Reports that some 20 hoodlums attacked the Dangote Refinery in Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, must have come as a rude shock to many Nigerians who are eagerly waiting the commissioning of the facility due to the promises it holds, both for the Nigerian government and Nigerians as a whole. Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the refinery was attacked on March 28.

According to him, “Armed hoodlums numbering about 20 who gained access to the refinery through the lagoon side were repelled while attempting to cart away already-installed armored cables in the refinery.” He said the hoodlums fled when they sighted the policemen but one of them was hit in the ensuing gun duel and he died on the way to the hospital.

We commend the police for foiling the robbery attempt at the refinery. The hoodlums apparently must have mistaken the refinery for the public ones that they steal and vandalize the facilities without consequences. This is in spite of the monumental loss the country suffers as a result of such nefarious activities by criminals.

Indeed, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) stated that Nigeria lost about N159billion to oil theft and pipeline vandalitation in 2019. Its 2019 financial report indicated that crude oil and petroleum products losses valued at N32 billion were recorded in the year, while pipeline repairs and management costs gulped N127 billion. That was for just one year. And it’s been like that over the years.

But vandalism is not limited to oil facilities alone. The power sector is also a victim of the activities of people who steal copper wire, including underground cables that they in turn either resell to power sector firms or other private persons in need of them. As a matter of fact, whole transformers had been stolen in some cases.

What these thieves do not realise or simply gloss over is that for as long as they do not desist from their evil ways, the nation would continue to suffer. This means more darkness and discomfort for the people; as well as unnecessary increase in the cost of production, as most industries and workplaces resort to private power supply to run their plants. For the energy sector, it is government’s revenue that suffers, with dire consequences for Nigerians.

We are not oblivious of the fact that there is massive unemployment in the country. But stealing or vandalizing pipelines and other equipment of the few private and public concerns that are still giving jobs to a sizeable number of Nigerians is not the solution. As a matter of fact, such acts tend to worsen the unemployment situation.

In the first place, where the establishments do not close down as a result of the persistent threats to their operations, they pass the increased cost of production to consumers. This, in turn, means less purchasing power, more goods in stock as a result of lower demand for their products, job cuts. etc. and the vicious cycle continues.

Second, stealing of such essential assets scares prospective investors, thus further shrinking the capacity for job creation.

Dangote Refinery, with the capacity for 10.4 million tons of gasoline, 4.6 MT of diesel and four MT of jet fuel is not just the biggest of its kind in Africa, it is a landmark industrial hub for Nigeria. The hoodlums tampering with its facilities are therefore not going after Dangote alone, but also against a project with the capacity to take hundreds of people off the unemployment queues. If people keep attacking such facility, how do we create more jobs?

We are happy that the police are on the matter with a view to apprehending the remaining 19 suspects. It is also gladdening that the state commissioner of police, Abiodun Alabi, said security has been fortified at the refinery.

It had better be.