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In spite of the seeming gains by security operatives to curb oil theft, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, says 400,000 barrels of crude oil is lost daily to local and international thieves.
The NSA, who led a team of high-powered government officials to inspect oil and gas facilities at Owaza in Abia state and Odogwa in Etche local government area of Rivers state Saturday, said activities of the criminals were not only hurting Nigeria’s economy, but also responsible for the rising cost of living.
Tantita Security Services Limited, owned by former militant leader, Government Ekpemepulo, popularly known as Tompolo, was awarded a N48 billion pipeline surveillance contract by the federal government.
The activities of the security company led to a rise in crude oil production which at some point, fell to less than one million barrels per day.
Ribadu further said the operations of pipeline vandals remained a challenge as larger volumes of crude were spilled into the environment.
“It’s unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to the nation, communities and the people.
“Nigeria has the capacity to produce 2 million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalism of pipelines.
“So, we are talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it,” he said.
“The value of 400,000 barrels of oil today is about 4 million dollars, and every day, we lose this amount because of this irresponsible behaviour.
“If you multiply 4 million dollars by 365 days (one year), you will see that it is a lot of money running into billions of dollars.
“Currently, the country is in desperate need of money as the Naira is continuously losing its value because we earn less money.
“If we earn more money, it will not only help strengthen our currency but reflect in everything, including cost of living in the country,” he added.
Expressing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s concerns about the situation, Ribadu said efforts were on to address the matter.
The former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss said the action of oil thieves and pipeline vandals posed a serious drawback to government’s effort at developing its infrastructure for the common good of Nigerians.
He urged all stakeholders to form a united front to tackle the menace and end decades of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructures.
“We are working hard with the security forces and those employed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to secure our facilities and end this madness called oil theft. Give us little time and you will see things change for the better,” he said.
‘$7.2m lost to oil theft’
In one of the sites visited, the delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperipe Ekpo, Ribadu, Group Chief Executive Officer NNPC Ltd Mele Kyari, Commander of Operation Delta Safe Olusegun Ferreira, and operatives of security agencies and chief executive officers of regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector, discovered an illegal connection at Owaza in Abia state, where an average of $7.2 million is lost monthly by the country.
The team dismantled the array of illegal connections at the Trans-Niger Pipeline Right of Way in Owaza.
Badaru said the federal government would not relent until there is a peaceful Nigeria Delta where oil and gas infrastructure are safe from economic saboteurs.
“We are ready to do whatever it takes for a peaceful Niger Delta. Cease and desist from crude oil theft and economic sabotage,” he said.
In his remarks, Lokpobiri reiterated the federal government’s determination to end oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the region.
In his inaugural address to management staff and heads of agencies under the ministry, Lokpobiri had said as minister, he was not going to sit in the office but rather monitor the Niger Delta to ensure that Nigeria’s oil production is ramped up on a sustainable basis.
Lokpobiri said: “We’re here because of the problem of pipeline vandalization and illegal bunkering that is going on in the Niger Delta.
“I believe that it has become an existential problem and we need to fight them. We need to fight these criminals to submission.
“What is happening here is so bad that we cannot even know the implications unless maybe when people start dying in their numbers that is when people will know that a few persons who were profiting from this crime are here to wipe all of them out.
“So, as a responsible government, we have decided that we are going to put a stop to it.
“We are going to work with stakeholders to ensure that we stop all this nonsense in our society. We are not going to allow them.”
Tantita lauded
Commending the private security agency charged with preventing oil theft, Lokobiri said: “We’re here because of the problem of pipeline vandalisation and illegal bunkering that is going on in the Niger Delta.
“I believe that, it has become an existential problem and we need to fight them. We need to fight these criminals to submission.
“What is happening here is so bad that we cannot even know the implications unless maybe when people start dying in their numbers that is when people will know that a few persons were profiting from this crime are here to wipe all of them out.
“So as a responsible government we have decided that we are going to put a stop to it.
“We are going to work with stakeholders to ensure that we stop all this nonsense in our society. We are not going to allow them.
“I want to also use the opportunity to express our gratitude to Tantita that has been commissioned by the NNPCL to be able to do some work but we are going to do a lot more.”
Also speaking at the site, the Chief Security Officer of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd, Patrick Godwin, said some arrests had been made and culprits arraigned.
In his remarks, Mr Kyari said while oil theft in vessels could be tracked, oil-bearing communities must play a vital role in curbing oil theft within their communities.
“Oil theft is one of the reasons why Nigeria cannot meet her OPEC daily production quota,” he said.
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