The Presidential Task Force on Smuggling, Hoarding and Diversion of Petroleum Products has sought a collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to operate its assets and platforms nationwide to help combat the economic turbulence in the oil industry.
The chairman of the Task Force, Tijjani Kyari Mohammed, made the request at a meeting with the NSCDC’s Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi in Abuja.
The chairman said intelligence sharing and use of the legal assets of the NSCDC would speed up the job of the task force, also called Operation White (OPW).
He mentioned that this would also enable it to deliver its approval and bring those sabotaging the economy in the Oil sector to justice.
Mohammed, in his statement, said it was important to maintain sanity and check sharp practices in the oil and gas sector, buttressing that the corps and the task force would, through the collaboration, effectively cover all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in its assignment.
The task force chairman expressed appreciation to the NSCDC’s boss for the support extended to the task force in doing its assignment since it was established.
He condemned the unrepentant posture of smugglers, whom he said were bent on sabotaging the government’s efforts.
But he has pledged to Nigerians that with the support of the NSCDC and other security agencies, the task force would bring sanity to the industry as soon as possible.
Mohammed said the task force, which has seven border points in the country, might also require the services of the Commandant General’s Intelligence Squad (CGIS), legal support for the prosecution of suspects and intelligence sharing, among others.
Audi, who commended the efforts of the task force, said he had followed the activities of Operation quite closely and promised further collaboration and partnership.
The NSCDC boss said the corps had confronted petroleum organised crimes and recorded 25 convictions since the beginning of the year with about 100 cases of vandalism still pending in courts.
He, therefore, has appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, to support the corps with working tools and other logistics to enable it diligently accomplish its task.