•Fight Against Oil Theft, A Continuous Process – Defence Minister
By ERIC MOORE
FEDERAL government has appealed to communities in Niger Delta for collaboration to dislodge the menace of illegal oil bunkering and improve the nation’s economy.
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, made the appeal after his trip to the creeks where troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, dislodged bunkering sites in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Friday.
Abubakar, who commended Nigerian troops for their doggedness in the fight against oil saboteurs, despite the tough terrain, declared that the battle would be a sustained operation.
Abubakar told journalists: “I have visited here for the first time to see the nature of the illegal refineries and what constitute the challenges in trying to dismantle them across the Niger Delta.
“And I have seen how our gallant officers are working very hard despite the tough terrain to get to those illegal refineries and dismantle them.
“From what I learnt, this is number 67th in this battalion 103 and the other formations are their best also, So, it is a continuous process and they have assured me that they will end this illegal refineries operation in no distant future.
“I have seen the challenge and what they are facing and I thank them most sincerely for the job.”
He urged Niger Delta communities for cooperation, stressing that with their assistance in the battle against oil theft, the target of 2.3 million to 2.5 million barrels of oil production would be achieved.
Abubakar said: “They (communities) are to continue to give us intelligence that will help us stop this. It is very very important for us to come back to producing 2.3 million to 2.5 million barrels a day, for the economic development and prosperity of this nation.
“It is important that we go back to the normal production and that will help in a big way to improve the prosperity of this nation and the lives of our people.”