Police ‘thwart’ operation as oil thieves vandalise NNPC pipeline in Lagos community

The police command in Lagos says oil thieves vandalised a Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited pipeline in a bid to steal petrol.

Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police spokesperson, said the incident took place in the Idimu area of the state.

Hundeyin shared the update via his Twitter page on Saturday. 

The police spokesperson said the oil thieves fled the scene following the arrival of police officers.

He said Idowu Owohunwa, Lagos commissioner of police, visited the site where the oil thieves gained access to the pipeline in the early hours of the day. 

ONGOING: CP Idowu Owohunwa at a site in Idimu where oil thieves at about 2am today gained access to an NNPC pipe, filling their tanker with PMS. The oil thieves absconded, abandoning their truck and tools, upon sighting police officers who responded swiftly upon being notified. pic.twitter.com/UUS0VP8VwJ

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) July 8, 2023

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“CP Idowu Owohunwa at a site in Idimu where oil thieves at about 2am today gained access to an NNPC pipe, filling their tanker with PMS,” Hundeyin tweeted. 

“The oil thieves absconded, abandoning their truck and tools, upon sighting police officers who responded swiftly upon being notified.”

Pipeline vandalism and oil theft are common occurrences in the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region. 

In 2022, Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, said Nigeria loses $1.9 billion monthly to crude oil theft. 

In February 2023, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said its troops destroyed 40 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.

Troops of the Nigerian Army, on June 27, raided a camp where suspected militants and crude oil thieves carry out their activities in Bayelsa state. 

Asari Dokubo, a Niger Delta activist, recently alleged that the military — particularly the army and navy — are aware of the identity of oil thieves in the region.

He claimed that military personnel often intimidate officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who are supposed to protect the oil pipelines.

Reacting to the claim, the Nigerian Navy dared the activist to produce evidence to back his allegation.