OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s latest report has again reported a never relenting attacks on Nigeria’s oil pipeline in 2019.
Crude oil exportation fetches Nigeria over 80 percent of its revenue, for without it, or even in such cases as pipeline vandalism, can send its major source of earning tumbling.
According to the report, between September 2018, and September 2019, the highest case was recorded of 264 breaks was recorded in December 2018.
The lowest cases occurred in May- ‘just’ 60.
The margin in September 2018 which saw 125 points vandalised, shot up very high in September 2019, with 186 cases reported.
An arm of the NNPC, the Petroleum Products Monitoring Committee, PPMC compiles the vandalism report.
PPMC said it recorded 18 percent increase in cases of pipeline vandalism only in September 2019.
In September 2019, a total of 186 pipeline points were vandalised representing an increase of 18% from the 158 points recorded in August 2019.
Out of the vandalised points, 30 failed to be welded while none was ruptured.
Aba-Enugu axis accounted for 77% of the breaks while PHC-Aba, ATC-Mosimi and other routes accounted for 8% each.
In October 2018, a total of 219 points were vandalised, dropping to 197 in November, and 264 in December the same year.
The numbers remained high in January last year, with 230 cases reported by the PPMC.
February saw 137 points vandalised, March, 111 cases, April, 125 vandalised points and May 60 cases recorded.
June 2019 took a drastic drop from the improved record in May following a record of 106 cases.
The number shot up higher in July to 228 cases, 158 in August, and then 186 in cases in September.
NNPC said it is continuously collaborating with the local communities and other stakeholders to reduce and eventually eliminate the menace.