The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has raised alarming concerns about widespread oil theft in the country.
During a recent stakeholders meeting in Abuja, NNPCL officials revealed they have traced illegal pipelines leading to mosques, churches, and traditional palaces.
This shocking discovery highlights the extent of oil bunkering in Nigeria, a problem that has plagued the nation for years.
Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, emphasized the urgent need to address the challenges in the oil sector.
“If we do not take care of these issues, there is a problem,” he warned.
The country currently produces around 1.7 million barrels of crude oil per day, but Soneye believes it is possible to increase this to three million barrels.
The NNPCL is facing an uphill battle against oil theft, which has severely impacted the nation’s economy.
Soneye recounted a troubling incident involving a large vessel caught stealing oil.
“In November last year, we went to look at a vessel that was caught with crewmen. The chief of army staff was there, along with the military and police,” he said.
This vessel, which had about 23 crew members, was apprehended but shockingly rearrested just months later.
“The prosecution rate of those stealing the oil is less than two percent,” Soneye noted.
This low prosecution rate severely undermines the efforts to combat oil theft, making it easier for criminals to continue their activities.
“You can see the result when you see over 2,500 folks being arrested, but then the prosecution rate is two percent,” he added.
These statistics paint a bleak picture of Nigeria’s fight against oil theft.
Soneye defended the NNPCL’s decision to engage private security firms.
“Somebody was asking why we engage private security firms. I can’t say that the military or law enforcement are not doing their job. They are doing their best,” he said.
According to him, non-state actors should not be the ones protecting national assets.
At one point, Nigeria’s oil production dipped below 900,000 barrels a day, a clear sign of trouble.
“At that point, we knew we were in trouble. We sought help by discussing with community leaders and private security,” Soneye explained.
With these efforts, production levels increased to about 1.5 million barrels.
“Now, with the president’s committee and cooperation with the military and private security, we are between 1.6 and 1.7 million barrels,” he added.
The combined efforts of the military and private security firms have shown some success, but challenges remain.
Murtala Muhammad, Deputy Manager of the Command and Control Centre at NNPCL, provided further insights into the fight against oil theft.
He revealed that more than 8,000 illegal refineries have been destroyed in the last six months.
Additionally, around 5,800 illegal pipeline connections have been detected and destroyed during the same period.
Despite these efforts, oil theft and vandalism of pipelines continue to threaten crude production in Nigeria.
Hotspots for these illegal activities include Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia states.
The NNPCL’s findings have raised serious questions about the involvement of local communities in oil theft.
“If you take a trip to those places, you will see that some of these pipes lead into churches, mosques, and palaces,” Soneye stated.
