From Uche Usim, Abuja
The onslaught against crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals has led to the destruction of a barge used for the nefarious business by officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), a private security contractor and government security agencies. Also demolished was a filling station that warehouses the stolen product.
The barge, according to a statement from the NNPCL, was set ablaze on Saturday, while the suspects involved in the illegality were arrested.
The statement named the barge as MT Brighton 1, which was loaded with stolen crude, but intercepted in one of the creeks running into the Ramos River in Agge Community, a border village between Delta and Bayelsa States.
“Also, the security intervention team today 31/12/22 demolished a filling station, named Blessed Corporate Oil & Gas Services Ltd in Opete, Warri, Delta State, for being in custody of trucks laden with stolen crude and discharging the illegal contents into its underground storage tanks”, the statement added.
In October, the NNPCL and security agencies destroyed a massive vessel caught with crude oil stolen from Nigeria.
The ship was caught in the Niger Delta creeks with seven crew members on board.
The vessel was set on fire in the presence of the Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investments Management Services, Mr Bala Wunti.
Seven persons were on board the vessel, MT Deinmo, with IMO number 7210526.
They were caught stealing directly from Escravos Pipeline in Warri South West LGA, Delta State.