Oil theft: FG may probe JTF

As part of the drives to fish out oil thieves under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari may also look into the activities of the rank and file of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta.

The Presidency and military sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the JTF leaders during Jonathan’s administration as well as the current leadership would be interrogated with the aim of fishing out the oil thieves’ collaborators among them.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the government was aware that if crude oil could be stolen in that magnitude established by the President, it could either be through connivance or through directives.

Adesina said that in an era of impunity, a directive could just be given and the commodity would be stolen.

Asked if the government would beam its searchlight on the JTF, the presidential spokesperson said everybody involved in the connivance would have questions to answer.

The JTF, which is composed of troops of the army, navy, airforce and the mobile police, was set up in 2004 to restore order in the Niger Delta.

Read also: Presidency defends why GEJ is target of probe

It was set up to prevent oil theft, illegal refining of petroleum products and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta’s 3,014 creeks and waterways.

It has metamorphosed from “Operation Flush” to “Operation Restore Hope” to the current “Operation Pulo Shield.”

But there have been allegations that oil theft under the past administration was done under the watchful eyes of the JTF personnel and other agencies involved in security in the Niger Delta.

 

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