Yemisi Izuora/Ijeoma Agudosi
A new bunkering site was today revealed by private security operatives at Robert- Victor village, popularly called “Idi Mango’’ on the offshore of Lagos.
It was discovered that suspected vandals have used the facility to steal petroleum products and sold at black market.
Eight suspects linked to the crime have been arrested by the private pipelines surveillance security, engaged by Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC),to police pipelines.
Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources was amazed during his visit to the illegal facility.
Kachikwu said that in line with the directives of Mr President to ensure zero tolerance against crude oil theft and pipeline vandals, the measures put in place have started achieving positive results.
According to him, these are notorious members of a gang engaging in pipeline vandalism and product theft along the pipeline axis need to be brought to book.
“We hope that those apprehended will soon be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others to desist from these nefarious activities” the minister said, adding that the activity of vandals in the community is massive and product siphoned from the network range between 200 to 300 trucks.
He said that the product siphoned is usually exported to neiboghring countries like Ghana, Togo and Benin.
“We are going to the to design another method in addressing such vandalism the country.
A lot more effort will be deployed to secure the pipeline; the solution is long term solution to address the challenges” he assured.
Mr Aminu Joshua, Operation Manager, and Leader of the pipelines surveillance group appealed to government for more support to track down more vandals.
Joshua said that oil theft has been the major occupation of the community, adding that over 15,000 jerry cans were seized while about 1,000 jerry cans were filled with petrol.
He urged government to appeal to the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps to desist from threatening his team, saying “all the arrested persons have been handed over to the Navy officials”.
“We need more support from government to unveil more illegal oil theft and pipeline vandals,’’ he said.
Among those arrested include three Nigerians, three Ghanaians, one Togolese and one citizen of the Benin Republic.
Also confiscated from the vandals were 20 vehicles, with over thousand of jerry cans filled with petroleum products, equipment and several generators.
The suspected vandals are currently in custody at the Nigerian Naval Base, Western Command, Apapa and are awaiting further interrogation.
Meanwhile, the federal government said the recent attacks on the Escravos gas pipeline have cost the nation about N470 million daily on gas sales and power shortage.
A statement from Hakeem Bello, the Special Adviser, Communications to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola in Abuja also said the incident affected the 600megawatts (mw) Olorunsogo plant in Ogun State and other plants in the western axis.
Recall that vandals blew up the Escravos pipeline that connects the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) pipeline to Chevron Nigeria Limited’s facility. With the impact, the federal Government said, Olorunsogo plant, which was one of the 10 plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) had to shut-down due to the cut in gas supply.
“The sabotaged gas pipeline which contributes to the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) has led to a loss of 160mmsfcd of gas daily. At a cost of $2.50 per thousand scf, this loss means N788million (about $400,000) loss to the country daily in gas volume,” the statement read.
It said the loss was in addition to losses to be incurred daily from affected power generation of N391.680million daily, amounting to an estimated N470.479million. Evaluating the cost of repairs for the pipeline, the ministry said it might cost about N120million.
The statement said an inter-ministerial committee had made efforts to supply gas to power plants before the incidence which has cause Ihovbor and Sapele plants to begin operation.
Available records show that six incidences of vandalism occurred between December, 2014 and February 2015 affecting the Trans Forcados Pipeline and the Escravos pipeline. The incidence caused a loss of 1,100MMScfd resulting in a loss of over 4,000mw, industry experts have said.
The statement said the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was forming a committee including the Police and the Joint Task Force (JTF), along with community vigilante groups to secure more pipelines.
The federal government has however allayed fear on the vandalisation of oil pipeline in the Niger Delta region as vandal are getting more sophisticated in their attack.
Minister Niger Delta Usani Uguru while meeting with inter-agency on the recent destruction of pipeline that affected some refineries in the country said the focus of the meeting was to find solution to the recent renewed challenge of pipeline vandalisation.
Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh said the programme was on course and ex-agitators had dissociated themselves from the act.