The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr Mele Kyari has justified the decision to engage the oil pipeline surveillance team, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, led by Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo, arguing it was aimed at curtailing the massive theft of oil in the country.
Noting that the surveillance deal is yielding good returns for the country, he maintained that the monies spent to secure the services of Tompolo’s firm are so insignificant quantum of the value of oil stolen in recent times in the country.
He noted: The scale of oil theft that we have seen was not anticipated, not expected, not thought of. The scale is enormous. We have seen pipelines taken from our main trunklines into abandoned platforms in which people come to steal oil.
“We have seen the thousands of illegal refineries that we have taken down in the last 4 -5 months . We have seen up to 295 illegal connections to our pipelines and many of them have been there for years. Companies would top injecting oil if they discover it can’t get to the terminals.
Kyari reiterated NNPC commitment towards the guarantee of energy security adding that as things stands, it is left with no option other than to sustain the subsidy regime to make fuel affordable to Nigerians.
