Oil theft: Expert wants synergy among govt agencies

Following the controversy over the volume of oil theft, an energy expert and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Muhammad Kailani, has urged government agencies to work in harmony with one another in order to avoid creating unnecessary panic and confusion in government activities.

There was controversy between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Navy over the figures of crude oil being stolen daily and the low level of oil production in the country.

The Navy, however, absolved the NNPCL of any culpability in the lingering crude oil theft, which has led to humongous loss of revenue to the government and disturbingly polluting the operating environment.

The Navy in a statement signed by Commodore AO Ayo-Vaughan, its Director of Information, asked the public to disregard a report in an undisclosed national newspaper which stated otherwise.

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But speaking with reporters on Monday in Abuja, Dr. Muhammad Kailani, commended the Nigerian Navy for putting the record straight which exonerated the NNPCL from blame, amidst the current fuel scarcity in parts of the country.

“This is why government agencies must come together and work in harmony. In view of the on-going campaign of calumny by some unpatriotic elements, it has become necessary to explain the position of things, particularly with regard to the effort being provided by the NNPCL in addressing the challenges of insecurity and oil theft which has become a serious area of concern to the government and people of this country,” Dr. Kailani said.

He said the Navy, NNPCL working relationship has remained cordial as attested by the Naval Headquarters.

According to him, for a long period of time the Nigerian Navy have had good working relationship with the NNPCL, and the Director, Information of the Naval Headquarters, Commodore A. O. Ayo Vaughan has cleared the air and confirmed.

While referring to the press release issued, by the Naval Commander, Dr. Kailani said the news report purportedly carried out to malign the NNPCL as presenting incorrect figures about oil theft was not true.

He noted that the Navy and the NNPCL have cordial relationships and are working in harmony to ensure the protection of oil facilities across the country.

He said the monitoring system which has been operational in the past has been reintroduced to further protect the oil facilities and monitor the process using the latest technology.

“That is why the report was disregarded by the Nigerian Navy Headquarters as untrue, false and malicious and a misrepresentation of facts on what transpires at the public hearing of the Senate.

“What was reported was just an attempt to malign a very credible organisation that has been working to stabilize fuel supply and ensure the protection of national facilities in collaboration with the security agencies in the country,” Dr. Kailani said.