Army commends EFCC for tackling illegal bunkering in N’Delta

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Major General Enobong Udoh, has commended the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its “impressive
roles” in checking illegal oil bunkering and other acts of economic
sabotage in the Niger Delta region.

Udoh gave the commendation on Wednesday while paying a courtesy visit
to the Port Harcourt Zonal office of the Commission. According to him,
“the EFCC has been very supportive and effective in tackling the
menace of illegal oil bunkering. The Niger Delta is very significant
to the economy of Nigeria. Any economic crime directly affects the
economy. So, what the EFCC is doing by combating bunkering is
significant. This alone is helping to stabilize the economy”.

Also, the GOC explained that his Division is vested with the task of
cracking acts of economic sabotage in the Niger Delta region like
illegal oil bunkering; pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, illegal
oil refining and other environmental crimes peculiar to the region.
He called for increased inter- agency collaboration and support to rid
the region of practices inimical to economic growth and development.
Udoh said that the EFCC has shown that it is an agency serious and
steadfast in carrying out its assigned mandate and charged it not to
rest on its oars.

In his response, the Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu thanked
General Udoh for his visit and assured his Division of enhanced
support, collaboration and synergy in the overall interests of the
nation. “We are aware of the strategic importance of the Niger Delta
to the economy of the nation and this is why we have been making
coordinated and sustained efforts to check illegal oil bunkering and
other economic and financial crimes in the region. Our efforts are
yielding results and we will not look back in carrying out our
assigned functions.”

Salihu assured that the EFCC will continue to do its best to fight all
forms of corrupt practices in the South- South.

Azubike Nnadozie