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Nigeria: FG Renews War on Oil Bunkering, Commissions Eight Gunboats 

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Nigeria: FG Renews War on Oil Bunkering, Commissions Eight Gunboats 

Nigeria: FG Renews War on Oil Bunkering, Commissions Eight Gunboats 

By: Michael Mike

The federal government has commissioned eight gunboats to fight crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in the country to a logical end.

A press statement by the spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olusola Odumosu on Tuesday said “in her resolve to end the menace of crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in the nation, the Federal Government through the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has commissioned eight NSCDC gunboats to wage a full scale war against the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

He noted that the move became necessary to strengthen the combative capacity of NSCDC Anti Vandalism Squad in stemming the tide of huge revenue loss to the Federal Government in the oil sector.

Aregbesola, while performing the official inauguration of the gunboats in Port Harcourt, described the incidences of oil theft as an organized crime ridding the nation of accrued revenue running to million of dollars annually.

The Minister of Interior, said the country in recent past had recorded various occurrences of crude oil theft and reports has shown that the country loses million of dollars daily such that, of the 141 million barrels of oil produced in the 1st quarter of year 2022, only 132 million barrels of oil were received at export terminals; the aftermath results further reveal that over 9 million barrels of oil was lost to crude oil theft. 

He decried the negative impacts of crude oil theft and oil pipeline vandalism in the nation.

He however called on all security agencies to shun Inter-agency rivalries and synergize by supporting the fight against oil theft in order to salvage and rid the nation’s economy of saboteurs. 

The Minister further maintained that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as the lead agency in Safeguarding Critical National Assets and Infrastructure is mandated to use the available logistics provided by the Government to reduce crime rate and by extension take the war against crude oil theft to the camp of the enemies. 

The NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi, while extolling the role of Government in the provision of necessary logistics to enhance the fight against oil pipeline vandalism across the nation, affirmed that the eight newly commissioned gunboats will boost the morale of the Corps in combating the menace of crude oil theft along the waterways. 

Also Read: Gov. Buni Assures Support to Nigeria Correctional Service

He said: “The NSCDC is generally expected to effectively safeguard Critical Infrastructure and oil installations which are very central and vital to the socio-economic development of the nation.

“The Corps is saddled with the mandate to guard against oil theft, illegal oil bunkering through the provision of physical security to oil pipelines against vandalism.

“Therefore, any threat to the oil and gas sector is automatically considered as a high security concern owing to the debilitating effects it has on national development.”

He added that: “It also constitute environmental degradation, pollution, destruction of land and aquatic life, loss of means of livehood and drastic reduction in the inflow of foreign exchange needed to bolster the economy of the nation.”

He affirmed that a marching order has been issued to all Zonal Commanders, State Commandants and Heads of Antivandal Unit across formations to be battle ready with a renewed vigour to stamp out oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the nation. 

The CG reiterated the Corps’ determination and unwavering commitment to the war against illegal oil bunkering and assured the Government and the entire nation that the Gunboats would be distributed to states in the coastal region as the corps continue to collaborate with the military and other security agencies.

He enjoined Nigerians to assist security agencies in winning the war against the enemies of the nation by volunteering credible Intelligence and Information that could lead to possible arrest and prosecution of oil pipeline vandals and saboteurs of the nation’s economy.

Nigeria: FG Renews War on Oil Bunkering, Commissions Eight Gunboats 

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Crime

Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

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Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

By: Zagazola Makama

Suspected bandits on Sunday attacked Hybrid Force camp in Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara, killing 12 people.

Zagazola learnt that the attack occurred at about 8:50 a.m. when the gunmen stormed the community.

Troops from a patrol base in Babanla were immediately mobilised to the scene, but the attackers fled before their arrival.

A search of the area by the troops led to the discovery of 12 lifeless bodies comprising nine vigilantes and three civilians killed during the attack.

The corpses of the deceased were evacuated to Oke Ode Police Station while troops restored calm in the area.

The source said the general security situation in the area remained calm but unpredictable.
Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

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Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

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Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Boko Haram Insurgents have again attacked Kirawa a border community in Borno state killing a civilian joint task force (CJTF) member and wounding several others in the process.

The Boko Haram insurgents ambushed the commuters driving into Kirawa a community in Bama council area and killed the CJTF in the process.

To punish some of the commuters further for fleeing away from the scene of the ambush, the insurgents burned down some of their vehicles before returning into the bush unchallenged.

After the attack died down, some motorists and passengers who sustained different degrees of injuries were treated in nearby clinics.

Sources revealed that trouble started when six vehicles loaded with food items and other luggages were ambushed and set ablaze by the insurgents along the Pulka-Kirawa road on Friday last week.

Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ndume reacting to the incident called on the military authorities to deploy more troops to safeguard the entire communities around Gwoza council area and Cameroun.

There is only one forward military base (FOB) in Kirawa and it is dominated by the Multi national joint task force MNJTF of mostly Camerounian troops mandated to pin down kirawa on both sides of the divides of the two countries.

A lot of the Intel policing of the community is done by CJTF even as families are still awaiting the rescue of a schoolgirl, Aisha Muhammad that was kidnapped by the insurgents a month ago when this very base was overrun leaving sorrow tears and blood in the community.

Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

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Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

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Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police Command in Delta has commenced investigation into the gruesome murder of Pastor Oputeh Monday, aged 59, who was killed by unknown assailants in Umuebu community, Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

Sources said that the case was reported by the deceased’s son, Oputeh Joshua, aged 26, who told police that his father had left home early for his farm along Amai/Umuebu farm road and instructed them to meet him later with a motorcycle.

“On their way, they heard gunshots and rushed into the bush where they discovered the lifeless body of their father lying on the ground with his head chopped off.

“Detectives from Obiaruku Division visited the scene of the crime and evacuated the corpse to Medisar Mortuary, Obiaruku, for preservation and autopsy,” the sources said.

The sources that preliminary investigation had commenced, while confidence-building patrols were ongoing in the affected area.

Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

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