JUST IN: NNPCL boss warns of International crime syndicates fueling crude oil theft in Africa

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The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Ojulari, has raised alarm over the growing sophistication of crude oil theft across Africa, warning that the crime is no longer a purely local problem.

Speaking at the opening of the Africa Chief of Defence Staff Conference in Abuja on Monday, Ojulari said that criminal gangs with international and continental reach are exploiting weaknesses in security systems to carry out oil theft operations.

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“Crude theft and its attendant illegal activities are by no means a purely localised occurrence; rather, these operations involve specialised international syndicates that take advantage of gaps within the state, national and continental security architecture to conduct illegal activities,” he stated.

He emphasized that crude oil theft has far-reaching dimensions and must be tackled through stronger collaboration among military formations across Africa. According to him, joint strategies are critical to curbing the menace, given its cross-border and global linkages.

The NNPCL boss also acknowledged the progress made in combating the challenge, noting that cases of pipeline vandalism and crude theft, especially in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, have reduced significantly. He credited this improvement to sustained efforts by security agencies.

“As the head of the largest national oil company on the continent, I have seen firsthand the benefits of collaborations within the energy space. These partnerships have contributed to significant improvement in the operating environment,” Ojulari added.

Ojulari urged African governments and security stakeholders to strengthen partnerships in order to protect the continent’s vital energy resources and ensure long-term economic stability

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