The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) will continue to collaborate with all law enforcement agencies to protect Federal Government critical National assets in spite of the prevailing security challenges in the country.
General Olonisakin made the remarks when the Group Managing Director (GMD) Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr Maikanti Kacalla Baru visited him at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja to solicit for his support towards restoring sustainable security and suitable operating environment in the oil and gas industry.
While congratulating the New GMD on his well deserved appointment, the CDS noted that the re-organization of the security architecture in the Niger-Delta region code-named Operation Delta SAFE was as a result of the renewed attacks on oil facilities, illegal bunkering and associated criminal activities by some groups operating within the riverine communities.
The CDS assured the GMD NNPC of the Armed Forces commitment to secured oil pipelines across the country, deploy personnel to protect NNPC Technical staff working on sites for optimum productivity and also requested for logistical assistance from the corporation to enable security forces achieve their objectives.
Speaking earlier, Dr Kacalla Baru said he was at DHQ to expressed his appreciation to the CDS for the support and protection his corporation has been receiving from the Armed Forces and to further solicit for closer collaboration in sustaining the protection of NNPC pipelines across the nation. While commending the CDS for his bold initiative in tackling insecurity and fine tuning the security arrangements in the Niger Delta he pointed out that the Federal Government’s intention to build a robust economy, provide job opportunities, deliver social services and provide adequate security for all Nigerians is pegged on the estimated accruable revenue from proceeds of oil and other sources. He lamented the huge product losses occasioned by pipeline vandalism, incessant oil theft and other acts of sabotage which he observed may affect the implementation of the 2016 budget.
The GMD therefore appealed to the CDS to increase security presence in the operations areas of NNPC nationwide as his corporation is ready to collaborate with Defence Headquarters and other security agencies to enable them protect strategic national assets.
The NNPC Group Managing Director was accompanied by Senior Directors of the corporation to the DHQ while the CDS was assisted by Principal Staff Officers of Defence Headquarters to receive the NNPC Boss and his delegation.
