Buhari tasks security services with enduing oil theft by time he leaves office on May 29

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has tasked Nigeria's security forces with the challenge of eradicating the current scourge of oil theft plaguing the country by the time his administration leaves office on May 29 this year.

Historically, Nigeria has always had an oil production quota of 2.5m barrels a day, which has been approved by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). Of late, however, output has dropped to about 1m barrels a day due to a combination of oil theft, pipeline vandalism and dilapidated facilities.

Totally, overwhelmed by the crisis, the Nigerian government has had to ask militant groups in the Niger Delta to help it with pipeline protection. Aware of the fact that his administration is losing this battle, President Buhari has urged security agencies to eradicate the menace by the time he leaves office. Nigeria goes to the polls in February and the new leader who ends up being elected will take over from President Buhari on May 29.

Chief Timipre Sylva, the minister of state for petroleum, who spoke on behalf of the president, laid down the challenge while addressing troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, in Effurum, Delta State. He said Nigeria can no longer tolerate the activities of the criminals who have through their criminalities destabilised crude oil production in the last couple of years.

“Mr President has mandated us to eradicate crude oil theft. He has directed that no litre of crude oil should be stolen in the country again especially in the south-south. He wants crude oil thief completely eliminated by May 29 2023 as one of the legacies of his government," Chief Sylva added.

On November 9, Mele Kyari, the managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said oil thieves were after his life. He said the discovery of no fewer than 295 illegal connections to oil pipelines had resulted in death threats to him, especially as the NNPC has destroyed thousands of illegal refineries over the last few months.