09 October 2012, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has charged the leadership of the Nigerian Military to arrest the spate of oil theft and terrorism activities in the nation.
He gave the directive while decorating the newly-appointed Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, and the two other service chiefs, Monday, in Abuja.
Sa’ad, who until his appointment was a vice admiral, was decorated with the rank of Admiral along with the new Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, and his Air Force counterpart, Air Vice Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh.
Jonathan, at the occasion, urged them to use their new positions to save Nigeria from the twin-problem – insecurity, occasioned by the terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram sect and economic sabotage caused by crude oil theft.
He said: “You have held your appointments on the basis of your commitment to professional excellence, diligence and faith in a strong, stable and prosperous Nigeria. As you bring these worthy attributes to bear in the discharge of your onerous duties, you are assured of my full support at all times.
“The Chief of Naval Staff along with his officers and men has the honorary responsibility of upscaling security in our territorial waters as the unacceptable rising incidences of crude theft must be tackled frontally. I expect the Chief of Naval Staff and other service chiefs to immediately go to work to urgently bring the issue of crude oil theft to an end.”