The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has made significant strides in its fight against crude oil theft, uncovering 55 illegal refineries and 29 illegal pipeline connections in just one week. The operations, which took place between January 11 to 17, 2025, led to the arrest of 30 suspects and the discovery of various illegal oil installations across the Niger Delta region.
Hotspots of Oil Theft:
- Rivers State: Buguma Southeast, Bile, Okoloma, and Kaotan channel
- Abia State: Obuzor and Ukwa
- Bayelsa State: Parts of the state where suspects were intercepted and proceeds of the crime seized
The NNPCL has identified these areas as hotspots of crude oil theft, with the company working closely with government security agencies and other stakeholders to eradicate the menace.
Incidents of Oil Theft:
- 179 incidents recorded in the Niger Delta region
- 5 incidents in the Western corridor
- 90 incidents in the Central Corridor
- 70 incidents in the Eastern corridor
- 14 incidents in the Deep Blue water
The fight against crude oil theft is crucial, as Nigeria loses billions of dollars daily to this illicit activity, which also leads to oil spills that pollute rivers and farms, threatening the livelihood of farmers and fishermen.
Source: Nairametrics
