The management of the NNPC and the Nigerian Police have pledged to join forces in combating pipeline vandalism and security threats to oil installations in the country.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Group General Manager (Public Affairs) of the NNPC, Levi Ajuonuma, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement said the agreement was reached after the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Austen Oniwon, visited the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.

The statement said the NNPC boss decried the alarming rate of pipeline vandalism in the country and the growing attacks on its operational staff.

It said that the menace posed a serious threat to operations in the petroleum industry and the economy of the nation.

In the statement, the NNPC’s Public Affairs boss urged the police to assist the NNPC in its efforts to “eradicate the intractable incidence of encroachment of pipeline right of way’’ which had over time assumed a frightening dimension.

Mr. Ajuonuma said that Mr. Abubakar has vowed that men of the Force will work with NNPC to achieve its mandate.

The statement noted that Abubakar declared zero tolerance for pipeline vandalism and pledged to deal with any officer who failed to perform