The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), in collaboration with key security agencies, has stepped up efforts to combat pipeline vandalism and protect the nation’s critical energy infrastructure following the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
As part of the coordinated operation, officials from NNPC Ltd., the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army, and other security stakeholders on Tuesday conducted a joint inspection of a vandalized section of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC) crude oil pipeline in Pai Community, Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
The inspection was aimed at assessing the extent of damage to the facility, advancing ongoing investigations, and strengthening collaboration among security agencies in the fight against economic sabotage.
The visit followed the arrest of three suspects in the Piri and Pai communities during a joint operation involving the ONSA Special Prosecution Team, the FCT Police Command, and NNPC Ltd.’s Industry-Wide Security Architecture (IWSA).
NPSC, a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd., manages over 5,000 kilometres of crude oil and petroleum products pipelines across Nigeria. According to the company, incidents of pipeline theft have increased significantly since 2024, with criminal groups reportedly disguising themselves as members of a fictitious “NNPC/Federal Government Taskforce for Recovery of Abandoned Pipelines” to gain access to and steal pipeline materials with the support of some local collaborators.
NNPC disclosed that 19 cases of pipeline vandalism were recorded in 2025, resulting in the theft of approximately nine kilometres of pipeline sections along the Enugu–Makurdi–Yola corridor and between Piri and Izom on the Warri–Kaduna pipeline route. So far in 2026, five additional cases have been reported in Piri-Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Badanga along the Jos–Gombe pipeline corridor.
Speaking during the inspection, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the company’s Chief Interface Officer, Dahiru Sani-Gwarzo, described the arrests as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in attacks on oil and gas infrastructure.
He said security operatives were committed to identifying and prosecuting not only those directly involved in the vandalism but also the sponsors and masterminds behind the crimes.
“These criminal activities cause substantial economic losses, undermine national development, threaten energy security, and weaken investor confidence. We remain committed to working closely with our security partners to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, said the operation demonstrated the determination of security agencies to protect critical national assets and disrupt criminal syndicates engaged in pipeline vandalism.
According to him, the suspects were arrested after extensive intelligence gathering, surveillance operations, and targeted patrols. He added that investigations had already produced valuable leads concerning the sponsors and buyers of stolen pipeline materials.
“We are making steady progress in our investigations, and all those connected to these criminal activities will be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Director of Energy Security at ONSA, Goodluck Ebele, urged Nigerians to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could help prevent pipeline vandalism and other forms of economic sabotage.
He emphasized that public cooperation remains vital to safeguarding national assets and strengthening the country’s energy security framework.
Representing the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. J.O. Ajongbo reaffirmed the military’s commitment to supporting NNPC Ltd. and other security agencies in protecting oil and gas infrastructure nationwide.
Similarly, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Sesi Whingan, pledged continued legislative support for stronger legal and regulatory measures to deter pipeline vandalism and related offences.
