Defence Minister Pushes Stronger Security-Industry Partnership to Boost Oil Production
Oru Leonard
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has called for stronger collaboration between security agencies and stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure and increase crude oil production.
Speaking during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held on June 29 at the Port Harcourt Barracks in Rivers State under the framework of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), the minister said closer cooperation was essential to addressing security challenges threatening the nation’s economic stability.
General Musa stressed the need for improved intelligence sharing, stronger operational synergy among the Armed Forces of Nigeria, other security agencies and industry operators, as well as swift and coordinated responses to emerging threats affecting oil installations.
The meeting, convened as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen security coordination in the oil and gas sector, reviewed existing security arrangements and examined persistent challenges undermining the protection of critical national assets.
Participants identified the absence of an approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide collaboration between pipeline and infrastructure companies, Operation Delta Safe and other security agencies as a major obstacle to effective coordination and rapid response.
They also raised concerns over threats from host communities, alleged insider collaboration with criminal networks, delays in repairing damaged facilities, and the vulnerability of abandoned infrastructure, noting that these challenges continue to fuel crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
The stakeholders reaffirmed the importance of sustained and institutionalised collaboration in safeguarding Nigeria’s strategic energy assets and acknowledged the achievements recorded by Operation Delta Safe in improving security across the Niger Delta.
They, however, stressed the need to consolidate the gains through stronger partnerships, better coordination and the implementation of effective operational frameworks aimed at protecting oil and gas infrastructure and supporting increased national oil output.
