NNPC loses N3.6bn to Arepo pipeline vandalisation

By Sebastine Obasi

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, might have lost N3.6 billion in the six weeks of the latest vandalism of its System 2B Pipeline at Arepo, in Ogun State. Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, gave the indication, when he visited the site of the damaged pipeline, currently undergoing repairs.

Yakubu told journalists after inspecting the repairs, that the corporation was losing close to N600 million weekly as a result of the damage to the pipelines, which occurred on January 13, 2013.

He also said that vandals responsible for the damage of the fuel pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products from the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos through the western states to Kwara State, will not be able to tamper with the pipelines again.

According to him, the corporation employed the services of ENIKKOM, a reputable indigenous company, which changed the configuration of the pipelines in the area to make them inaccessible to vandals.

He  said the pipelines had been given more depth, while an observation tower had been put in place to enable security personnel have adequate view of the environment, to keep the vandals at bay, while the military continuously patrolled the area.