Lagos Police Command has thwarted an attempted pipeline vandalisation, preventing oil thieves from siphoning petrol from a Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited’s installation.
The incident occurred in the Idimu area of Lagos, as reported by Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos police spokesperson.
Relaying the event through his Twitter platform on Saturday, Hundeyin stated that police officers arrived in time to avert a theft operation, causing the perpetrators to flee.
According to Hundeyin, Lagos Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa inspected the vandalised pipeline site early in the day.
“CP Idowu Owohunwa at a site in Idimu where oil thieves at about 2 am 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.”
Oil theft and pipeline vandalisation remain persistent challenges in Nigeria, with the Niger Delta region particularly afflicted.
Mele Kyari, Group CEO of NNPC Limited, asserted in 2022 that crude oil theft resulted in a monthly loss of $1.9 billion for Nigeria.
In a continued fight against illicit activities, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reported demolishing 40 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta in February 2023.
On June 27, Nigerian Army troops stormed a Bayelsa state hideout, where alleged militants and oil thieves were believed to operate.
Meanwhile, Niger Delta activist Asari Dokubo recently accused the military of intimidation, alleging they coerced officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), whose mandate includes guarding oil pipelines.
In response to Dokubo’s claims, the Nigerian Navy challenged him to corroborate his accusations with evidence.