Following the rising incidences of pipeline vandalism, kidnapping, illegal refining and other security challenges in the Niger delta region, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) has stressed the importance of working collectively to protect the oil and gas infrastructures of the country.
Delivering his speech at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Headquarters of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, the defence minister pointed out that for the security of national assets, all relevant government departments, security personnel, oil companies and the host communities should join hands together, as criminals are using more sophisticated methods such as explosives.
Musa said that it is very important to protect the oil infrastructure for increasing the production of crude oil.
The participants of the meeting attributed recent increases in the production of oil to better coordination among security agencies and industry operators and the host communities.
On the other hand, Oluyede, who is the Chief of Defence Staff, made an appeal for a more robust and resilient security architecture in Africa while leading the Nigeria delegation to the 2026 African Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Luanda, Angola.
According to Oluyede, there was a need for African states to enhance intelligence sharing, strengthen border security, and develop defense collaborations in order to counter terrorism, organized crimes, and any other cross-border threat. Additionally, he lauded the defense collaboration between Nigeria and the US as being one of the key milestones in the fight against terrorism.
In another development, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, launched new accommodation buildings, administrative blocks, and welfare amenities at the 6 Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt during the celebration of the 163rd anniversary of the Nigerian Army.
