Baru: NNPC Recorded 1,447 Pipeline Breaks in Five Months

Seeks collaboration with NSCDC

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru, wednesday said the corporation has recorded 1,447 incidents of pipeline vandalism between January and May this year.

The wanton destruction of pipelines, he said, had led to loss of 109 million litres of petroleum products and 560, 000 barrels of crude oil to refineries.
While lamenting the growing incidence of pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region in 2015 alone, he added that government lost over N51.28 billion through deliberate pipeline burst by vandals.

Baru made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu Gana, in Abuja.
According to the NNPC boss, the time has come for NNPC to seek greater collaboration with NSCDC, adding that in five months, between January and May this year, no less than 1, 447 incidents have been recorded leading to loss of 109 million litres of petroleum products and 560, 000 barrels of crude oil to refineries.

He said: “Domestic natural gas supply to power is equally impacted with estimated drop of about 50 percent resulting in significant power outage.
“Petroleum products supply and distribution pipelines have also suffered huge products losses with attendant cost of repairs.

“For example, over 3,000 vandalism incidents were recorded every year from 2010 to 2015. In 2015 alone, pipeline losses of products volume of over 643 million litres amounting to N51.28 billion were incurred.”

While appreciating the importance of NSCDC in the nation’s security architecture, Baru said: “NNPC recognises the importance of the NSCDC being a grassroots paramilitary agency much closer to our facilities than any of the security agencies.”

He expressed confidence that under the commandant’s watch, the corporation would effectively collaborate with the establishment to safeguard critical energy assets.

In his remark, Gana expressed the readiness of the corps to continue to discharge its mandate, saying the nation cannot afford to incur further losses as a result of the activities of organised criminal gangs.

Though, he expressed pain at the loss of some of his personnel in the creeks of the Niger Delta, he said NSCDC would not be deterred by such attacks.