THE rising wave of illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta has assumed an alarming dimension and is now posing a serious threat to the economy.

The government loses about 400,000 metric tonnes of crude oil daily due to the activities of the illegal bunkerers in connivance with foreign companies.

A new dimension to the illegal activities is the involvement of security agencies, which give cover to the criminals, on the payment of certain agreed percentage running into millions of dollars and naira.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered authoritatively that these illegal bunkerers had been given assurances by senior police officers in Abuja that nothing would happen to them even if they were arrested.

It was reliably gathered that the bunkerers, who now resort to breaking pipelines, carry out their illegal activities accompanied by siren-blaring escorts thereby scaring people away and creating the impression that they were government officials on assignment.

An example was a cartel known as Tekeena Oil, that loaded two foreign ships in the Niger Delta last week at the Mobil Oil filed in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

The illegal vessels, containing about 200,000 metric tonnes of AGO and crude oil, was loaded within 24 hours before they could sail off.

Nigerian Tribune was told exclusively that before the ships could be loaded with the crude, the sum of N50 million was paid to senior police officers to give them protection.

The source revealed that the illegal bunkerers were last week hit by misfortune when one of the boats used for carrying the crude to the ship in the high sea sunk, while those accompanying it also drowned.

It was gathered that the activities of the oil thieves have given rise to about 80 illegal refining hamlets in the Niger Delta.

Investigations on the activities of the illegal bunkerers revealed that out of the 88 vessels that loaded crude oil in March this year, only 15 were duly registered with Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to be plying Nigerian waters with flag, the rest sneaked into the country loaded crude and took off.

The source disclosed that if the government does not act fast, the illegal bunkerers, through their nefarious activities, will soon ground the economy, giving the example of six of pipeline vandals who were arrested early this year and who were said to have paid N29 million bribes to the security team. The money was recovered and kept with the police. But the suspects were released under questionable circumstance by the senior police officer.

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FORMALIZE GROWING PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN THE OIL INDUSTRY
written by Uwem Essia, May 08, 2012

Increasing oil bunkering is unarguably reducing the income of the Federal Government and multinational oil companies who have refused to refine crude oil in Nigeria, but it is increasing the income of an increasing number of ordinary Nigerians and security operatives who would not benefit as much if all the earnings went to the joint venture account.

To this extent i disagree with the argument that illegal bunkering is hurting the economy. However, but that the illegal operators destroy pipelines, kill security guards, ignore safety precautions, endanger lives, and produce and sell sub-standard AGO that over 50 percent of filling stations buy directly or indirectly, to that extent their activities can be considered destructive.

But the current approach where security men are sent out to police the waters and guard pipelines is clearly an effort in futility. Indeed in many coastal states, chasing oil bunkers has replaced roadblocks; the various task forces are making millions as bribes and settlement.

My pain with Nigeria is that we keep doing the same thing and expect different results. It is most disappointing when one considers the fact that President Jonathan, coming from the Niger Delta, knows that no amount of policing can stop bunkering. The creeks are far too many and effective policing is near impossible. Many of the boats are owned by the security men who are sent to check the criminals.

Government has to be more realistic. Create a simplified procedure for these upcoming local refiners to get crude, and render breaking pipelines to risky, expensive, and unnecessary. Engage the operators and encourage them to form cooperatives and produce groups.

This indeed is what the amnesty programme ought to focus on; instead of merely training people without guarantee of jobs.

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written by O.O. Moses, May 11, 2012

Senior police officers involved in dis act shd b made 2 face d law. Dt is y dey r fightin against d establishmt of maseca bill but God pass dem. Nija go beta

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