The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the discovery and destruction of 72 illegal crude oil refining sites in the past week.
According to the NNPCL, the illegal refineries were discovered and destroyed in Rivers, Delta and Abia states in southern Nigeria.
It added that on August 18, a vessel was said to have been arrested by men of Operation Delta Safe with 12 suspects on board in the Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa State.
“The tugboat was caught loaded with stolen Shell Petroleum Development Company flow lines, which shows that not only did the thieves break the pipelines in order to connect their pipes, but they also harvested oil pipelines as well,” the Punch newspaper said, quoting the NNPCL report.
It stated that the 12 arrested suspects were already in custody for further investigation.
The report explained that 46 vessel automatic identification system infractions were recorded at sea, while 24 wooden boats conveying stolen crude were apprehended in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
GIK/APA