Oil Theft Drops From 2.4m To 300,000 Barrels In One Month Of Buhari's Gov't

The Nigerian Navy on Tuesday said it has

achieved a drastic reduction in oil theft in

the country from 2.4 million to 300,000

barrels per month by June, 2015.

The Navy’s claim represents a total of 87.5

per cent reduction in the theft of the

nation’s oil resources in the maritime

domain.

The former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice

Admiral Usman Jibrin, made the comment

while handing over the leadership of the

service to his successor, Rear Admiral Ibok-

Ete Ibas, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Jibrin advised his successor, who according

to him was in his team, to sustain the

tempo of achievements recorded by the

Navy by ensuring total elimination of the

theft of the nation’s crude oil resources.

He said the Navy’s success was in

response to a mandate by former President

Goodluck Jonathan to the service to reduce

crude oil theft and other forms of

criminality in the maritime area.

He added, “On my assumption of office on

January 20, 2014, the nation was faced

with a myriad of security challenges which

also affected the maritime environment.

“The then President, Commander-In-Chief,

therefore mandated the NN to reduce crude

oil theft and other security challenges in our

waters.

“With the help of Almighty Allah and

commitment of our officers and ratings, we

were able to reduce losses from crude oil

theft, which used to be 2.4 million barrels

per month to about 300,000 barrels in the

month of June, 2015.

“I therefore urge the new CNS, who is part

of the success team, to sustain the tempo

of total elimination of the menace of crude

oil theft and pipeline vandalism.”

The new Chief of Naval Staff, Ibas, said

the Navy would not allow the severe

impact of maritime crimes on the nation’s

economy to linger.

He added that the source of oil theft and

other crimes in the maritime domain would

be frontally tackled under him.