The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has dismantled over 8,000 illegal refineries in the past six months, according to Murtala Muhammad, a top official. Muhammad also revealed that 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were destroyed within the same period.
Muhammad said crude oil theft and vandalism remain a major threat to Nigeria’s oil production, noting that hotspots for these illegal activities include Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia states. “Over 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were detected and destroyed within the last six months,” he stated.
NNPC’s chief corporate communications officer Olufemi Soneye corroborated this, disclosing that Nigeria’s oil production previously dropped to 900,000 barrels per day as a result of rampant oil theft but has since improved due to private security efforts and military intervention.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria could achieve a production of three million barrels per day, up from the current 1.7 million. “Three million barrels oil production per day is achievable in Nigeria if all the stakeholders work in synergy,” Soneye said.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
