Group urges military to revamp JTF in Niger Delta over oil theft

As the rate of oil theft on the creeks of the Niger Delta is rising every day and pipeline vandalism unstopping, a group under the auspices of Network for Good Governance has urged the military to withdraw the present officers serving in the Joint Task Force posted to the creeks and replace them with new ones for effective manning of the area.
In a statement signed by the Coordinator of the group, Comrade Tony Udenta, the group said that the growing rate of oil theft in the country today is unprecedented.
Uranta said “that for Nigeria to be losing over 60,000 barrels of oil per day is a clear statement of fact that the present JTF in the region is very inefficient and lacks the will to stop oil theft.”
In reference to a statement credited to the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, that an average of 150,000 bpd to 180,000 bpd, which is greater than the total production of Ghana, is stolen in a day, the group said: “The military guarding the coastal areas of the country has failed us.
“This blood money business is done by human beings who use ships, vessels, barges and all manner of equipments.
“Still the JTF is equipped sufficiently to prevent theft but it appears as if they look the other way while the illegality goes on.
“We have it on good authority that serving in JTF is rewarding and the military men now lobby to the posted to Niger Delta and everyone knows what that means.”
The statement further said that for Shell Petroleum Development Company to cry out that it has been losing 60,000 barrels of oil from theft along its Nembe trunk line, the highest in three years, “then there is trouble and an indictment on JTF.”
The statement added: “Pipeline vandalism and oil theft pose a big challenge to the Nigerian economy, operations of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and affects the supply of petroleum products across the country.
“Everyone knows that these nefarious activities have cost Nigeria fortune and need to be addressed urgently.”
It said that all the resources used in repairing damaged pipelines could be channeled to other productive ends if the pipelines are safeguarded.
Uranta said this will increase Federal Government’s earning and petroleum products made available across the nation with ease.