The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has disclosed a significant increase in crude oil theft incidents across the Niger Delta region. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company revealed that it had documented 149 such incidents in just one week.
Among the incidents, an oil bunkering site was uncovered in Osuobodo, located between two ANTAN flow stations south of the Oguta naval base in Imo State. What’s alarming is that these criminals have escalated their activities, going to great lengths to avoid detection. In this camp, CCTV cameras were installed on trees by the oil thieves to monitor security operatives, and mortar launchers and defense systems were placed in various locations to eliminate potential threats.
The discovery of this illegal operation became possible following a military raid, which was prompted by information obtained through air surveillance conducted by various parties, including Target Energy, Tantita security services, Operation Delta Safe, and the Military back in August.
The NNPCL statement highlighted that the thieves are well-organized and determined to establish a permanent presence in these locations for their illicit trade, going as far as setting up standby generators to ensure the camp’s continuous operation.
During the week spanning from the 14th to the 20th of October, 2023, 49 illegal connections were exposed in several areas, including Udu and Ogharefe in Delta State, Ohaji Egbema in Imo, Brass in Bayelsa, and Rivers state. In one particular spot in Rivers state, oil thieves even drilled a tunnel beneath a paved road to insert their illegal connections, with the intention of operating undetected. This was a planned operation conducted by an expert using a horizontal directional drilling machine.
Moreover, 16 cases of pipeline vandalism were recorded, with incidents in Azuzu, Bayelsa state, Obodo Omadina, and Ogidigbein in Delta state. A wellhead was vandalized in the latter location. The NNPCL also reported ongoing repair work on a vandalized pipeline in Ozuaku, Abia state.
In the past week, the NNPCL discovered ten facilities used for storing stolen crude in various locations in the Niger Delta, including Ekpemu, Delta state, Ogborode, Ugborodo, Kwale in Delta State, Tomble, Emuoha in Rivers state, and Yenagoa in Bayelsa state.
Additionally, in Ozoro, Umuosonwu, and Patani in Delta state, vehicles transporting sacks of crude oil were intercepted, and their contents were confiscated. In the same week, there were five vehicle arrests.
Lastly, 18 wooden boats carrying stolen crude were apprehended. These incidents occurred in Rivers, Delta, and Imo states, with a breakdown of nine in deep blue waters, 23 in the western region, 67 in the central region, and 50 in Nigeria’s Eastern Region.