The House of Representatives Committee on Oil Theft has called for a special fund to support the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in tackling crude oil theft.
During a session on August 13, 2024, Committee Chairman Alhassan Ado Doguwa expressed concern over the lack of support for NSCDC, stressing that the agency should be fully involved in the fight against oil theft. He urged security agencies to share their challenges so the committee could make better decisions to help Nigeria.
“We commend the Federal Government’s efforts in protecting oil pipelines and using technology to fight the massive theft and losses of our oil resources,” Doguwa said.
Philip Ayuba, Deputy Commandant General of the NSCDC, spoke on behalf of the Corps, saying their main job is to protect the country’s important assets. However, he pointed out that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other agencies have not allowed them to do their job properly or included them in the special fund for oil theft prevention.
Oloyede Adekunle, representing the NCS, also shared that Customs has not received any help in tackling oil theft either.
The Committee promised to push for the inclusion of these agencies in the funding so they can better protect Nigeria’s oil resources.
