The Nigerian Army has assured that its efforts against oil theft and illegal bunkering are yielding the desired results.
Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, communicated this in a statement on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
Mr Abdussalam said he received in his office, retired GOC Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham.
He highlighted increased crude oil production as evidence of their success, noting that the federal government aimed to produce two million barrels daily.
“The division is actively engaged in various operations to achieve this daily production target,” said the GOC.“Therefore, we started with Operation Channel Sweep around Imo River, which has so far intercepted over 20 million litres of stolen crude oil.’’
He said the division also initiated Operation Lines Sweep to clear illegal connections in the Trans Niger Pipelines areas, particularly Zones 5 and 8.
“To this end, we have destroyed several artisanal refineries, confiscated petroleum products, and made several arrests.
“Other operations, such as Operation River Shield ongoing at Imo River and Operation Crude Hunt, have also seen significant successes,” he said.
Mr Abdussalam said collaboration with stakeholders, particularly private security companies (PSCs), had positively impacted their operations in the Niger Delta.
The GOC said improved intelligence gathering from local communities had further assisted in combating oil theft.
Earlier, Mr Sarham, the chief executive officer of New Guard Security and Consultancy Services (NGSCS) Limited, said he visited to seek the division’s partnership.
He asserted that private security companies acted as force multipliers in security operations nationwide.
“Private security companies are patriotic Nigerians committed to supporting the Armed Force’s mandates in the Niger Delta region,” he said.
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