National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno says anyone found culpable of crude oil theft will be made to face the weight of the law, no matter how highly placed.
His remarks are coming on the heels of a panel he has set up to investigate oil theft in the country.
General Monguno expressed worry that the nation currently produces one million barrels of crude oil per day as against the two million barrels daily target by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.
While lamenting the poor revenues accruing from the petroleum sector, he charged members of the committee to work towards bringing reducing the menace.
Recent revelations indicate the country is losing enormous resources due to crude oil theft.
The prosecution of the crew of Mega Tanker MT Heroic Idun, even though not found to have stolen crude, threw open another vista on sleaze.
To curb the trend, the Federal Government through the office of the national security adviser is constituting a panel to investigate crude oil theft in the country.
The 9 member panel is to be led by the Interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Retired Major General Barry Ndiomu.
It’s report is expedited to be turned in by February next year.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stated in October that its cooperation with security forces was reducing theft and will bring production back up to a consistent level. However, critics argue that oil theft in Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest petroleum producers, is part of a much larger problem of corruption involving elements of the security forces and local political leaders.
This is one of several efforts the government is taking to curb crude oil theft.
