, stressing that NSCDC would continue to do its best to send pipeline vandals out of business.