The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has intensified its efforts to combat oil theft and illegal activities in the oil and gas sector, with a significant crackdown on illegal refineries and arrests of suspects.
In a major operation, the NNPC, in a documentary, said it seized 63 illegal refineries and arrested 16 suspects in just one week, between August 3 and 9.
According to the NNPC, the illegal refineries were discovered and confiscated in Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Delta States, while a vandalized barricaded oil wellhead was discovered in Bayelsa State. Stolen crude was also discovered in oil reservoirs in Rivers State.
The NNPC also disclosed that 15 wooden boats conveying stolen crude were confiscated in Rivers and Bayelsa States, and 51 incidents took place in the deep blue water, 21 in the western region, 29 in the central region, and 76 in the eastern region.
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The NNPC’s efforts to combat oil theft and illegal activities in the oil and gas sector have been ongoing, with the company working closely with government security agencies and other stakeholders to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Recently, billionaire businessman Tony Elumelu called on the government and security agents to identify and prosecute those responsible for stealing the country’s crude oil. Elumelu, who is the chairman of Heirs Holdings, a leading investment company in Africa, stated that the menace of oil theft had contributed to the divestment of international oil companies in Nigeria.
“The government should know; they should tell us. Look at America – Donald Trump was shot at and quickly they knew the background of who shot him. Our security agencies should tell us who is stealing our oil. You bring vessels to our territorial waters and we don’t know?” Elumelu said.
The NNPC’s crackdown on oil theft and illegal activities is a significant step towards addressing the challenge of oil theft in Nigeria.
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