Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has blamed the international community for complicity in the increasing rate of crude oil theft in Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration of 30 gunboats procured by the Defence Headquarters for the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, he said that 80 percent of Nigeria’s stolen crude oil was exported for use by refineries outside Nigeria. “The international community cannot be exonerated from the criminality of crude oil theft in Nigeria. The international community needs to cooperate with Nigeria to wipe out crude oil theft,” he said.

Uduaghan said President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to wiping out crude oil theft, pipeline vandalization and other criminal acts bedeviling the nation’s economy. “This crude oil theft requires the participation of all of us. Some of the people who are involved in the crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism are our brothers, our friends and in some cases, our heroes,” he said.

He added that vandalization of pipelines was impacting negatively on gas supply to power plants which in turn has reduced available power supply in the country. “President Jonathan has done a lot in the power sector. More power plants have been completed during his administration more than any other administration, but the challenge we have now is sabotage to our gas pipelines,” the governor added.

Uduaghan meanwhile commended the military for its fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism reiterating that the gunboats would boost the operations of the JTF in the Niger Delta. Nigeria loses an estimated $6 billion yearly to crude oil theft.

Credit: CAJ News