AGS NEWS – The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) announced the discovery and confiscation of 63 illegal refineries last week, highlighting ongoing efforts against oil theft.

The refineries were located in Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Delta States.

During the same period, 177 incidents related to oil theft were reported by various sources, including security services and government agencies.

Among the findings were 19 illegal pipeline connections, a vandalized oil wellhead in Bayelsa State, and stolen crude oil in Rivers State.

15 wooden boats carrying stolen crude were seized in Rivers and Bayelsa States, and 17 vehicular arrests were made in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.

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The NNPC also reported that 51 incidents occurred in deep blue waters, 21 in the western region, 29 in the central region, and 76 in the eastern region.

In connection with these activities, 16 suspects were arrested last week.

Oil theft remains a significant challenge in Nigeria’s upstream sector, affecting the country’s production capacity.

Tony Elumelu, a prominent businessman, recently highlighted the impact of this issue, noting that criminal gangs have been stealing a significant portion of crude from his pipelines.

Elumelu called for greater accountability from the government and security agencies in addressing the problem.