The National Security Council (NSC) has mandated the National Security Adviser and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to set up a strong team to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and report back to it.
The mandate was disclosed by Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola at the end of Council meeting on Thursday.
“Now, on the issue of crude oil theft, the Council has decided that the National Security Adviser should put in place a strong team to investigate all issues relating to the discoveries of either abandoned oil pipelines, or illegal crude oil pipelines, so as to determine, one, the extent of such illegalities and perpetrators of such, and put a report for the Council and the president.
“That is, a committee will be set up by the NSA, in conjunction with the SGF, to investigate this issue of oil bunkering because of the serious economic importance and to ensure that all those involved are brought to book.”
Also speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor told newsmen that the Council was also briefed that 101 ex-combatants who were taken to Operation Safe Corridor are currently undergoing the process of de-radicalisation at the center.
According to him: “These were ex-combatants that have been in detention for several years, some of whom have served their terms. Others were those that were awaiting trial, but because of the long time that they’ve been involved and in line with the protocol or the procedure for handling anyone who has been exposed to terrorism or related offenses, the procedure for them to be taken through a process of de-radicalisation.”
Irabor also stated that states have no power to procure automatic weapons for their security outfits.
While inaugurating the first batch of personnel of the state’s security outfit last August, Governor Samuel Ortom had said sophisticated weapons would be provided for them.
On his part, Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, in September said the state would procure arms for operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.
Speaking on the development, Irabor said the licence for the procurement of automatic weapons – such as AK-47 – lies with the agencies of the federal government.
He said: “Firearms fall into two major categories. You have the automatic weapons and the ones that we may classify as non-automatic weapons, which some of you may even have if you have the appropriate licences – talking about the pump action which are the very common ones, and sometimes even the dane guns some of the hunters use.
“What is involved in the class mentioned has to do with automatic weapons. There’s no state that has been given a licence for that. So, you do not ask for what you do not have power to acquire.”
Others at the security meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao and the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.).
Also, in attendance were the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Samuel Adebayo.
