…General Musa unveils anti-crude oil theft Monitoring Team to liaise with NNPCL, stakeholders
Thelma Tokunbo
Mr. Mele Kyari, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has announced that Nigeria has reached a new peak in oil production, the highest in three years, attributing this achievement to enhanced security measures by the armed forces and other agencies that have effectively protected critical pipeline infrastructure.
General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, has introduced the Nigerian Military Monitoring Team to NNPC Ltd to coordinate with the company and other stakeholders in oil-producing regions to further enhance the protection of the nation’s hydrocarbon infrastructure.
Kyari said, “We are already seeing the results transforming into increased production, due to the sustained efforts by the armed forces and other security agencies to protect our critical assets, particularly the pipeline infrastructure in specified areas where we are working closely with these agencies, ” Kyari stated.
The GCEO, who commended General Musa and his team for their unwavering commitment to securing the nation’s critical hydrocarbon assets, especially in the Niger Delta region in recent months, emphasized that these achievements are crucial not only to Nigeria but also to the global energy community.
He expressed confidence that the CDS and his team will deliver on the Presidential mandate to mitigate security-related challenges affecting the nation’s crude oil production.
“You are effectively managing components of this effort that depend on security. Your coordinated and focused response is paving the way for improved security engagement, particularly in the Niger Delta,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, General Musa said the visit was intended to introduce the Monitoring Team to the NNPC Ltd, which will be responsible for interfacing with the Company and other stakeholders in the oil-producing regions to secure the nation’s critical hydrocarbon infrastructure.
While pledging commitment towards improving security and the performance of his troops, the CDS said the military would sustain the onslaught and analyse the troops’ capabilities to enhance their performance and bolster productivity.
He stressed the need to ramp up production for a prosperous economy and reassured collaboration with intelligence agencies, private security, state governments, and host communities for enhanced performance.
“Working in silos won’t give us the best results. I want to assure you that we will collaborate with the necessary stakeholders to achieve our set targets as mandated by Mr. President,” General Musa said.
