Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, group managing director of Nestoil has called on the Nigeria Police Force to engage host communities deeply in developing strategies to protect oil and gas installations across the country.
Obiejesi asserted while speaking at the Senior Police Officers retreat held in Lagos recently with the theme; ‘Protecting Critical Oil and Gas Facilities in Nigeria – The Role of the Nigeria Police Force.’
He said a deeper engagement with strategic and well-meaning stakeholders in the respective host communities could give a better clue on how to manage restiveness and oil theft.
“The Police need more training, equipment, intelligence and surveillance infrastructures. They also need to pay more attention to the economic factors that fuel these criminal activities”
“Community engagement must be holistic and must not be restricted to a few self-seeking and self-appointed leaders who continue to extort the oil companies without the monies trickling down to the ordinary people in the respective communities,” he said.
Obiejesi also called on operators and other stakeholders in the sector to adopt and sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with host communities as a way of improving the social and infrastructural projects within communities.
He noted that the GMoU clearly states what is required of oil operators and communities while adding that it should be the benchmark for assessing the contributions of operators to their host communities.
He said petroleum continues to account for the largest chunk of public revenue, hence the security of facilities and oil installations must be a top priority.
The Senior Police Officers Retreat is an annual event organised by the Police force for its senior officers to brainstorm on ways of improving efficiency in the task of protecting life and property.
Josephine Okojie
