The House of Representatives has expressed deep concern regarding the recurring destruction of oil and gas pipelines across the country.

During a meeting with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja, Rep. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Chairman of the Special Committee on Oil Theft, strongly condemned these acts and sought to uncover the root causes of oil theft in the country while exploring potential solutions to tackle this menace.

Ado-Doguwa highlighted the formidable challenge posed by the operation of oil and gas pipelines in Nigeria. He lamented the fact that these infractions were not limited to the pipelines alone, as daily breaches were also observed at oil well heads, flow stations, loading points, and export terminals, among other critical locations.

Expressing concern over the lack of transparency in regulatory activities at the nation’s crude oil export terminals, Ado-Doguwa stated, “We are gathering the facts and figures. There have been reports of hasty approvals granted to vessels engaged in crude theft, seemingly to conceal official complicity. Undeclared liftings and numerous other infractions, particularly in our offshore marine environment, contribute significantly to the alarming volume of crude oil theft.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of NNPC Ltd., revealed that the corporation had recorded over 9,000 infractions on its pipelines within a year. He further disclosed that from 2022 to the present, 6,465 illegal refineries had been deactivated, and 4,876 illegal pipeline connections had been removed out of the 5,570 discovered connections.

Kyari emphasized the magnitude of the problem, stating, “The scale of these infractions is unbelievable. We are unable to fully address them. Whenever we remove a connection, it is swiftly replaced the next day in the same location. Crude oil theft has become an all-encompassing issue in Nigeria, involving various parties. In many instances, these illegal activities are taking place within a hundred meters of settlements and even local government headquarters.”