Philip Nyam 
The Department of State Services (DSS), on Friday, extricated its personnel from allegations of aiding and abetting oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The Director-General of the agency, Yusuf Magaji Bichi made this denial at the 2-day public and investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Oil Theft in Abuja.
Bichi said that the agency is not aiding or abetting the criminals involved in oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil.
Represented by the Director of Operations, Abdulkadir Salihu, the DG explained that rather than aiding and abetting oil theft, the agency is carrying out non-kinetic measures towards tackling the menace.
He hinted that this approach is usually done by the operatives of the agency through identification, arrest and prosecution of those criminals behind the incidences of oil theft.
He said: “We have been taking action and have been consistent with our security surveillance. Whenever there is a report of oil theft, we always alert our men and they always take action.
“Our security surveillance has led to a remarkable increase in oil production to 1.6 million barrels of crude oil per day”.
The DG said they were looking up to the lawmakers for the enactment of the legal framework to enable the agency to tackle oil theft and illegal crude oil refining in the country.
According to the agency, the Secret Service had consistently been pushing for an improvement in the agency’s enabling laws as the legal framework for the issue to be addressed holistcally.
On measures that would be taken to address some issues of concern raised by some members of the House Committee, the service said that there is a need to strengthen anti-corruption agencies as well as whistleblower policy.
Chairman of the House Special Committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa in his response said that the House is ready to ensure that the necessary legislation that would aid the work of the security agencies in tackling the menace of oil thieves is enacted by the parliament.
