The Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi has commended State Commandants for the timely reconstitution of new anti-vandal squad to wage war against vandals and oil thieves.
Dr Audi said the dissolution and subsequent reconstitution of the Anti-vandal Unit Nationwide was necessary to reposition the Corps for effective implementation of its statutory mandate of safeguarding national assets especially petroleum pipelines and other oil installations.
In a statement by Olusola Odumosu, director, public relations, the strategy is geared at putting a stop to all forms of sabotage in the oil sector through arrests and diligent prosecution of oil thieves, their sponsors and all those dealing illegally in Petroleum products.
According to the NSCDC boss, “the reconstitution of the reformed Antivandal Unit with fresh bloods who has new zeal for success is central and germane to our core mandates.
“The nation is loosing a lot of revenues to illegal oil merchants and this has a debilitating effect on the economy.
Audi added that, “You have carried out the Minister of Interior’s directive to reconstitute the Corps’ anti-vandal unit nationwide without delay.
“I commend your swift and timely compliance which has closed all perceived gaps and loopholes that may have been created in the fight against theft and illegal oil bunkering across board.
“I therefore charge you to remain firm, focused and fierce with the enemies of the nation who has vowed to continue sabotaging our economy”.
The NSCDC boss, however, gave a marching order to State Commandants to deploy all machineries both on land and in the waterways to carry out massive arrests and possible prosecution of oil thieves.
“I have distributed the newly acquired gunboats to you for the purpose of waging war against our enemies of our commonwealth.
“There is no excuse for failure anymore, I want to see you put a stop to revenue loss through illegal oil activities in the nation”, Audi charged.
He assured Nigerians that NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure will continue its scientific synergy with other security agencies.
“Collaborations between security agencies is very necessary to foster greater success in our efforts to ward off all threats challenging the country’s national security architecture.
“We will continue to share Intelligence, avoid unnecessary Inter-Agency rivalry and work with others as partners in progress to combat our common enemies who are sabotaging the economy of the nation”, the NSCDC boss said.
