Economic Sabotage: NNPCL seizes 20 vehicles, 29 boats, nabs 33 suspects for oil theft, vandalism

*The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited discloses the state-owned oil firm recently uncovered 122 illegal refineries, seized 20 vehicles, including a tanker in Delta and Imo states, 29 boats laden with illegal crude oil or refined products in Bayelsa and Delta states, and arrested 33 suspects in connection in the Niger Delta region of the country

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

As the country battles to contain the menace of oil theft, illegal refineries and vandalism reportedly dotting the landscape in the Niger Delta region, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), again, has revealed the state-owned oil firm recently seized 20 vehicles, including a tanker in Delta and Imo states, 29 boats transporting crude oil or illegally refined products in Bayelsa and Delta states, and arrested 33 suspects in connection with the incidents.

ConsumerConnect reports the NNPCL noted that it also uncovered a total of 122 illegal oil refining sites across the Niger Delta region in the past week.

Malam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, has continued to emphasise the need to fight insecurity in the oil and gas sector to increase production, noting that oil theft and vandalism of the Critical National Infrastructure have negatively affected Nigeria’s crude oil production, which he stated is dropping in recent times.

The company, in a documentary released Tuesday, May 28, 2024, said 65 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered and removed within the past week in Rivers and other states in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of the country.

Reeling off statistics in relation to incidence of oil theft and vandalism of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) in the region, it stated: “310 incidents were recorded between May 18 and 24 across the Niger Delta region.”

The NNPCL revealed the 122 illegal refineries were spotted at Tomble II, III, IV, Umuajuloke, Rivers State as well as Oporomor III, Eduwini, and Ajatiton in Bayelsa State.

Vandalised well heads were reportedly discovered in Tomble IV, Rivers and Egbema in Imo State, as well as a pit filled with crude oil from a vandalised wellhead in the area.

The company further stated that five illegal storage sites were sighted with oil stored in sacks, pits, cans and a filling station, the energy company stated.

The state-owned company affirmed that a total of 20 vehicles, including a tanker, were seized in Delta and Imo states, while 29 boats transporting crude oil or illegally refined products were confiscated across several creeks in Bayelsa and Delta states. It was said that 33 suspects have been arrested in connection with the incidents.

According to NNPCL, the company’s operatives sealed off a filling station for selling illegally refined fuel to motorist in Akwa Ibom State, while another filling station selling illegally refined fuel was uncovered at Grey Creek in the South-South state.

Combatting scourge of oil theft and vandalism, by Kyari

Lamenting how the twin evil of oil theft and vandalism of petroleum infrastructure has kept the country’s oil production output low, Malam Kyari said: “How do you increase oil production? Remove the security challenge we have in our onshore assets.

“As we all know, the security challenge is real. It is not just about theft; it is about the availability of the infrastructure to deliver the volume to the market.

“No one is going to put money into oil production when he knows the production will not get to the market. Within the last two years, we removed over 5,800 illegal connections from our pipelines. We took down over 6,000 illegal refineries. You simply cannot get people to put money until you solve that problem.”