LAGOS – Mr Donatus Ikemefuna, the Lagos State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Friday appealed to corporate organisations to join the government in fighting oil theft.
Ikemefuna told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that that provision of logistics would enhance the command’s performance in terms of mobility.
The commandant said that one of the major challenges confronting the command was inadequate patrol facilities, especially patrol vehicles and speed boats to chase perpetrators.
“Oil theft is a national issue and this has caused a lot of damage to the economy and loss of revenue to our country.
“We cannot completely eradicate it, but at least we can minimise it.
“Fighting oil theft should not be for the NSCDC alone; all security agencies must cooperate in bringing the fight against oil theft and bunkering to a halt in the country. [eap_ad_1] “Corporate organisations should also encourage security agencies by providing logistics such as patrol vehicles and boats because most of the oil theft operations are carried out on water.
“Security is very expensive; fighting against oil theft is everybody’s duty, so government alone cannot do it.
“Let corporate organisations continue to empower us. With patience, determination, encouragement and collaboration, oil theft will be a thing of the past in the country,” he said.
The commandant said that the agency had organised series of sensitisation programmes in motor parks and in communities hosting pipelines and gas installations.
Ikemefuna said that the programme had enlightened the audience on ways to pass information across to security agencies and had provided mobile phone numbers to call in case of emergency.
According to him, intervention through timely and reliable information is the most important tool to fight oil theft in the country.
“What we need is information from the people. “The security situation can only be tackled if adequate and reliable information are supplied to the relevant authorities,’’ he said.
Ikemefuna assured informants of adequate security, pledging that whoever gave information to the command would not be exposed. (NAN)
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