NNPCL Uncovers 83 Illegal Refineries In One Week

No less than 83 illicit refineries in the Niger Delta have been discovered in the last week, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPCL.

Making this disclosure in a tweet via its official X handle, NNPCL detailed that 15 illegal pipelines were also discovered in the same period.

“In the past week, 15 illegal pipeline connections and 83 illegal refineries have been uncovered in the Niger Delta,” the NNPCL said.

Naija News reports a video attached to the post revealed that 211 instances of oil theft and damage were reported between January 6 and January 12.

In the Umuajuloke community in Rivers State, seven vandalism occurrences were reported, one of which involved a wellhead.

There were rumors that an operating wellhead with many unauthorized connections was discovered in Owerri.

NNPCL further detailed that “83 illegal connections were spotted in Rivers, Abia, Imo and Bayelsa States.

“In Abia, a drone shot showed pockets of illegal refineries in Owaza, while illegal oil connections were discovered in Olodiama, Bayelsa State and Obuzor in Abia State,”

In addition, it was discovered that Ogboinbiri in Bayelsa State has been devastated by oil spills, with nine cases of oil spills reported in a single week, the majority of which were due to vandalism.

In  Bayelsa State, five illegal oil storage sites were discovered at Central Boma and Cocoa Camp; in Iba Rivers State, crude oil sacks were discovered, and their contents were seized.

Additionally, 60 wooden and fibre boats were said to have been seized in Akwa Ibom, Delta State, and Rivers State.

Eight incidents occurred in the deep blue sea; 54 in the Western Region, 81 in the Central Region, and 68 in the Eastern Region.

According to the NPPCL, 22 people have been apprehended in connection with the occurrences.