The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and several
security agencies have intensified efforts to stop pipeline theft after 24
vandalism cases were recorded across the country between 2025 and 2026.
NNPCL said a high-level team from its Industry Wide Security Architecture
(IWSA) and the Nigerian Pipelines & Storage Company (NPSC) inspected a
vandalised section of the NPSC crude oil pipeline at Pai Community in Kwali
Area Council, FCT, Abuja recently. It said the team acted in collaboration with
the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) Special Prosecution Team
(SPT), the FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army and other security
stakeholders.
Andy Odeh, NNPCL spokesman said the inspection followed the arrest of three
suspected pipeline vandals in Piri and Pai communities during a joint operation
by ONSA SPT, the FCT Police and IWSA.
Statistics cited by NNPCL showed that 19 cases of pipeline theft and vandalism
were reported in 2025, resulting in about 9 kilometres of pipeline stolen along
the Enugu–Makurdi–Yola corridor and between Piri and Izom on the
Warri–Kaduna route.
So far in 2026, five cases have been recorded at Piri–Kwali and Gwagwalada on
the Warri–Kaduna corridor and at Badanga on the Jos–Gombe corridor.
Combined, these figures bring the total to 24 reported vandalism cases across
the two years.
The company said the visit was aimed at assessing the extent of damage to the
national asset, advance ongoing investigations and reinforce coordinated efforts
to combat economic sabotage and protect the country’s energy infrastructure.
NNPCL said the visit aimed to assess the scale of damage to the national asset,
advance ongoing investigations and strengthen coordinated action to stop
economic sabotage and protect the country’s energy infrastructure.
NPSC, a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd., owns and operates over 5,000 kilometres of
crude oil and petroleum products pipelines.
The company said it has recorded a rise in pipeline theft since 2024, with
criminals often disguising themselves as an “NNPC/Federal Government
Taskforce for Recovery of Abandoned Pipelines” and colluding with some
locals to dig up and steal pipeline sections.
Speaking during the inspection, NNPC group chief executive officer, Bashir
Bayo Ojulari, represented by the company’s chief interface officer, Dahiru Sani-
Gwarzo, described the arrests as a key step toward dismantling the criminal
networks behind the attacks.
“The industry-wide security architecture has been actively pursuing criminal
elements involved in the sabotage of our energy infrastructure,” Sani-Gwarzo
said.