The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has expressed its desire to enhance existing cordial relationship between the corporation and the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigeria Police Force towards the achievement of efficient protection of vital oil and gas assets.
A statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, quoted the Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha , to have made the disclosure during a courtesy visits to the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General
Kenneth Minimah at the Army Headquarters and the Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba at the Force Headquarters.
Dr. Dawha expressed gratitude to the Security Chiefs for their role in providing the much needed cover for the smooth operations of the NNPC despite mounting security challenges.
At the Army Headquarters, Dr. Dawha said his visit was meant to renew the existing cordial relationship between the two organisations, stressing that NNPC would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Army which he said has been providing security support for the Corporation’s assets in the Upstream, Midstream and Downstream Sectors.
The GMD lauded the role of the Nigerian Army in the security Joint Task Force (JTF), extolling the performance of the outfit in protecting NNPC assets in Port Harcourt, Benin and Auchi and also in
the Chad Basin where one of the corporation’s Strategic Business Units, Integrated Data Services Limited, is currently engaged in Seismic data acquisition activities.
The GMD also noted the role of the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps in clearing and providing security for NNPC Right of Way across the Country.
Dr. Dawha enjoined the Nigerian Army to continue to provide security support in the fight against crude oil theft which he said has had a negative impact on the nation’s resources in recent times.
Welcoming the GMD to the Army Headquarters in Abuja, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah expressed satisfaction in the collaborative bond between NNPC and the Nigerian Army saying the two organisations would continue to have common grounds of cooperation for the economic development of Nigeria.
Lt. General Minimah said providing security to national assets including those of NNPC was one of the first lines of duty of the Army assuring the GMD and his team of sustained support.
Before the visit to the Army Headquarters, the GMD was at the Louis Edet House where he paid tribute to the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for their untiring support in providing security to NNPC’s assets and facilities across all sub-sectors.
“We need to deepen and strengthen the close ties between NNPC and the Nigerian Police Force for the socio-economic growth and stability of the country,’’ the GMD said.
Responding the IGP said the Nigerian Police would continue to accord high priority to the protection of oil and gas facilities across the country.
“I have a new team in place and I assure you we will do whatever we need to do to give you better services in terms in terms of pipeline protection, ‘’ the IGP said.
