NNPC, Security Agencies Deepen Fight Against Pipeline Theft, Amid 24 Vandalism Cases

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and several security agencies have intensified efforts to stop pipeline theft after 24 vandalism cases were recorded across the country in 2025 and 2026.

NNPC Ltd. said a high-level team from its Industry Wide Security Architecture (IWSA) and the Nigerian Pipelines & Storage Company (NPSC) inspected a vandalised section of the NPSC crude oil pipeline at Pai Community in Kwali Area Council, FCT, Abuja on Tuesday. It said the team acted in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) Special Prosecution Team (SPT), the FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army and other security stakeholders.
The inspection followed the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in Piri and Pai communities during a joint operation by ONSA SPT, the FCT Police and IWSA, stated NNPC spokesman, Andy Odeh, on Thursday.
Statistics cited by NNPC showed that 19 cases of pipeline theft and vandalism were reported in 2025, resulting in about 9 kilometres of pipeline stolen along the Enugu–Makurdi–Yola corridor and between Piri and Izom on the Warri–Kaduna route.
So far in 2026, five cases have been recorded at Piri–Kwali and Gwagwalada on the Warri–Kaduna corridor and at Badanga on the Jos–Gombe corridor. Combined, these figures bring the total to 24 reported vandalism cases across the two years.
The company said the visit aimed to assess the extent of damage to the national asset, advance ongoing investigations and reinforce coordinated efforts to combat economic sabotage and protect the country’s energy infrastructure.
NNPC Ltd. said the visit aimed to assess the scale of damage to the national asset, advance ongoing investigations and strengthen coordinated action to stop economic sabotage and protect the country’s energy infrastructure.
NPSC, a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd., owns and operates over 5,000 kilometres of crude oil and petroleum products pipelines.
The company said it has recorded a rise in pipeline theft since 2024, with criminals often disguising themselves as an “NNPC/Federal Government Taskforce for Recovery of Abandoned Pipelines” and colluding with some locals to dig up and steal pipeline sections.
Speaking during the inspection, NNPC group chief executive officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the company’s chief interface officer, Dahiru Sani-Gwarzo, described the arrests as a key step toward dismantling the criminal networks behind the attacks.
“The industry-wide security architecture has been actively pursuing criminal elements involved in the sabotage of our energy infrastructure,” Sani-Gwarzo said.

“Those apprehended are only a small part of a larger network. Our focus remains on identifying and bringing to justice the masterminds and sponsors behind these criminal activities.
These acts cause significant economic losses, weaken national development and undermine investor confidence. We will continue to work closely with our security partners to ensure these crimes are decisively addressed.”

The FCT commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi said the operation showed the determination of security agencies to protect critical national infrastructure and break criminal syndicates involved in pipeline theft.
Sanusi said intelligence gathering, surveillance and targeted patrols led to the arrests after reports of interference with pipeline sections.

He added that investigations have produced leads on sponsors and receivers of stolen pipeline materials and vowed that everyone involved would be identified and prosecuted.
The director of Energy Security at ONSA, Goodluck Ebele, urged members of the public to support security agencies with timely and credible information that could help prevent pipeline vandalism and other forms of economic sabotage.

He stressed that public vigilance and cooperation are vital to protecting national assets and maintaining energy security.

Representing the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. J.O. Ajongbo said the military would continue working with NNPC Ltd. and other agencies to secure oil and gas infrastructure nationwide.
On his part, the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Sesi Whingan, pledged legislative support for tougher measures against pipeline vandalism.

He said lawmakers would back stronger legal and regulatory steps to deter attackers and protect strategic infrastructure.
NNPC and its security partners said their joint operations and inspections will continue until the criminal networks behind pipeline theft are fully dismantled and stolen materials no longer find markets.