The Niger Delta had 149 instances of crude oil theft in one week, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The Company stated in a statement on Tuesday that one of the instances included the discovery of an oil bunkering facility in Osuobodo, Imo state, south of the Oguta naval installation, between two ANTAN flow stations.
It stated, “Far from the regular, these criminals have taken their activities a notch higher. In this camp, CCTV cameras have been installed on trees by the thieves to look out for security operatives. Mortar launchers and defence systems were also mounted by the oil thieves in various locations to eliminate any perceived enemy.”
This discovery, NNPCL said, was made possible after an invasion by the military following information gathered by an air surveillance carried out by Target Energy, Tantita security services, Operation Delta Safe and the Military in August.
It stated that, “It is a well orchestrated mission. The thieves are determined to live here and trade their stolen crude. A lack of electricity is no excuse. Generators are on standby to keep the camp’s operations afloat.”
Drums of crude oil feeding from an illegal connection, bags used for storing crude and more were discovered on the camp, it added.
Again, it said, “Between the 14th to 20th of October, 2023, 49 illegal connections were uncovered in Udu & Ogharefe in Delta State, Ohaji Egbema in Imo, Brass in Bayelsa and in Rivers state.
“At this spot in Rivers state, oil thieves drilled a tunnel underneath the tarred road to insert their illegal connection. The aim is to operate undetected. This was planned and carried out by an expert, using a horizontal directional drilling machine.”
Sixteen cases of pipeline vandalism were also recorded this week in Azuzu in Bayelsa state and Obodo Omadina and Ogidigbein in Delta state where a well head was vandalised.
In Ozuaku in Abia state, NNPCL said a vandalised pipeline was currently being repaired. 10 facilities used for storing stolen crude were also uncovered in various locations in the Niger Delta in the past week. It statd, “In Ekpemu in Delta state, an interesting discovery was made.
More storage facilities were discovered in Ogborode, Ugborodo and Kwale in Delta State, Tomble and Emuoha in Rivers state and Yenagoa n Bayelsa state”. In Ozoro, Umuosonwu and Patani in Delta state, NNPCL said vehicles conveying sacks of crude oil were arrested and their content confiscated.
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