Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, has emphasized the urgency for the international community to collectively refuse stolen crude oil from Nigeria.
In a recent appearance Rear Admiral Hassan stressed the gravity of the situation, urging foreign nations to take a firm stance against the acceptance of stolen oil.
“We should push for stolen crude not to be accepted by foreign (state) actors,” Rear Admiral Hassan stated during the breakfast show. He highlighted the detrimental effects of oil theft on Nigeria’s economy and the involvement of international actors in the illicit trade.
Highlighting the scale of the issue, Rear Admiral Hassan also called for action to deactivate approximately 1,000 oil wells abandoned by International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta region. He urged regulatory bodies to compel these companies to deactivate oil wells once operations cease, emphasizing the importance of preventing such abandoned wells from becoming potential sources of illegal activity.
Furthermore, Rear Admiral Hassan underscored the need for expedited legal processes in cases involving arrested oil thieves. He urged the judiciary to accelerate judgments in these cases to deter future criminal activities and ensure swift justice for affected communities.
According to Rear Admiral Hassan, stolen oil from Nigeria often finds its way out of the country for refinement elsewhere, indicating the involvement of foreign entities in the illicit trade. He emphasized the crucial role of the international community in combating oil theft and urged for concerted efforts to reject stolen oil.
“This shows the involvement of foreigners in Nigeria’s oil theft. So, there’s a need for the international community to start rejecting stolen oil,” Rear Admiral Hassan emphasized, highlighting the global dimension of the issue.
