US DELEGATION VISITS NIGERIA ON SUBJECT OF OIL THEFT

A delegation of the United States government is concluding a three-day fact-finding mission on oil theft and related revenue loss, at the
request of the Government of Nigeria.
A statement by...
the Embassy of the US in Abuja said the delegation,
which is led by Ambassador Carlos Pascual, Special Envoy for Energy at
the Department of State, and the Honorable Sharon Burke, Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy, has met with local,
state, and federal officials, as well as with members of Nigerian
society.
"Our interlocutors in civil society, the private sector, and many
parts of government affirmed that key steps to address oil theft and
revenue loss have been well established, particularly by Nigerian
experts," said Ambassador Pascual. "We heard consistently that now the
challenge is implementation."
Also commenting, Assistant Secretary Burke said that in all of their
meetings, they were told that oil theft and revenue loss is a serious
challenge for all Nigerians.
"This energy-related mission is another indicator of how much the
United States values its relationship with Nigeria," said U.S.
Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle.