The inadequate deployment of technology to secure and monitor oil pipelines is a major reason for the incessant crude oil theft in Nigeria, a security expert and President, Club Twelve 88, Abuja, Rear Admiral Gbadejo Adedeji (retd.), has said.
He spoke at a press briefing in Abuja on the investiture of the club’s 11th President and inauguration of new members.
The ex-naval officer observed that the desire to effectively study the security situation in Nigeria, particularly in the oil and gas business, had been neglected.
Adedeji explained that in other climes, professionals in the oil and gas sector were duty bound to conduct research, gather and analyse data, as well as seek solutions to oil theft, rather than leave the armed forces alone to make arrests.
He said, “Today we are talking of people laying oil pipelines at the sea beds and going out there to load trucks. The armed forces will not be in the business of researching this.
“Look at Saudi Arabia, for example, the network of their oil pipeline is so tight and so technologically backed up that if you touch one pin, you will be located.
“It is a huge structure that they are watching what is going on in the system. We also need to move in this direction as a nation that is involved in the crude oil and gas business.”
Oil theft has denied Nigeria billions of dollars, as the country’s production has remained stunted due to the menace.
Nigeria has consistently failed in meeting its monthly crude oil production quota approved by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
On Monday, for instance, the Federal Government revealed that its latest findings showed that about 1.2 million barrels of crude oil was consistently shut in by producers across various oil wells in the Niger Delta due to the incessant oil theft in the industry.
