Nigeria records 172 crude oil theft incidents from November 11 to 17 – NNPCL 

Nigeria recorded 172 crude oil theft incidents from November 11 to 17. A report by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) via its weekly series: “Energy and You” aired weekly on the NTA network, highlighted these incidents on Tuesday night.  

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) reported findings between November 11 and November 17 in several areas across different states.

They discovered 67 illegal refineries in Oowodokpokpo and Obodo-Omadino in Delta state, Ekeremor in Bayelsa state, Ohaji-Egbema in Imo state, Owaza in Abia state, and Emoha in Rivers state. 

Additionally, 12 vessels had AIS (Automatic Identification System) infractions, 8 illegal connections were detected in Abia, Imo, and Rivers states, 5 vandalism acts were found, and 5 illegal storage sites were located in Ughelli, Iyede, Olomoro, and Tori in Delta state.

Security agents also uncovered 54 wooden boats used for transporting stolen crude in Delta state, made 18 vehicle arrests in Patani, Kwale, Ughelli, and Abraka in Delta state, and identified 3 oil spills. 

During the highlighted week, the NNPCL’s report highlighted the arrest of 27 suspects involved in crude oil theft. Among these incidents, 12 took place in the Deep Blue water, 45 in the Western region, 44 in the Central region, and 71 in the Eastern region within the oil-producing areas of the Niger Delta. 

Senator Ned Nwoko informed the senate on October 10, 2023, that Nigeria had already lost a staggering amount of N2 trillion due to crude oil theft in the ongoing year.

He highlighted that in 2022, Nigeria faced daily losses of around 437,000 barrels of crude oil, valued at approximately $23 million, due to criminal activities. 

However, the situation worsened in March 2023, when Nigeria experienced an alarming loss of 65.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $83 per barrel.

This resulted in a colossal revenue drop of N2.3 trillion attributed to oil theft. Additionally, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, revealed in August 2023 that the country was losing a substantial 400,000 barrels of oil every day to crude oil thieves. 

Ribadu pointed out that Nigeria has the capacity to produce a daily output of 2 million barrels of crude oil. Unfortunately, the current production falls short of this potential, hovering at below 1.6 million barrels.  

The theft of crude oil in Nigeria occurs on two levels: local and international. Each level has distinct characteristics, with the international aspect having the potential to illegally access offshore oil assets. 

This issue involves a complex network of international entities collaborating with local security forces and influential groups within Nigeria.

Their operation involves pilfering oil from both onshore and offshore facilities and transporting it out of the country using vessels, contributing to this significant loss of revenue for Nigeria.