The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has disclosed a staggering 149 incidents of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region within a single week. Unearthing the extent of this illicit activity, the company highlighted a particularly alarming discovery—a well-fortified oil bunkering site in Osuobodo, Imo State, equipped with CCTV cameras, mortar launchers, and defense systems.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NNPCL revealed that the criminals engaged in these activities have escalated their operations, displaying a level of sophistication that poses a severe challenge to security forces. The use of CCTV cameras on trees to monitor security presence and the deployment of mortar launchers illustrate a dangerous evolution in the methods employed by oil thieves.
The revelation about the oil bunkering site in Osuobodo was a result of a coordinated effort involving air surveillance carried out by Target Energy, Tantita security services, Operation Delta Safe, and the military. The invasion of the site by the military was prompted by intelligence gathered during the August air surveillance.
According to the NNPCL statement, “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.” The authorities discovered drums of crude oil, bags for storing crude, and other equipment used for their illicit activities at the site.
The company reported a series of illegal connections across various states in the Niger Delta between October 14th and 20th. Incidents were uncovered in Udu and Ogharefe in Delta State; Ohaji Egbema in Imo; Brass in Bayelsa; and Rivers State. Notably, in Rivers State, oil thieves went to the extent of drilling a tunnel underneath a tarred road to insert their illegal connections, demonstrating a high level of expertise.
Pipeline vandalism remains a persistent challenge, with sixteen cases reported this week in Azuzu in Bayelsa State and Obodo Omadina and Ogidigbein in Delta State. The NNPCL noted that repair work was underway for a vandalized pipeline in Ozuaku, Abia State.
In addition to illegal connections and pipeline vandalism, the NNPCL uncovered ten facilities used for storing stolen crude in various locations in the Niger Delta over the past week. Storage facilities were discovered in Ekpemu, Ogborode, Ugborodo, and Kwale in Delta State; Tomble and Emuoha in Rivers State; and Yenagoa in Bayelsa State.
The NNPCL also reported the arrest of vehicles transporting sacks of crude oil in Ozoro, Umuosonwu, and Patani in Delta State, with five vehicle arrests made between October 14th and 20th, 2023.
Furthermore, eighteen wooden boats transporting stolen crude were apprehended in Rivers, Delta, and Imo states. The incidents were distributed among different regions, with nine in the deep blue water, 23 in the western region, 67 in the central region, and 50 in Nigeria’s eastern region.
The comprehensive report underscores the multifaceted challenges posed by crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, demanding a concerted effort to address both the evolving tactics of oil thieves and the vulnerabilities in the existing security framework.
