In a recent announcement on its official platform, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) reported the discovery of 83 illegal refineries and 15 illegal pipeline connections in the Niger Delta region within the past week.
This revelation is part of the ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft, with the company highlighting a total of 211 incidents of oil theft and vandalism reported between January 6 and 12, 2023.
The NNPCL, through a shared video, emphasized that its vigilance led to the identification and dismantling of these illicit operations. Additionally, a documentary on the official platform detailed the inspection of an illegal crude oil vessel, loaded with thousands of metric tonnes of crude, resulting in the arrest of all 23 crew members.
The Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, personally inspected the intercepted vessel named MT Kali in Oporoza, Warri, Delta State. The vessel was apprehended by Tantita Security Services, in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, while it was loading directly from an offshore platform in Bayelsa State.
General Musa expressed the military’s commitment to working with the national oil firm and other security agencies to curb crude oil theft in the Niger Delta. He stated, “We are committed to stopping all acts of criminality in Nigerian waters. The country is bleeding, and we need all funds to develop as a nation. It is by stopping these acts of criminality that we will be able to achieve that dream.”
This latest announcement follows a previous disclosure by the NNPCL a week ago, where 52 illegal refineries were uncovered, and 32 illegal pipeline connections were destroyed in the Niger Delta region. The company continues to take stringent actions against oil theft, with the recent discoveries spanning Abia, Imo, Rivers, and Bayelsa states.
The NNPCL also noted the removal and repair of illegal connections along the central corridor in the Niger Delta, alongside the revelation of seven illegal storage sites in Akwa Ibom State, where buried drums of crude oil were unearthed. The company remains resolute in its mission to eradicate illicit activities that hinder national development and prosperity.
