Tag: Oil Theft

Oil theft: Another major export pipeline of stolen 400,000bpd crude, platform uncovered

Aminu Imam

Operatives of the company owned by ex-Niger-Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, and security officials have uncovered a key illegal underwater pipeline attached to Trans-Forcados Export Trunkline, and a platform through which crude oil was being diverted to the high seas for export. The discovery by the company, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), which is coming few days after an illegal 4-kilometre crude oil pipeline belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) was exposed, was made about a week ago by operatives of TSSNL through an exclusive…

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“Publish names of perpetrators of oil theft or face legal action” – SERAP tells Buhari

Aminu Imam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “promptly set up a presidential panel of enquiry to thoroughly, impartially, and transparently investigate the operations of illegal oil pipelines from 2001 to date and to widely publish the names of anyone suspected to be involved”. SERAP’s letter followed the recent reports that two illegal pipelines used to steal the country’s oil wealth from Forcados Terminal, and connected to the 48-inch Trans Forcados Export Trunk line, have been uncovered. In the open letter dated 15 October, and…

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Oil theft: Gen. Irabor defends destruction of vessel

Aminu Imam

…Says no need for investigation The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, said there was nothing sinister about the swift destruction of an oil bunkering vessel by security operatives. Irabor stated this on Friday, after a National Security Council meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Villa, in Abuja. He made the comments in response to the controversy that ensued after security agents quickly destroyed a vessel used for crude oil theft off the Niger Delta creeks.  Recall that the House of Representatives subsequently said it would investigate the…

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Oil theft: NNPC, PTI plan installation of anti-theft monitoring systems on pipelines

Aminu Imam

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) are to install anti-theft integrated monitoring systems on pipelines, to monitor the facilities against crude oil theft, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has disclosed. Kyari gave the hint while speaking during the Petroleum Training Institute’s 50th Anniversary in Abuja, yesterday. Nigeria has been losing billions of dollars for several years due to the activities of pipeline vandals who steal the country’s crude massively. Kyari said both organisations…

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“Conspiracy of silence in crude oil theft” – Report

Aminu Imam

…Alleged involvement of IOCs, NOCs, foreign ship owners, security agents The rate of pipeline vandalisation, crude oil theft, sea robbery and other maritime illegalities within Nigeria’s backwaters has taken a worrisome dimension in recent times, as shown by Nigeria’s oil regulator report. In a stark revelation on the impact of oil thefts on the nation’s economy, the report stated that the country lost 141 million barrels of crude oil, an equivalent of $1bn worth of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. However, there are starling discoveries on why crude…

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Crude Oil theft: Clark demands judicial inquiry

Aminu Imam

…Accuses cartels of complicity Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has called for the setting up of a judicial inquiry into the crude oil theft that has led to dwindling revenue for the nation and sabotaging its economy. He made the call at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, against the background of the recent discovery of kilometres-long illegal oil pipeline delivering crude to rouge vessels in a platform on the high seas. The elder statesman was reacting to the recent discovery of a large scale…

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Maritime Security: Military destroys vessel arrested with stolen crude in Niger-Delta

Aminu Imam

Operatives of the Nigerian military have destroyed a vessel seized with stolen crude by a private security company commanded by former militant, Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, in the Niger-Delta. The Navy personnel set the ill-fated vessel on fire along Warri River yesterday afternoon, following the confession of the ship’s captain, Temple Manasseh, that the vessel was carrying stolen crude. The vessel, which was loaded with 600 to 650 cubic metres of stolen crude oil in five compartments, was arrested alongside its seven-member crew along the creeks in the Niger-Delta…

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Crude Oil theft: Irabor, Kyari vow to unmask operators of illegal crude oil trunkline in Delta

Aminu Imam

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor and the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mele Kyari, have vowed to unmask the saboteurs behind the illegal four-kilometre pipeline connected from Forcados terminal to the sea to siphon crude oil. Both Irabor and Kyari made the vow at the weekend, during a joint visit to the illegal loading port, which is attached to the Trans Escravos pipeline at Yokre Flow Station in Ogulagha oil field in Burutu local government area of Delta State. Recall that…

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Tompolo exposes IOCs, security officials, oil bunkerers behind Nigeria’s oil theft

Aminu Imam

…Uncovers 16 hidden tapping points on transit pipelines The Niger-Delta ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, says surveillance outfit Tantita Security Services Limited, has discovered major tapping points on the Trans-Forcados/Ramos Pipeline in Delta State, through which International Oil Companies (IOCs), foreign ships, security officials, oil bunkerers, and locals have colluded to bleed the country over the years. The ex-militant strongly accused the security agencies of being behind the stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil. According to him, he discovered the breaches after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited,…

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“Nigerians no longer want to hear about oil theft; treat oil theft as treasonous citizens” – Gbajabiamila

Aminu Imam

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that Nigerians no longer want to hear about crude oil thefts, but about what the Government is doing to end it. Gbajabiamila, who described oil thieves as treasonous citizens who should face the full extent of the law, stated this while addressing the joint session of the National Assembly for the presentation of the 2023 budget estimates yesterday, in Abuja. The Speaker said that the position of the House was that their actions constituted treason against the country, for…

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