The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari, has said that the massive campaign by the company and the coordinated intervention from security agencies against crude oil theft is paying off.
Kyari spoke when he, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor, visited the site of the illegal connection point on the Trans Escravos pipelines at Yokre Flow Station in Ogulagha oil field of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
He said: “We are presently getting massive support from the intervention of the government security agencies, notably the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army, the NSCDC, etc as we have seen massive campaign in this regard as coordinated by the Chief of Defence Staff. The intervention is really paying off.”
Speaking on the latest discovery at Yokre Flow Station, Mele Kyari said preliminary investigation showed that the illegal pipeline led to an illegal loading point in the creeks where large quantities of crude oil are allegedly being diverted and stolen.
“And we have seen that this line flows all the way parallel to the two other active Trans Escravos pipelines. And this is a good revelation.
“That is why the Chief of Defence Staff has said very clearly that an extensive investigation will be conducted. Anyone involved in this matter, either from the host community, community contractors, government security agencies, workers of the oil companies including NNPC and Shell. Anyone that is involved in this will be dealt with by the law.
The Chief of Defence Staff also stated, “This is an eye opener. We are going to ensure an extensive investigation into the whole revelation to get to the roots with a view to reviewing the entire security architecture across board, among other issues.”
