The company spoke recently at a workshop organised in Abuja by the house of representatives committee on navy, to review the security situation in the region as it affected oil exploration and operations of oil firms.
Its observation came on the heels of an announcement by the defense headquarters that it had launched an investigation into the killing of 12 persons on Monday, including two soldiers, in the region.
The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SDPC) manager, corporate affairs, Ade Adedipe, who represented the company�s Managing Director, told the committee, headed by Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, that the issues of budget and action plan were far more crucial in resolving the crisis than military presence.
Adedipe said illegal bunkering fuelled the insecurity in the Niger Delta.
He said Shell�s platforms were bombed 20 times in the past six months, compelling it to shut down its operations in the western division.
The SPDC official explained, �deployment of forces (military) is really not the issue. Budget is the issue. The time has come for a strategic focus on what needs to be done. The unity of command is an issue.
“The issue of enforcing law and order which deals with the police is an issue and needs to be addressed.
“We need minimum security standard for all the oil companies, which need to be provided. All the oil companies do this for themselves. But it is the supervisory agencies of government that need to do this.�
Coast guards
Shell also argued that the establishment of coast guards is imperative to reduce oil theft in the region, just as it decried �, uncoordinated and inadequate exchange of intelligence among government security and stakeholders.�
The defense headquarters, in a statement, said it was concerned about the clash on Monday between the Joint Task Force and militant youths that resulted in deaths.
A statement by the director of defense Information, Felix Chukwuma, a brigadier-general, asked the militants to drop their arms. It warned that only the armed forces, the police and other paramilitary organisations were allowed to carry arms under Nigerian law.
The statement reads in part,�The defense headquarters has observed with deep regret the recent escalation of violence between our troops at the JTF and the militant youths in the Niger Delta area leading to unnecessary loss of lives.
Escalation of violence
“This unwarranted escalation of violence and killing is being investigated by the defense headquarters on the directives of the chief of defense staff, general Martin Luther Agwai.
“Defense headquarters wishes to remind all Nigerians that the only groups constitutionally vested with the power to legally carry arms in the country are the armed forces, the Nigeria Police and some paramilitary organisations.
“Any individual or group that traffics, sells or carries arms and ammunition in Nigeria is therefore committing an illegality and shall be treated in accordance with the rules of law.
“Accordingly, defense headquarters wishes to restate that the armed forces have an open door policy and are willing to work with any individual or group that can help to de-escalate the increasing violence in the Niger Delta.
“This headquarters wishes to reiterate the fact that our troops in the Niger Delta were not deployed to fight war.�
“Therefore, the armed forces take special exception to any individual or group that uses the acronym of �freedom fighter�in our democratic environment.�
“The Nigerian constitution and indeed government have provided adequate platforms and formidable environment for addressing genuine grievances without recourse to violence.�
President Obasanjo had on 15 August threatened to deal with militants engaged in the frequent kidnapping of oil workers.