Protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas assets through coordination and accountability, By Chido Onumah

A Common Framework for Protecting National Assets

The signing and launch, on 12 October, of the Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) for Government Security and Intelligence Agencies and Other Stakeholders under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry-Wide Security Architecture gives Nigeria a common framework for protecting hydrocarbon assets. It connects security operations with economic recovery, environmental protection and public accountability. For operators and relevant stakeholders, the task is to translate its provisions into understood responsibilities, credible public information and constructive community participation.

The NSA’s Message on Coordination and Implementation

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, placed these priorities at the centre of his remarks. He described crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining as threats to production, the environment and national security. Sustained progress, he emphasised, requires unity of purpose, clarity of roles and operational discipline. The SOP provides a practical basis for reducing friction among institutions and consolidating gains achieved through collaboration across government and industry.

Ribadu identified implementation as the decisive test. He urged agencies, operators and partners to disseminate the provisions to commands, formations, field operatives and relevant personnel. His insistence on professionalism, information sharing, respect for mandates and adherence to law establishes the standard against which implementation should be assessed. Personnel must understand the requirements, and supervisors must ensure that they guide everyday decisions.

Defence Leadership on Clear Roles and Operational Order

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), endorsed the initiative, describing the launch as “another milestone” and “a step in the right direction.” His assessment reflects the importance of giving participating institutions an agreed operational reference. Protecting petroleum infrastructure requires sustained cooperation among defence, intelligence and law enforcement institutions, working with operators, regulators and communities.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, explained the practical value of that reference. “Every agency understanding what to do, how to go about it, and when to do it, aligning with its boundaries, ultimately brings about orderliness,” he said. His observation captures a central purpose of the SOP: enabling institutions to act together while respecting their respective mandates.

NNPC Limited on Production Gains and Institutional Alignment

Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, connected security to national revenue, investor confidence, operational continuity and host-community wellbeing. Recalling the crisis preceding the architecture, he said national crude oil and condensate production had fallen to approximately 950,000 barrels per day in August 2022, with unavailable trunklines and substantial differences between injected volumes and terminal receipts.

Ojulari reported more than 10,000 illegal refining sites deactivated, close to 7,000 illegal connections removed, over 2.4 million barrels of stolen crude recovered and more than 3,700 suspects apprehended. He also reported production above 1.7 million barrels per day and improved trunkline availability. These figures illustrate the gains he attributed to collaboration, while reinforcing the need for reliable reporting that distinguishes apprehensions from prosecutions and convictions.

While affirming NNPC Limited’s support, Ojulari proposed a 60-day period for stakeholders to refine certain provisions and secure institutional alignment. He explained that company responsibilities would undergo established internal approval processes, including Board consideration where required. His proposal complements the SOP’s periodic review mechanism, under which proposed changes pass through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

NSCDC on Discipline and Accountability

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, reaffirmed the corps’ responsibility for safeguarding oil and gas assets. He disclosed that several officers found guilty of misconduct in the Niger Delta had been dismissed. His remarks underline the importance of internal discipline: public confidence depends on the conduct of personnel entrusted with protecting national assets.

Private Surveillance Partners on Technology and Knowledge Sharing

Private surveillance contractors are also central to implementation. Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, argued that the manual should reach beyond the immediate participants. He called for its distribution to institutions of learning to benefit future generations, widening understanding of infrastructure protection and the responsibilities that accompany it.

Enisuoh noted that the operational gains cited at the launch had been achieved before the manual was available and expressed confidence that the SOP would support further improvements. He also described Tantita’s command and control centre as having the capacity to monitor beyond Nigeria’s exclusive economic zone. He pledged to use that capability to support implementation and share information with Nigerian security forces.

Institutional Mandates and Supervision of Contractors

The SOP gives these commitments operational substance. It preserves participating institutions’ rights and obligations under the Constitution and their establishing laws and agreements. Contractors contribute surveillance, intelligence, community engagement and technology under government security supervision. Their overt operations must be undertaken jointly with government security agencies, enabling complementary contributions while retaining public authority over enforcement.

Arrest Procedures and Protection of Suspects’ Rights

Its scope extends beyond those physically stealing oil to storage, transportation, marketing, sponsorship and financing of stolen hydrocarbons, alongside connivance and failure to report specified offences. Effective enforcement must therefore investigate the networks sustaining theft. Arrest procedures require verification, documentation and reporting through the Command-and-Control Centre, with contractors handing arrested persons or assets to designated government authorities as soon as practicable.

Records of exhibits, witness statements and physical or digital evidence support investigation and prosecution. Equally important, the SOP expressly recognises arrested persons’ freedom from torture and degrading treatment, information about reasons for arrest, the right to silence, access to legal representation and humane custody conditions. These safeguards strengthen lawful enforcement and the credibility of investigations.

Coordinated Patrols and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology

The document regulates night patrols, movement along pipelines and unmanned aerial vehicles. Joint planning and operational briefings reduce confusion, while drone operations require relevant permissions, safe flight procedures and coordination with aviation and security authorities. Secure data handling, equipment controls and training help ensure that technology supports operations responsibly.

Recovery and Evacuation of Petroleum Products

Procedures for evacuating recovered crude oil and refined products assign coordination and oversight to ONSA, security protection to relevant agencies, and verification responsibilities to regulators. Environmental authorities oversee relevant compliance. Final inspection compares delivered products with recorded quantities and quality at recovery, while reporting and legal oversight support lawful forfeiture and accountability.

NFIU on Compliance and Measurable Outcomes

Hafsat Bakari, chief executive officer and director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, described the framework as a technical and compliance milestone. She called for a legal and monitoring structure, supported by feedback mechanisms to assess implementation and address gaps. Her emphasis on outcomes reinforces the NSA’s message that adoption must produce measurable improvements.

Public Communication and Community Participation

Strategic communication and community engagement will help sustain implementation. The SOP assigns media coverage of arrested vessels to designated government bodies and NNPC Limited, supporting coordinated, verified information. Operators and contractors must also engage communities. Accessible communication, responsible civil society partnerships and opportunities to report concerns can strengthen cooperation while protecting investigations.

Implementation should combine training with oversight and sustained industry cooperation. Monitoring should track infrastructure reliability, environmental compliance, prosecution outcomes and lawful conduct. Feedback from personnel and communities can identify gaps requiring correction. Participating institutions should explain responsibilities and communicate verified progress.

Sustaining Cooperation for Security and Economic Recovery

The NSA’s closing message offers confidence in sustained cooperation. Thanking stakeholders, Ribadu expressed his conviction that, working together, we will strengthen Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure security and support increased production, environmental protection and economic recovery. Guided by professionalism, information sharing and respect for mandates, the SOP provides a firm foundation for securing these gains for Nigerians.

Chido Onumah is special adviser to the National Security Adviser on Strategic Communication and Civil Society Liaison.