A destroyed refinery By Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited( NNPCL) says it has destroyed 134 illegal refineries in the last few weeks. Also, the company said 63 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered during the the weeks . The corporation, In a visual report, stated that at about 2 am on Sunday, a joint team of security agents discovered a large wooden boat illicitly loading stolen crude oil from Barge AGS01 within the OML 18 operating area, noted intelligence report a large wooden wooden boat was caught receiving crude oil from the barge. According to the state-owned oil firm, while the barge was towed away with a tugboat in custody, five speedboats used in towing the large wooden boat to the illegal loading site were also detained and the particulars of the tugboats and barge used for the operation were reportedly seized for further investigation. It further said that two large boats, which involve
By Akinola Ajibade
The President, Major General, Muhammadu Buhari( retd) has received reports on Oil Theft and Losses in Nigeria.
The report is titled ''Special Investigative Panel on Oil Theft and Losses'' was submitted to the President, through the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno.
Speaking on the issue, the Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr Zakari Usman said in a statement obtained by News Mirror, said the Federal Governments will fast track the implementation of the reports in view of the problems, which the issue has caused Nigeria
He said that members of the panel are drawn from key stakeholders within and outside the oil and gas industry, state governments, ministries, departments and agencies; security agencies; regulatory agencies; international and indigenous oil companies; traditional institutions; host communities; artisanal refiners; among others.
Zakari, quoted the statement, as saying that members of the panel have received and reviewed several memoranda and reports on oil theft and losses in order to enable them discharge their responsiblilities effectively.
The statement added: “The panel discovered several layers of involvement in the illegal theft of crude oil despite the best efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies to combat the activities of the oil thieves.
“The panel also observed that crude oil losses arose from a lack of proper reporting of crude oil production; illegal refining; theft from wellheads; and diversion from sophisticated pipelines network. The panel also attributed losses to the absence of a robust industry-wide metering system; and an unworkable security arrangement.
“The confusing roles of regulatory agencies was also cited as being responsible for making the detection of theft/losses difficult.”
Submitting the report, the chairman of the investigative panel, retired Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu, called for quick implementation of the report and asserted that if the government implements the recommendations in the report, oil theft and osses would be adequately addressed.
He also said prompt implementation of the report would not only create an immediate impact on crude oil production levels to meet OPEC’s quota but would also attract foreign direct investment and serve Nigeria’s economic and national security concerns.
NSA Monguno,who received the report, thanked the panel for keeping to the timeframe and for addressing the issues of oil theft and losses in detail.
He assured that government would study the report and see to its immediate implementation, especially the recommendations with short-term perspectives.
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