Crude oil theft: Nigerians must join hands in the fight against crude oil theft. -Mele Kyari

By Hadiza Ado Jinta

The Chief Executive Officer of NNPC , Mele Kyari has charge Nigerians to collaborate efforts together in the fight against oil theft.

Kyari stated this while briefing newsmen on the performance of the Agency in Abuja.

He noted that for Nigeria to derive the much-desired maximum benefit from petroleum products, every Nigerians must join in the fight against crude oil theft.

Mele Kyari said so far, the NNPC, in conjunction with security agencies, destroyed 959 metal tanks for storage purposes, 737 ovens, 452 dug-out pits, 355 cooking pots, and 179 wooden boats between April and August, this year.

He said they had been able recover 207 pumping machines, 12 welding machines, 2 power generators, and 2 filling machines.

Alhaji Mele Kyari said they had also arrested 11 vessels, 122 suspects, 30 speed boats, as well as 37 trucks and cars.

He said the NNPC had recovered 35.8 million litres of stolen crude oil, 22 million litres of diesel, 0.15 litres of petrol, and 0.76 million litres of kerosene.

The NNPC Boss maintained that the NNPC may stop the importation of petrol by the middle of next year if the Dangote Refinery, Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries, the ongoing construction of modular refineries are completed and slbegin production.

On the issue of fuel subsidy, Alhaji Mele said the government would continue with it as a palliative to the unfavourable economic condition being faced.