The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said it uncovered an additional 165 illegal refineries in various locations across the Niger Delta.
The firm disclosed this in a recent weekly program titled, ‘Energy and You’.
According to NNPCL, between June 15 and 21, about 400 incidents of oil theft and vandalism were reported by both the government and private security agencies.
The company reported that 69 illegal connections were discovered and disconnected in Bayelsa and Rivers States alone.
NNPCL noted that no fewer than eight cases of oil spills owing to vandalism or illegal connections were reported across the region.
Also, the firm said in Warri, Delta State, an illegal loading point was discovered.
The NNPC disclosed that across several swamps in Okrika, Rivers State, 69 illegal refineries were reportedly uncovered and dismantled.
Similarly, refining sites were uncovered in different locations in Abia and Bayelsa States.
NNPC further revealed that 19 illegal storage sites filled with stolen crude and illegally refined products were uncovered in Delta, Imo, Rivers, Abia and Bayelsa. States.
It added that 11 vehicles were seized in Delta, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa States and 39 boats conveying stolen crude were confiscated in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States.
In the period under review, the firm stressed that eight persons were arrested in connection with the incidents.
Recall that recently, the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, said, “Within the last two years, we removed over 5,800 illegal connections from our pipelines.”
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