BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION DRAGGED TO COURT OVER THE DISCOVERY OF ILLEGAL PIPELINES IN THE COUNTRY

On Sunday, the 9th of October 2022, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a non-governmental organization, posted on its Twitter handle, “We’re suing the Buhari administration over the discovery of illegal oil pipelines”.

The CEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, told a joint senate committee, that a four-kilometres theft pipeline, Forcados Terminal was discovered. This pipeline has been operated by Shell for a period of 9 years; and all these were revealed last week Tuesday. The pipeline was discovered during a clampdown in the past six weeks. During the clampdown period, 395 illegal refineries have been deactivated, 274 reservoirs destroyed, 1561 metal tanks destroyed, and 49 trucks have been seized.

Tompolo, the ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, disclosed that over 58 points have been tapped; having been discovered in Delta and Bayelsa States. Tompolo revealed this during a press briefing on the illegal crude oil pipeline on Sunday.

SERAP has asked the Nigerian government to reveal those responsible for exploiting the nation’s oil wealth, bring them to justice, and recover the value exploited. As a result of this exploitation, Nigeria loses about 600,000 barrels daily and this is a massive minus to the nation’s economy. A specific sector affected by this is the legal operators in the field, that had some of their operational facilities closed down.