NNPCL has disclosed that crude oil thieves have resorted to a new tactic of installing CCTV on trees to evade security operatives.

The company also revealed that 149 cases of oil theft were documented in the Niger Delta region in the last one week.
The company made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday evening in Abuja.

The statement partly read, “In Osuobodo, between two ANTAN flow stations south of Oguta naval base in Imo state, an oil bunkering site was uncovered. Far from the regular, these criminals have taken their activities a notch higher.

“In this camp, CCTV cameras have been installed on trees by the thieves to look out for security operatives. Mortar launchers and defence systems were also mounted by the oil thieves in various locations to eliminate any perceived enemy.

“This discovery was made possible after an invasion by the military following information gathered by an air surveillance carried out by Target Energy, Tantita security services, Operation Delta Safe and the Military in August.”

It said the thieves were determined to live there and trade their stolen crude, as a lack of electricity was no excuse, adding that generators were on standby to keep the camp’s operations afloat.

“Drums of crude oil feeding from an illegal connection, bags used for storing crude and more were discovered on the camp,” the firm stated.

The company noted that between October 14 and 20, 2023, 49 illegal connections were uncovered in Udu and Ogharefe in Delta State, Ohaji Egbema in Imo, Brass in Bayelsa and in Rivers state.