NSA rolls out new rules to secure oil sector

The Office of the National Security Adviser in Nigeria has introduced a new operational framework aimed at securing the country's oil and gas industry. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry-Wide Security Architecture is designed to harmonize security operations, establish clear responsibilities, and improve collaboration among government security agencies, private surveillance contractors, and other stakeholders.

Unveiled at the ONSA headquarters in Abuja, the SOP was developed following the recovery of over 2.4 million barrels of stolen crude oil and the deactivation of more than 10,000 illegal refineries and refining sites. The framework seeks to address longstanding challenges associated with crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal refining, and overlapping security operations, which have undermined production, government revenue, and environmental protection.

The NSA emphasized the importance of the framework's implementation, urging participating institutions to circulate its provisions among their commands, field operatives, and relevant personnel.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.