The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has expressed the determination of the Federal Government to fight pipeline vandals to a standstill through the
deployment of sophisticated weapons, adding that there are plans to
set up a permanent pipeline special security force to stamp out the
economic menace.
The Vice-President disclosed this on
Friday at Osubi Airstrip shortly after his return aboard Nigerian Air force chopper 5N-CHM from inspecting the January 14 bombed oil and gas pipeline at Forcados Terminal in Burutu Local Government
Area of Delta State.
While stressing that the economic
saboteurs are as bad as terrorists, he bemoaned the effects of the destruction of oil installations on power generation and the over 250,000 barrels of crude oil lost per day by the Federal Government.
As stated by him, “We would have to deploy even sophisticated weapons to ensure we contain vandalism; we may
have to set up a permanent pipeline security force as an option to
look at stamping out the menace.
“As you know, pipeline vandals are
probably as bad as any type of terrorists or saboteurs and the
danger posed to lives caused by pipelines vandals.
“All of us must agree with the president
that the vandals must be treated in the most severe manner and
should not be tolerated at all.
“So, I agree with Mr President entirely
that pipeline vandals should not be tolerated under any
circumstance,” Osinbajo vowed.
He stressed that a lot of efforts are
being made by the Federal and state governments as well
as communal help to repair the damaged pipelines, meet the current
vandalism challenges as well as ascertain what can be done in the future to arrest the trend.
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