The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited said criminals posing as a federal government task force stole about nine kilometres of pipelines across parts of its network in 2025.
NNPC disclosed this in a statement signed by Andy Odeh, chief corporate communications officer at the company, on Thursday.
According to the national oil company, 19 cases of pipeline theft were recorded in 2025, resulting in the loss of about nine kilometres of pipeline along the Enugu-Makurdi-Yola corridor and sections of the Warri-Kaduna crude oil pipeline.
The disclosure came after a joint inspection of a vandalised section of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC) crude oil pipeline at Pai community in Kwali area council of the federal capital territory (FCT).
The inspection involved NNPC’s industry-wide security architecture (IWSA), the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) special prosecution team, the FCT police command, the army and other security agencies.
NNPC said the visit followed the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in the Piri and Pai communities through a joint operation involving security agencies and the company’s security architecture.
“The high-level inspection was undertaken to assess the extent of damage to critical national asset, advance ongoing investigations, and reinforce coordinated efforts to combat economic sabotage and safeguard Nigeria’s strategic energy infrastructure,” the statement reads.
“The visit followed the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in the Piri and Pai communities through a joint operation involving the ONSA Special Prosecution Team, the FCT Police Command, and and the NNPC Ltd’s Industry-Wide Security Architecture (IWSA).
“NPSC, a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd, owns more than 5,000 km of crude oil and petroleum products pipeline network. Pipeline theft across NPSC’s network has been on the increase since 2024″.
“Well-equipped criminals disguising as ‘NNPC/Federal Government Taskforce for Recovery of Abandoned Pipelines’ connive with locals to dig out and steal those pipelines.”
Speaking during the inspection, Bashir Ojulari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC, said the arrests were part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks behind attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure.
Represented by Dahiru Sani-Gwarzo, chief interface officer of NNPC, Ojulari said security agencies were pursuing not only those directly involved in the theft but also the sponsors and financiers of the operations.
“The industry-wide security architecture has been actively pursuing criminal elements involved in the sabotage of our energy infrastructure,” he 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.”
The GCEO said pipeline vandalism undermines national development, energy security and investor confidence.
Also, Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of police in the FCT, said investigations had already produced useful leads on the sponsors and receivers of stolen pipeline materials.
Sanusi said all persons connected to the crime would be identified and prosecuted.
Goodluck Ebele, director of energy security at ONSA, urged Nigerians to provide security agencies with credible information to help prevent pipeline vandalism and other acts of economic sabotage.
He said public cooperation remains critical to protecting strategic national assets and strengthening energy security.
Also speaking, Sesi Whingan, deputy chairman of the house committee on petroleum resources (upstream), pledged legislative support for measures aimed at strengthening deterrence against pipeline vandalism.
Whingan said the national assembly would continue to support efforts to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure through improved legal and regulatory frameworks.