NNPC Uncovers 4km Illegal Pipelines Operating Since 2013

Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari has said the Company has uncovered an illegal 4km pipeline from forcados in Delta State, Southern Nigeria.

Gatekeepers News reports that Kyari said the illegal pipeline and a loading port have been operated in the last nine years.

Kyari made the revelation when he appeared before a joint senate committee on Upstream, Downstream, and Gas.

He lamented that though oil theft in Nigeria has been on for over 22 years, the rate it has assumed in recent times was unprecedented.

According to him, three operational facilities including forcados, bonny and brass oil terminals have all been shut down as a result of the high rate of crude oil theft.

The GCEO of NNPC Limited further revealed that in the last six weeks there has been a spill site in Bori community in Rivers state, Southern Nigeria which may affect the operations of Trans Nembe pipeline If not clamped.

He added that the spill has led to the country losing 120,000 barrels per day, in addition to the hundreds of illegal refineries in the country.

Kyari further stated that, in the course of the clamp down, the company has destroyed 350 illegal refineries, 273 wooden, 374 reservoirs, 1561 metal tanks were destroyed while over 49 seized trucks were burnt among others.

According to him, the implications of the destruction is worse than the Ogoni spillage devastation in the affected areas, which have decimated Agriculture, and fishing in the communities.

He explained that in addressing the menace, NNPCL carried out aerial surveillance of the affected areas, and observed that the economic saboteurs carry out their activities unchallenged.

After over four hours of interface, the lawmakers proposed that capital punishment be put in place for offenders, which will be presented at plenary for consideration.

The committee, also resolved to embark on oversight to Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries to verify NNPC’s claims of rehabilitation.