The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has reported a staggering 188 incidents of oil theft across the Niger Delta region within a single week. These incidents, which took place between August 24 and 30, 2024, highlight the growing problem of oil theft and its devastating impact on Nigeria’s economy.
In a visual report released by the state-owned energy company, the NNPC detailed the alarming scale of the theft. According to the report, 89 illegal refineries were discovered and dismantled during this period, with several illegal oil connections uncovered in the states of Bayelsa, Abia, and Rivers. The company also noted that illegal storage sites, resembling pond-like reservoirs, were found in Abia State, further illustrating the sophisticated methods used by the perpetrators.
The illegal activities have had severe environmental consequences, including crude oil spills in Abia, Rivers, and Bayelsa states. The NNPC also reported incidents of vandalism, including the seizure of a boat carrying metals from vandalized oil wellheads in Rivers State. On land, trucks and vehicles transporting stolen crude oil were intercepted in various locations across Delta State, while wooden boats carrying stolen oil were stopped in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states.
In addition to the destruction of illegal refineries and the interception of stolen crude, the NNPC revealed that 31 suspects were arrested in connection with the oil theft. These individuals have been handed over to government security agencies for further investigation.
The scale and persistence of these thefts have drawn strong criticism from NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari. He expressed deep concern over the extent of the problem, describing crude oil theft as “the most humongous and virulent economic crime in Nigeria.”
Kyari emphasized that the issue must be addressed with urgency, calling for increased attention from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Today, we have disconnected up to 4,846 illegal pipes connected to our pipelines, which is out of 5,543 such illegal connection points. That means there are a vast number of such connections that we have not removed,” Kyari stated.
He highlighted the ongoing challenge of dealing with these illegal connections, noting that “as we remove one illegal connection, another one comes up. It is sad.”
Kyari also pointed out that the scale of oil theft in Nigeria is unprecedented, stating, “This kind of oil theft does not happen anywhere else in the world. When we say illegal connections, they are not invisible things; they are big pipes that require some level of expertise to be installed. Some of them are of the same size as the trunk line itself. No one would produce crude oil knowing full well that it is not going to get to the terminal.”