The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has called on the media to join it in the fight against oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Rivers State.

The newly deployed NSCDC Commandant in the state, Basil Igwebueze, made the call yesterday, in Port Harcourt, when a delegation of Energy and Maritime Reporters paid him a courtesy visit to commemorate the 2023 World Seafarers Day.

Igwebueze in his remark, noted that the media, as a critical stakeholder in the battle against illegal crude oil refining and vandalism, has contributed hugely in the protection of national assets.

He said the task of manning critical national assets to mitigate illegal dealings of petroleum and related products was not an easy task, hence the command welcomed all partnerships it could get to be able to checkmate the proliferation of illegal oil bunkering and arms in the country.

Igwebueze said, “It is also on record that some criminal activities occur on the waters. For instance, part of the insurgencies we are witnessing in the country, we have discovered that some criminals from the neighbouring countries enter into our territory through the waters.

“They import arms into the country, so when you talk of proliferation of weapons in the country, it is closely related to some criminal activities on the waters, on that effect, the federal government has helped to equip us so that we can be in a better position to check all these, especially that of illegal oil dealings is where we have our mandate centered on.

“You (media) will be of immense assistance to us, report us as we are, when you discover someone with unruly behavior because the people that are charged with the responsibility are human so in their efforts they may err on the side of caution if they make some mistakes, then also advise us approximately to continue to guide them, to continue to urge them to perform their duties diligently.”

Earlier in his address, Chairman of the Energy and Maritime Reporters, Martins Giadom, expressed optimism that the media partnering the NSCDC would better report the achievements of the corps.