This Day
15 Feb 2011
The oil and gas industry operators in the country have supported the Federal Government with an annual budget of $200million for the security of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta, THISDAY has learnt.
Statistics provided by the National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), the investment arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said that this contribution is to ensure "a uniform tactical and strategic approach to managing security issues in the Niger Delta."
However, this collective contribution is different from individual companies' support to the Joint Task Force (JTF), the Police, Navy and other security agencies involved in the protection of oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
At the peak of the Niger Delta crisis between 2007 and 2009, the industry collectively spent $3 billion yearly in providing security for oil operations, a figure some Niger Delta activists said was enough to provide employment and eliminate militancy in the region.
The industry supports government's armed security agencies in the provision of patrol vehicles and boats; security gadgets; steel helmets and bullet-proof vests. Each oil company also maintains internal unarmed security that gathers intelligence and share with government forces.
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