Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — A seven-year-old crude oil theft point has been uncovered on the Trans Niger Pipeline operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited in Nonwa-Uedume community, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The theft point is one and half inch pipe said to have been operated for over seven years with capacity to load two tankers of 33,000 liters of crude oil per night, runs 2km into a loading point in the community.
The discovery team was led by the Chairman of Tai LGA, Mr. Mbakpone Okpe, together with security operatives including personnel of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services and Tai local security task force, as well as NNPCL’s contractors, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, and Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited.
Also present were SPDC workers who were on the Trans Niger Pipeline doing routine maintenance job, who eventually took over the theft point to remove the tapping pipe after the discovery.
The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, Mr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, who also witnessed the process, condemned all forms of crude oil theft and illegal refineries activities.
Fyneface also called on the federal government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal crude oil refiners in the Niger Delta through modular refineries and establishment of Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative, PACORDI.
Follow us on twitter
