General Tukur Buratai, Chief of
Army
General Tukur Buratai, Chief of
Army Staff
Army Assures Oil Sector Protection in Niger
Delta
The Nigerian Army has assured Total Exploration and Production
of adequate protection of its workers and assets in Nigeria as part
of efforts in securing crude oil production in the Niger Delta
region.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt General Tukur Buratai gave the
assurance when the new Managing Director of Total E&P and
Country Chair of Total in Nigeria, Mr Mike Sangster paid him a
courtesy visit at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
“I can assure you that adequate protection will be given to both
workers and assets of your company and the activities oil and gas
production in the Niger Delta as a whole”, Gen Buratai said.
He said the oil and gas production in the country is key to the
Nigerian economy and the Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned
to ensure the area is protected.
Earlier in his address at the occasion, Total’s Chief Executive
Mike Sangster his visit was to introduce himself to the Chief of
Army Staff as the new helmsman of the country, while appreciating
the support and cooperation of the Army in Total’s business
operations.
Mr Sangster also commended the army for the efforts at combating
insurgency in the country, while extending the company’s goodwill
message to the soldiers who daily risk their lives for the security
of Nigerians and the country’s territorial integrity.
The Total boss noted that “ our hearts are with the families of
the soldiers who have paid the supreme price in the line of duty”
and solicited the cooperation of the army for the relationship to
be sustained.
He also said that the army has been instrumental to peace around
Total’s operating locations especially onshore, adding that those
posted to its facilities exhibit professionalism in their
conducts.
Mr Sangster called on the Army that threats still exist and that
its locations are not spared of the general security risks such as
kidnapping, robberies and other kinds of criminalities, stressing
that the company rely heavily on government security forces to
maintain an environment conducive to operations.