The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Lucky Irabor, has promised that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), will support the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in the protection of the Corporation’s critical national assets and operational personnel spread across the country against criminality within the oil sector.
The CDS gave the commitment Wednesday at a meeting with the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, and his top management team at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the CDS noted that the AFN and NNPC have over the years had long standing engagements with respect to protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.
General Irabor commended Mallam Kyari for initiating the engagement, saying: “I am delighted that you made this effort, and I tell you that the Armed Forces of Nigeria will collaborate with you to protect NNPC’s assets.”
While acknowledging the significant role of the oil and gas sector to the economy, the CDS said: “ It is my intention to cooperate maximally with you and to give necessary instructions to all officers in the Armed Forces given that our existence, economically, rests almost solely on the NNPC, and to that extent, we must do everything possible to give you everything that you require. ”
Speaking earlier, the NNPC boss commended the security agencies for their support and called for more protection for NNPC’s operational assets and personnel.
He disclosed that though petroleum products theft on the System 2B Pipeline has reduced considerably due to support from the security agencies, the nation was still losing about 200,000 barrels of crude oil daily to theft and vandalism.
“We have two sets of losses, one coming from our products and the other coming from crude oil. In terms of crude losses, it is still going on. On the average, we are losing 200,000 barrels of crude every day,” Mallam Kyari stated.
The meeting had in attendance, top NNPC Directors, the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Charles Oghomwen, Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj Gen Chikezie Ude and Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak.
Also at the event were the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, AVM James Gwani and Chief of Training and Operations, Headquarters Nigerian Army, who was represented by Brig Gen A Abubakar.