NNPC, Navy Deepen Collaboration To Stem Attacks On Oil And Gas Facilities

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Navy have pledged to deepen collaboration to tackle the menace of crude oil theft and attacks on oil and gas facilities.

The two organisations came to the resolution when the NNPC GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas at the Naval Headquarters on Wednesday.

Kyari who applauded the intervention the Navy had brought to ensure sanity to the system in a statement he issued by NNPC’s spokesperson, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, noted that there was need to do more as crude oil theft was still a potent reality in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibo Ekwe Ibas, on his own part said said to end all forms of criminality in the nation’s territorial waters and facilitate efficient operation the Navy was currently working to integrate its system with those of other maritime operators such as the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) .

Meanwhile the Navy chief noted that the corporation’s intervention in resolving the challenges to its operations was welcomed.

Reacting to the Chief, Kyari said NNPC was ready to support the Navy in any initiative it could come up with to further check the menace.