*Gen. Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, and Governors of the oil-producing states have held a meeting to discuss ways to address the prevailing security challenges affecting oil production in the West African country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

In a move to further shore the country’s oil production output, Gen. Lucky Irabor (LEO), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and governors of the oil-producing states in Nigeria Friday, February 18, 2022, held a meeting to discuss ways to address the prevailing security challenges affecting oil production in the country.

Gen. Irabor, while welcoming the governors, expressed the Federal Government’s concern about the trend in the security situation in the oil-producing states.

He disclosed the meeting was at the instance of President Muhammad Buhari, agency report stated.

Stolen crude at an illegal oil-refining site in the Niger Delta

Heads of security and intelligence agencies present at the meeting were the CDS, Inspector General of Police, Directors-General of the Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency and the Chief of Defense Intelligence.

Others are the Controller-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as the NNPC Group General Manager and other top officers.

The forum was in the light of the current challenges that in the oil and gas sector, adding that the nation was currently bleeding and thought it necessary to reverse the trend, he Irabor stated.

According to the CDS, he decided to lead all the Heads of security and intelligence agencies as well as the Group General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to the meeting with the governors for the oil-producing states of the Federation.

Iraboe further said: “So, given that the issues demand quick action, as mandated by Mr president, we have come to engage with you and the requirement would involve the whole of society.

“So, as critical stakeholders in Niger Delta, we believe that our framework would come up with two people at the door to address the current issues, you will be playing critical part.

A cross-section of governors of oil-producing states at the meeting

“It is for this reason that we have chosen to engage with you, as directed by Mr  President,” he said.

He expressed the belief that the outcome of whatever approach they came up with would be a win-win for every Nigerian consumer.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on behalf of other governors present, commended the CDS for convening the meeting.

The Delta State Governor said the governors were also worried about the happenings in oil facilities around the states.

He noted that the governors of the oil-producing states knew that there had been challenges, adding, there had been a sharp drop in oil production from the various facilities.

The meeting, Okowa stated, would give them the opportunity to share ideas with the various agencies of government in charge of security and those in charge of the management of various oil companies in the nation.

He also said that the forum would provide them the opportunity to see how the states could collaboratively work with security agencies to check the excesses of those involved in oil bunkering and other crimes in the region.

“I do think that this collaboration is a very welcome idea and that it will give us the room for even greater collaboration because it requires a stakeholders’ approach to this very challenging issue.

“As for us, the more oil and gas we are able to produce the better for our states because to a very large extent it will improve the revenues that we have from federal allocation.

“And beyond that too we do believe that if we are able to put a stop to what is going on in our environment, it will be a lot more cleaner than what it is.

“This is because outside the economic challenge we also do realise that the issues that are currently going on are actually those that affect the health of our people,” said Governor Okowa.