IGP and CDS Address Press After Routine Security Briefing with President Tinubu

Abuja, Nigeria – July 20, 2024:

Following a routine security briefing with President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, spoke to the press, providing updates on the nation’s security and efforts to combat oil theft.

IGP’s Remarks:

The Inspector General of Police described the meeting as a regular session where security briefs are presented to the President. He expressed satisfaction with the President’s response to their reports, highlighting the importance of continued cooperation and synergy among security agencies.

“It is a routine security meeting we had with Mr. President, where we had the opportunity of giving him security briefs. This we have been doing regularly. Mr. President is satisfied with our report, and he has challenged us to continue to work together and improve our synergy,” said the IGP.

He emphasized that crime rates in Nigeria are on a decline, based on comprehensive records of reported crimes across the country. “As Inspector General of Police, we have records of all reported crimes across the country and can tell you that the crime rate is declining in Nigeria. Records don’t lie; the records are there, so I can assure you that we will continue to do what we are doing to maintain the decline in the crime rate,” he added.

CDS’s Remarks on Oil Theft:

Addressing the issue of oil theft, General Christopher Musa stressed the critical importance of restoring full oil production, targeting an output of 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd). He assured that all necessary measures are being taken to achieve this goal.

“Nigeria relies a lot on what we produce, and it’s our mandate to restore full production. We are targeting 2.1 million bpd, which is achievable, so we are taking steps to ensure that all that is required to be done is done,” the CDS stated.

General Musa also highlighted the President’s awareness of the grievances of oil-producing communities and reassured them that their concerns would be addressed to ensure continuous production. “The President is aware of the ills and cries of the communities, and he is not going to let them down. The communities should be rest assured that steps are going to be taken to address their grievances so that production will continue,” he affirmed.

In a stern warning to those involved in oil theft, General Musa declared that their days are numbered. He called for a collective effort from all Nigerians, stating, “For the criminals, those that are hell-bent on stealing our infrastructure, stealing our crude for whatever reasons, their days are numbered. They should be rest assured that we are coming after them. We want to assure Nigerians that we all need to put our hands together to achieve this success. Nobody can do it alone; no single service, no single individual can do this alone. We all need to work together, including the states. We understand that the communities are doing so much; the President will address those issues to ensure that we have full production.”

The briefing concluded with both the IGP and CDS reiterating their commitment to maintaining security and boosting Nigeria’s oil production, ensuring a safer and more prosperous nation for all.