FG sacks all anti-vandal teams guarding oil pipelines as crude oil theft rises

The Federal Government has dissolved all the anti-vandal units of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC guarding oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate connivance by some bad eggs in the system with non-state actors. Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi ordered the dissolution on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the top management and all state Commandants of the Corps to performance and policies. He said the dissolution followed the directive of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to with immediate effect dissolve all anti-vandal units of the Corps.

He said that all road blocks in the troubled areas that are not approved by the Corps, have also been ordered to be dismantled. Giving reason for the dissolution, he said there was a need to reconstitute the units so as to introduce fresh blood and do away with security operatives who may be accomplices. He said “We have made it very clear, that henceforth we are going to hold Commandants responsible for any breach in their various states, especially in the area of vandalism. In view of that, we have received reports, therefore the Minister has approved the reorganisation of a department in the Corps, known as anti-vandalism. You are to note that all anti-vandal teams nationwide are hereby dissolved and all road blocks mounted by such individuals should be immediately dismantled.

“The Minister has also approved the reorganisation of the anti-vandal team and he directed further that the anti-vandal team will be reconstituted in due course. The federal government is showing so much concern on the issue of oil theft and the Corps is saddled with the protection of pipelines. There are insinuations that security agencies are involved as accomplices. Because we want to redeem the image of the service, our officers are doing their jobs but not to satisfaction, hence the call by the Minister for the reorganisation of the teams”, Audi explained.