*Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director/CEO of NNPC Limited, discloses wherever the stolen petroleum product is found, mostly in churches and mosques, there has been a network of vandals working in collaboration on 295 illegal pipeline connections

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

Against the backdrop of the seemingly endless crude theft cum pipeline vandalism in the oil-bearing states in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has pointedly accused the government officials, religious leaders, security agencies, and even some staff of the Company of oil theft.

Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, restated this growing trend while speaking at the 49th Session of the weekly Ministerial Briefing at the State House, in Abuja, FCT.

Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director/CEO of NNPC Limited聽

Kyari disclosed the oil theft menace involves every member of the Nigerian society.

The NNPC Chief said that wherever the stolen petroleum product is found, mostly in churches and mosques, there has been a network of vandals working in collaboration.

He declared: 鈥淲hen a fire outbreak happened in one of our pipelines, we discovered that some of the pipelines were actually connected to individuals鈥� homes.

“And not only that, and with all sensitivity to our religious beliefs, you know, some of the pipelines and some of the products that we found, are actually in churches and in mosques.”

Kyari also stated: 鈥淭hat means that everybody is involved.

“There is no way you will take products, bring them in trucks in populated neighbourhoods, load them, and leave without everybody else knowing about it.”

He further said: “Everybody includes members of the community, members of the religious leaders, and also and most likely, government officials of all natures, including security agencies personnel.

鈥淭hey are everywhere. And I鈥檝e seen this even in the Niger Delta.

“There鈥檚 no way you would deliver a volume and lose up to 30 percent and you will continue to put those products in this line.鈥�

In view if this development, the NNPC Chief stressed that the entire network of pipelines for petroleum products distribution in the country has been shut down, due to activities of vandals.

Addressing the menace

As a way to further address the menace in Nigeria, Kyari announced that a national reserve company would be established to manage the pipelines on a commercial basis to efficiently put them to use for the distribution of products across the country.

According to him, crude oil theft, which has resulted in the discovery of 295 illegal connections making it difficult for oil companies to operate efficiently has been very difficult to manage but they are not helpless.

The Group CEO of NNPC, therefore, assured that fully embracing the gas infrastructure will resolve聽 energy poverty in the country.

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