Defence Minister calls for unified strategy to protect Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure

Nigeria's Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has urged for a unified and integrated approach to safeguard the nation's critical oil and gas infrastructure. He emphasized the persistent threats posed by vandalism, crude oil theft, sabotage, and aging facilities.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholders' meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Musa stressed the need for enhanced collaboration among government agencies, industry operators, and host communities. He noted that emerging security challenges, such as pipeline attacks using explosives, demand a more proactive and coordinated response.

General Musa reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to protecting these vital assets, recognizing their importance for Nigeria's economic growth, investor confidence, and national development. Participants at the meeting acknowledged recent improvements in crude oil production, attributing them to increased cooperation among security agencies, industry stakeholders, and local communities. The stakeholders resolved to strengthen a proactive, intelligence-driven, and technology-enabled security framework while fostering trust and stability in the region through continued engagement with host communities.

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effective protection of strategic national assets will depend on sustained collaboration, enhanced intelligence sharing and the deployment of modern surveillance technologies to tackle evolving security threats.