The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reported 179 incidents of crude oil theft within the Niger Delta region between January 11 and 17, 2025. The discovery is part of an ongoing effort to curb oil theft and vandalism, which continue to hamper Nigeria’s oil production.
In a statement, NNPCL highlighted that the coordinated actions of its Command and Control Centre, along with partners such as Tantita Security Agency, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, and government security forces, led to the identification of these incidents.
The collaboration also included major industry players like Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, and Oando PLC.
During the week-long operation, security teams uncovered:
- 29 illegal pipeline connections.
- 55 illicit refineries.
- Hidden storage sites used for black-market petroleum production.
The operations extended across several states, including Rivers, Bayelsa, and Abia, where illegal refineries and storage facilities were dismantled. Security operatives also repaired damaged pipelines and intercepted vehicles and boats carrying stolen crude oil.
In Rivers State, acts of sabotage, such as vandalized condensate pipelines and damaged wellheads, were linked to multiple oil spills.
The incidents were distributed as follows:
- Central Corridor: 90 cases.
- Eastern Corridor: 70 cases.
- Western Corridor: 5 cases.
- Deep Blue Water: 14 cases.
Additionally, 30 suspects were arrested and handed over to security agencies for further investigation. NNPCL revealed that 128 illegal refineries have been discovered in just the first two weeks of 2025. Between January 4 and 10, 53 illegal pipeline connections and 73 illicit refineries were identified.
