By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has uncovered and confiscated products from 63 illegal refineries in Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, Imo and Delta States in the past week.
This was disclosed in its most recent documentary published on X, formerly Twitter, where it said over the past week, 19 illegal pipeline connections and 63 illegal refineries were uncovered in the Niger Delta.
The company announced the development amidst fresh concerns over the delay in the commencement of operations by the Port Harcourt Refinery as earlier announced.
According to the NNPC, about 177 incidents were recorded between August 3 and 9 by different incident sources, like Tantita Security Services which recorded four; Shell Petroleum Development Company, 11; Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, 26; Maton Engineering Company, 20; NNPC 18 Operating Ltd, one; NNPC Command and Control Centre, 51; and government security agencies, 64.
During the week under review, 19 illegal pipeline connections were recovered, while some underwent repairs at different locations in Bayelsa and River States.
It added that a vandalised barricaded oil wellhead was discovered in Bayelsa State and that stolen crude was discovered in oil reservoirs in Rivers State.
According to the state-owned firm, 17 vehicular arrests were made in communities in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
A total of fifteen wooden boats conveying stolen crude were confiscated in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
The NNPC also disclosed that 51 of those incidents took place in the deep blue water, 21 in the western region, 29 in the central region, and 76 in the eastern region.
No fewer than 16 suspects were arrested in connection with the incidents in the past week.
The development comes as Nigeria currently battles low crude oil production which has denied the country huge revenue to undertake capital developmental projects across the country.
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Refining Company, a refinery under the management of the company in Rivers State, had again failed to commence operations after about six postponements.
The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC Limited had promised to get the refinery up and running this month, however, no sign of the facility kick-starting crude oil refining just yet as the month drags to an end.
