Emmanuel Onani 
The Commandant-General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi, has summoned commandants in charge of Niger Delta states’ commands to Abuja, over crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage assail- ing the oil-rich region. Spokesperson for the Corps, CC Olusola Odumosu, who made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, said the CG read the riot act to the officers on the urgent need to firm- up their strategies for protection of oil and gas infrastructure in the respective oil-bearing states.
According to the state- ment, the decision was consequent upon the recent presidential directive to the military and other relevant agencies to halt oil theft in the country. “Having summoned the concerned State Commandants to the National Headquarters of the Corps in Abuja, the CG gave them marching orders to immediately rejig their Anti-vandal units as a measure to arrest oil theft and vandalism of critical national assets.
“He warned that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, had declared zero tolerance for crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, and other frivolous dealings in petroleum products, therefore, anyone found aiding and abetting economic saboteurs will face the full wrath of the law,” it said. The statement quoted Audi thus: “This meeting became necessary to convey President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the absolute need to end all sharp practices in the nation’s oil sector.
“Oil remains the mainstay of our economy; you must therefore rejig your Anti-vandal Units to end the problem of oil theft in compliance with Federal Government’s directives. “We have a duty to protect our oil and gas sector from vandalism and prevent illegal bunkering from destroying our oil installations, infrastructure and earnings.”
While charging the affected Commandants to maintain 24 hours surveillance of the oil facilities across the country, the civil defence boss also underscored the need for them to work with host communities in a bid to gather credible intelligence needed to address the menace. “As the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure, there is a need to be determined and resilient in the fight against crude oil theft.”