By Omos Oyinbode, Asaba
DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that the International Community cannot be exonerated from the criminality of crude oil theft in Nigeria.
Uduaghan, who observed that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s stolen crude is exported for use by refineries outside Nigeria, however, stressed that without the cooperation of the international community, the military cannot do the job alone.
The Governor said that the International Community must join in the collective efforts to check the increasing menace of oil theft in the country.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to wiping out crude oil theft, pipeline vandalization and other criminal acts bedeviling the nation’s economy, urging everyone to join hands to solve the problem.
“This crude oil theft requires the participation of all of us; some of the people who are involved in the crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism are our brothers, our friends and in some cases, our heroes. We must be involved in the engagement of the people involved in these activities for them to desist from the criminal acts”, the Governor said.
He said that the vandalization of pipelines was impacting negatively on gas supply to power plants which in turn has reduced available power supply in the country.
“President Jonathan has done a lot in the power sector; more power plants have been completed during his administration more than any other administration, but the challenge we have now is sabotage to our gas pipelines”, he stated.
Uduaghan commended the military for its fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism reiterating that the gunboats would boost the operations of the JTF in the Niger Delta.
Also, he thanked the military for its commitment to checking insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country, noting that President Jonathan was committed to making Nigeria safe, peaceful and devoid of criminal activities.
The Governor used the occasion to call for the re-election of the President Jonathan in the Saturday elections, saying that he means and will continue to work in the interest of Nigeria as an indivisible country.
