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Nigeria Loses 130m Barrels of Crude Oil to 32 Militant Groups This Year

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Nigeria has lost over 130 million barrels of crude oil from January to November this year to the activities of 32 militant groups in the Niger Delta region since the resurgence of militancy in the oil-producing region in 2015, the Vice-Chairman of the Security Subcommittee of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Shina Bankole, has said.

This is coming as the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Petroleum Industry Roadmap, better known as the “7 Big Wins”, will stabilise the region for oil and gas business.

Also, the former Minister of State for Energy and the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa State, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, has called on the people of the Niger Delta to listen to themselves and the outside world, adding that blowing up pipelines amounted to cutting their nose to spite their face.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday at the 17th Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Biennial Conference on the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria organised by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Bankole, who is also the General Manager in charge of Security at Chevron Nigeria Limited, said insecurity in the Niger Delta had led to the proliferation of several militant groups, as well as small arms and weapons.

Bankole added that between January and November, 58 incidents of sabotage were recorded where oil and gas facilities belonging to the oil companies were vandalised.

“Again, within the same period, the rate of sabotage on oil and gas assets has led to lost production opportunities by the oil companies. As of today, more than 130 million barrels of crude oil have been lost due to the inability of the oil companies to produce as a result of the activities of the militants,” he added.

He said with the rehabilitation of about 30,000 ex-agitators, the Amnesty Programme introduced in 2009 by the federal government had successfully restored normalcy to the oil-producing region until 2015 when new militant groups began to emerge.

“The resurgence of militancy since 2015 has led to the proliferation of militant groups. As of today, no fewer than 32 of such groups have emerged in the Niger Delta – some with possible ethnic agenda, while others came with a criminal agenda,” he said.

Bankole disclosed that of the over 275 cases of kidnappings recorded across 29 states between January and November, 45 cases were related to oil and gas industry personnel and their dependants.

According to him, of the 99 incidents of sea robberies and pirates recorded within the same period, 19 cases involved the oil and gas industry.

In his keynote address, Kachikwu said the insecurity in the Niger Delta had raised the cost of security by six times over the past 10 years, adding that the entire ecosystem of Niger Delta was under threat as a result of the oil spills caused by vandalism of facilities by militants.

“In the last couple of weeks, the Ministry of Petroleum has launched the 7 Big Wins. The first of the Big Wins is getting the Niger Delta stabilised through engagement, empowerment and enforcement. The other aspect of the Big Wins is righting the wrongs through remediation and education,” Kachikwu, who was represented by his Senior Technical Adviser on Fiscal and Regulatory Matters, Dr. Tim Okon, said.

Read More: thisdaylive

JTF Destroys 32 Illegal Refineries In Delta

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The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shied, on Wednesday said it had destroyed 32 illegal refineries in Delta.

Isa Ado, the Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre, disclosed this to media personnel at the headquarters of the 3 Infantry Battalion, Effurun in Delta.

Ado, who spoke on behalf of the Commander of JTF, Operation Pulo Shield, Maj-Gen Emmanuel, said the operations were carried out in seven days by the Sub-sector 1 of the JTF in Effurun.

He said the actions were carried out in Odimodi, Yokri, Forcados, Oteghele, Opumani and Beneath Island communities in Burutu and Warri South-West Local Government areas of the state.

Ado also said the operation saw the destruction of 86 drums and 25 surface tanks filled with stolen crude oil, adding that 27 dugout pits were discovered in the raid.

Over 10 tents belonging to the criminals were reportedly also set ablaze.

“Other illegal oil bunkering equipment discovered during the operation includes 29 cooking oven and 10 pumping machines.

“The sites and the products were destroyed in line with the JTF operation in Niger Delta.

“The operation is a continuous one based on intelligent information aimed at eradicating illegal oil bunkering in the region,” he said.

Ado said JTF would not relent in its efforts at stemming illegal bunkering in the creeks and territorial waterways.

“We have been highly motivated with the procurement of 30 fighting gun boats and 30 operational patrol vans to combat crime in the region.

“I assure you of the command’s determination in the war against oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities affecting the socio-economic development in the region,” he said.

Ado, however, called on the people of Delta and indeed the entire Niger Delta region to assist the task force with useful information to enable it track miscreants in the region.

Credit: NAN