assured oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that
the Federal Government is taking all necessary actions to
protect strategic assets in the region from vandals and
criminals.
Speaking at a meeting with the Global Director
(Upstream) of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, Andrew
Brown, President Buhari said he has directed the Chief of
Naval Staff to reorganise and strengthen the military
Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta to deal effectively
with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil
installations.
The President told Brown that the operations of the JTF
were also being enhanced with increased support and
cooperation from the United States and Europe in the
areas of training, intelligence, equipment and logistics.
He said: “We have to be very serious with the situation
in the Niger Delta because it threatens the national
economy.
“I assure you that everything possible will be done to
protect personnel and oil assets in the region.”
The President urged aggrieved persons, militants and
communities in the Niger Delta to drop their
confrontational stance and work with those who have
been charged by the Federal Government to review the
Amnesty Programme initiated by the Yar’Adua
Administration for the benefit of all parties.
President Buhari praised the resilience and staying power
of Shell in Nigeria despite the operational challenges of
the environment.
He urged the company to do its best to end gas-flaring
in the Niger Delta quickly and produce more gas for
electricity generation to support manufacturing and job
creation in the country.
Brown had appealed for an urgent solution to rising
crime and militancy in the Niger Delta.
The Shell Executive also dispelled speculations that the
company was pulling out of Nigeria.
He said contrary to such speculations, Shell was
currently in discussions with the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation on new joint oil and gas projects.
Source: theeagleonline.com
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