The commandant-general, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, yesterday summoned commandants in the nine oil producing states to an emergency meeting,leadership report.
This may not be unconnected to the recent order by President Bola Tinubu to security chiefs to rid the nation’s oil sector of economic sabotage, oil theft and illegal bunkering and other nefarious activities thwarting the nation’s growth.
The commandant general, who gave the affected commandants a marching order to immediately rejig their anti-vandal units as a measure to arrest oil theft and vandalism of critical national assets in their various states, said the emergency meeting was aimed at ensuring full compliance.
Dr. Audi who re-echoed President Tinubu’s declaration of zero tolerance for crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, and other frivolous dealings in petroleum products, threatened that any commandant found guilty of compromise would not be spared.
This is contained in a statement by the corps director of public relations, commandant Olusola Odumosu.
Audi who reiterated that the corps had no tolerance for mediocrity, laziness, nonchalance and incompetence said he would not hesitate to take appropriate action against any indicted state commandant or any other officer found wanting.
He said, “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 sectors from vandalism and prevent illegal bunkerers from destroying our oil installations, infrastructure and earnings.”