President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged security agencies to eradicate crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta by May 29.

He said the government would no longer tolerate the criminality.

Minister of State Petroleum Reaources, Chief Timipre Sylva gave the directive on behalf of the President while addressing troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, in Effurum, Delta State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State

The minister said Nigeria can no longer tolerate the activities of the criminals who have through their criminalities destabilised crude oil productions in the last couple of years.

“Mr President has mandated us to eradicate crude oil theft.

“He has directed that no liter of crude oil should be stolen in the country again especially in the Southsouth.

“He wants crude oil thief completely eliminated by May 29 2023 as one of the legacies of his government.

“This is the message from Mr President. We are not where we want to be but we are happy at what we are seeing," he said.

Last November 9, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, said oil thieves were after his life.

He said the discovery of no fewer than 295 illegal connections to oil pipelines had resulted in death threats to him.

Kyari said the NNPCL destroyed thousands of illegal refineries in the last few months.

A connection to the main pipeline carrying crude to the terminal for export was also discovered, he added.(The Nation)