In the past week, Nigeria has made alarming discoveries of illegal oil refineries in its southern region, where the country’s oil reserves are concentrated.
These findings shed light on persistent issues plaguing the nation’s oil sector, such as oil theft and vandalism, which have been ongoing for years. Similar incidents were reported back in February, indicating a recurring challenge.
According to a report from Nigerian newspaper The Punch, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) revealed the uncovering of 122 illicit oil refining facilities in the southern state of Niger Delta within the past week. Additionally, a filling station was closed for selling oil that had undergone illegal refining.
In a documentary released by the NNPCL on Tuesday, it was disclosed that 65 illicit pipeline connections were discovered and dismantled across Rivers and other states in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The NNPCL reported a total of 310 incidents of oil theft and vandalism recorded between May 18 and 24 in the Niger Delta area.
Furthermore, the NNPC found five unlawful storage locations containing oil stored in sacks, pits, cans, and at a filling station. In connection with the illegal refineries, 33 suspects were arrested.
The authorities seized twenty vehicles, including a tanker, in Delta and Imo states. Additionally, 29 boats transporting crude oil or illicitly processed goods were intercepted across multiple waterways in Bayelsa and Delta states.
Group Executive Officer Mele Kyari emphasized the crucial link between addressing security challenges and boosting oil production.
Kyari stressed the importance of removing security threats to onshore assets, highlighting that the security challenge encompasses not only theft but also the availability of infrastructure to transport oil to the market.
Over the past two years, the NNPC has taken significant steps to combat illegal activities, removing over 5,800 illegal connections from pipelines and shutting down over 6,000 illegal refineries. Kyari emphasized the necessity of resolving these issues to attract investment in oil production.
