The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has revealed that it uncovered 179 cases of crude oil theft within a single week as the battle against oil theft and vandalism intensifies.
In a report covering activities from January 11 to 17, 2025, the NNPCL disclosed that the incidents included 29 illegal pipeline connections and 55 illegal refineries discovered across the Niger Delta region. The discoveries were made possible through a collaborative effort involving the NNPCL’s Command and Control Centre, Tantita Security Agency, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Liquefied Natural Gas, Oando PLC, and various government security agencies.
According to the NNPCL, security operatives in Bayelsa and Abia States identified and repaired illegal pipeline connections, while further crackdowns in Rivers and Abia States led to the dismantling of illegal refineries producing black-market petroleum products.
The operations also exposed hidden storage facilities used for illicit activities, particularly in Rivers and Abia States. These sites were subsequently destroyed. However, acts of sabotage during the week caused significant oil spills, including a vandalized condensate pipeline and damaged wellheads in Rivers State.
On land and waterways, security teams seized vehicles and wooden fibre boats loaded with stolen crude oil in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Abia States. The NNPCL noted that the incidents were spread across various corridors: 90 cases in the Central Corridor, 70 in the Eastern Corridor, five in the Western Corridor, and 14 in Deep Blue Water.
In total, 30 suspects were apprehended and handed over to the appropriate government security agencies for further investigation.
The NNPCL reiterated its commitment to eradicating crude oil theft, emphasizing that the coordinated efforts of industry stakeholders and security agencies are yielding results.
This comes amid reports that 128 illegal refineries were uncovered in just the first two weeks of January. Between January 4 and 10, 73 illegal refineries and 53 illegal pipeline connections were identified in the Niger Delta.
