Mr. Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., has urged the Nigerian military to continue the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline damage, claiming that the current campaign has resulted in increased crude oil production growth.
Mr. Kyari made the request while receiving in audience the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who led senior military officers on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Tuesday.
The GCEO, who commended General Musa and his team for their unwavering commitment to securing the nation’s critical hydrocarbon assets especially in the Niger Delta region in recent months, emphasised that these achievements are not only crucial to Nigeria but also to the global energy community.
He expressed confidence that the CDS and his team will deliver on the Presidential mandate to mitigate security-related challenges affecting the nation’s crude oil production.
“Components of this effort that depend on security are being effectively managed by you. Your coordinated and focused response is paving the way for improved security engagement, particularly in the Niger Delta,” he said.
In his remarks, General Musa said the visit was intended to introduce the Monitoring Team to the NNPC Ltd, which will be responsible for interfacing with the Company and other stakeholders in the oil-producing regions to secure the nation’s critical hydrocarbon infrastructure.
While pledging commitment towards improving security and the performance of his troops, the CDS said the military will sustain the onslaught and analyse the troops’ capabilities to enhance their performance and bolster productivity.
He stressed the need to ramp up production for a prosperous economy and reassured collaboration with intelligence agencies, private security, state governments and host communities for enhanced performance.