Police officers at the scene of the oil theft attempt in Idimu, Lagos
Eko Hot Blog reports that some suspected oil thieves, on Saturday, abandoned their truck and tools after vandalising a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
According to the Lagos police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspects absconded after the swift intervention of police officers who responded to a call for help.
In a an update share via his Twitter page, Hundeyin said the incident took place in the Idimu area of Lagos.
He also disclosed that the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, visited the site where the oil thieves gained access to the pipeline in the early hours of the day.
Lagos Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa at the scene of the oil theft attempt
“CP Idowu Owohunwa at a site in Idimu where oil thieves at about 2am today gained access to an NNPC pipe, filling their tanker with PMS,” Hundeyin tweeted.
“The oil thieves absconded, abandoning their truck and tools, upon sighting police officers who responded swiftly upon being notified.”
Scene of the oil theft attempt in Idimu, Lagos
Pipeline vandalism and oil theft are common occurrences in the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
In 2022, Mele Kyari, the NNPC Limited group chief executive officer (GCEO), said Nigeria loses $1.9 billion monthly to crude oil theft.
Asari Dokubo, a Niger Delta activist, recently alleged that the military — particularly the army and navy — are aware of the identity of oil thieves in the region.
He claimed that military personnel often intimidate officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who are supposed to protect the oil pipelines.
Refuting the claim, the Nigerian Navy dared the activist to produce evidence to back his allegation.
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