Urgent Decentralization of the Surveillance, Policing of Nigeria Upstream, EEZ

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria”- Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

The political and philosophical insights of Gen Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2015 presidential election he won were considered very deep and germane for the progress of Nigeria, although events later proved his utter inability to walk the path of his messianic creed.

Perhaps, it is this vulnerability in many a man that made religious philosophers devised the timely warning to always ‘heed the message and not the messenger’.

But with few exceptions throughout mankind’s history, messengers have proven over and again their inability to swing and act within the context of fundamentals of their messages, same manner we expect kinetic force to propel and sustain mechanized movement of any form.

Accordingly, for the purpose of this engagement, let us work with the retired military general’s famous outcry on the need to stand up firmly against corruption in our system; the greatest of which are establishments and departmental organized financial and economic corruption.

These includes crude oil theft and the science of its evolution, the convoluted  conspirator and seeming inscrutability; and which has so far defied all understanding, figuratively speaking; and with it, expected solution.

For a long time already crude oil theft and our failure to address same has proven to be the most knotty and demoralizing assignment undertaken by our traditional policing system up until the Nigerian Navy (NN) stepped into the scene; and still with no solution in sight until the latest option by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for self help.

Let us fast forward to the engagement of private security services by the NNPCL under the distinguished leadership of Engr. Melee Kyari.

No sooner Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), a private, wholly indigenous security outfit began to record significant successes through arrests of rogue crude ships than a certain section of the state security apparatus engaged in counterproductive narratives; followed by shameless and brazen counter moves to cow operatives of the civilian security outfit.

Thankfully, the impressive deterrence recorded by Tantita against crude theft and its positive impact in steadying our hitherto all time low crude production quota that created very worrisome imbalance within the global crude market didn’t go unnoticed.

Not by the finance and budget people, not the least by the National Assembly (NASS), the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and other relevant state organs which collectively depends on productive and functional budget system to run the economy, government and country.

One man seemingly at the receiving end of the sad in-fighting and dicey situation was the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Oglala. Determined to have a truer view and firm control of navy participation in crude protection and others activities in the upstream operations, and minded to mitigate the reports of in-house collusion and suspicion amongst state/private security partnership, created  what is known as a Special Task Force which comprise of all Government Security Agencies (GSAs).

Just recently, the CNS also ordered a far reaching internal reorganization of responsibilities, which witnessed a major administrative and control shakeup, a development pundits attributed to the successes of anti-crude theft by Tantita. Many have commended the CNS for his positive attitude aimed at stemming the incidences of crude theft by presently acting expeditiously on reports of suspected official conspiracy.

As though to complement the efforts of the CNS, was yet another positive signal, which was the inspection of two oil bunkering rogue vessels, MT KALI and MT HARBOR SPIRIT arrested by Tantita, by the Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa led House of Representatives Committee on Upstream Petroleum.

The committee which is made up of representatives from seven relevant oil and gas sub committees of the House commended Tantita and the CNS for steering the current combat, while recommending greater synergy and collaboration between the Navy and the Armed Forces, the Police and other players in the security architecture.

Perhaps, the most resolute and purpose driven state posture is the committee’s far reaching take through its chairman that the time has come for the NASS to decentralize security operations of critical economic zones.

The chairman had explain that the move is intended to strengthen the security architecture, build efficiency, trust and patriotism and thus ensure effective monitoring and policing of the nation’s crude production; and with it, export, distribution and statistics as the nexus to achieving a functional, dependable budget system.

Hon. Doguwa who was speaking during the inspection of the seized assets at Oporoza in the Warri  South-West LGA of Delta state explained that the law to decentralize the security operations will also reflect international best practices and its concomitant standard operating procedures.

With such development, it is hoped that  the Nigeria Navy will be freed to concentrate and  reconnect with its constitutional duty of being as an arm of the military forces saddled with the defence of our sovereignty against external aggression.

Analysts say the lawmakers move will afford the NN to in addition to divest gradually from the additional role given to it by the Gen. Mahammadu Buhari led Military Government via an Executive Order (Military Fiat) to step in and mitigate the challenge of seaborne criminalities including the protection of crude assets and security at the nation’s territorial waters and sea.

While Tantita and other private security concerns stand in the gap of a coast guard in the interim, so to speak, the NN while providing direction and support will also see the need to extricate itself from all manners of unwholesome accusations and dirts society has accused it of based on the itchy hands of some bad eggs.

Without any gainsaying, the NN will also take time out to horn its professionalism as a mean to regaining its once upon a time shining image and respect.