The Nation Newspaper

Tag: oil thieves

  • ‘Shell workers were not among oil thieves’

    The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has denied that two suspected oil thieves arrested by security forces in the Niger Delta, on November 19, are its staff.

    The oil giant said the two suspects are staff of some community based contractors who work on Shell’s behalf. Shell said it has community contractors who on their own employ about 9,000 community members.

    “Without prejudice to the ongoing investigation, we can confirm that the arrested persons are not employees of SPDC.

    “There are indications from the investigation that the arrested persons are employees of one of the several community based contractors who undertake pipeline surveillance work on SPDC’s behalf in the Niger Delta,” Shell’s spokesperson, Precious Okolobo, said in a statement.

    The Joint Task Force, in a statement to reporters, said it arrested the suspects while they were tapping crude from a Shell pipeline in Rivers State. The Force said the two arrested men “working for SPDC as surveillance officers were arrested at the scene.”

    However, Okolobo said Shell is “deeply concerned by recent reports in the media which wrongly stated that two of its staff were arrested by government security forces for alleged involvement in crude theft.”

    “We are equally concerned about allegations credited to the government security agencies that SPDC’s failure to repair identified bunkering points is frustrating their bid to combat oil theft,” the spokesperson said.

    Speaking on the allegation that the company has failed to recognise and carry out repairs on various bunkering points, Okolobo said: “By October 2012, SPDC had already removed 135 illegal connections for oil theft, of which 96 were causing spills and 39 were removed as a precaution against both spills and further oil theft.”

     

     

     

     

  • Obi seeks prosecution of oil thieves

    Obi seeks prosecution of oil thieves

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi yesterday said Nigeria cannot continue to lose nearly 50 per cent of its budget to crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

    He called for the prosecution of illegal bunkerers of petroleum products, no matter how highly connected they may be.

    Obi spoke at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Rivers State, during the 4th Emmanuel Egbogah Legacy Lecture on Petroleum Economics Policy and Strategy.

    The lecture was organised by UNIPORT’s Emerald Energy Institute for Energy Economics, Policy and Strategic Studies in collaboration with the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS) of the university.

    The, which took place at the Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium, was to mark the 70th birthday of Emerald Energy Institute’s benefactor, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, a former presidential adviser.

    The keynote address was presented by Peter Behr of Signet Advisors Limited, Switzerland, with papers presented by eminent scholars across the globe, including Prof. Amos Nur of Stanford University, the United States (US).

    Obi, who was the Special Guest of Honour, said: “We cannot continue to have a situation where nearly 50 per cent of our national budget is stolen. We must address the issue aggressively.

    “I thank President Goodluck Jonathan for what he has done so far in terms of dealing with the fuel subsidy and oil theft.

    “Those stealing the crude oil are Nigerians and nobody is above the country. No matter how connected they are, we want to disconnect that connection.”

    The governor said it is unfortunate that corrupt persons are celebrated in Nigeria, adding that corruption has eaten deep into every sector of the economy.

    Urging Nigerians to celebrate responsible and honest individuals, he said Egbogah was well celebrated in Malaysia.

    Obi said leaders must he held responsible for the situation of things in the country and urged the followers to always tell the leaders the truth.

    UNIPORT Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Ajienka said the university’s foray into petroleum policy matters would have been impossible without Egbogah’s philanthropic gesture.

    Ajienka said: “In Dr. Egbogah, we have far more than a friend of the university and committed philanthropist, who is ready to partner with UNIPORT at all times without counting the cost. His association with the IPS in particular has impacted positively on our activities.

    “I am pleased to announce that work on the Emerald Energy Institute building is nearing completion. It is my hope that the building will be commissioned early next year.”