Nigeria arrests seven over NNPC pipeline theft as LNG exports falter
Nigerian police have arrested seven suspects and recovered 285 pieces of vandalised NNPC pipeline, highlighting the ongoing infrastructure sabotage that has cost the country billions in lost crude and disrupted gas exports.
Nigerian authorities have arrested seven suspected members of a pipeline vandalism syndicate in Adamawa State, seizing 285 pieces of infrastructure belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). The operation stemmed from intelligence gathered on July 9, leading officers to intercept a J5 bus carrying the stolen pipeline sections along the Yola–Numan Road.
Alongside the pipeline sections, police recovered six gas cylinders, digging tools, and the transport vehicle. The suspects—including Haruna Usman, Haruna Muhammed Sule, Dabus Peter, Ahmad Adamu, Sadik Ibrahim, driver Paul Joshua, and Paul Ishiyaku—remain in custody. Investigators are now working to identify other participants in the network.
The arrests draw attention to an entrenched security threat that continues to impose severe operational costs on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), deliberate pipeline vandalism caused the loss of 208.639 million barrels of crude oil between 2017 and 2021. That stolen product was valued at approximately $12.74 billion.
This sabotage directly disrupts international energy markets. In January 2025, attacks on facilities supplying gas to Nigeria LNG reduced feed-gas availability, triggering a 20% decline in the country's liquefied natural gas exports. For investors, this persistent infrastructure risk complicates the valuation of Nigerian energy assets and undermines production forecasts.
Official data indicates that while the frequency of attacks is decreasing, the volume of crude lost remains a persistent problem. The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency recorded 589 oil spills in 2024, equating to roughly 19,000 barrels of crude lost. Although the number of incidents fell by 49.3% compared to the 1,162 spills logged in 2023, the total volume of oil lost was largely unchanged.
The physical risks extend beyond financial metrics. NNPC linked a January 2025 fire at its Buguma Wellhead 008 facility in Rivers State to vandalism following an oil spill, underscoring the environmental and safety liabilities tied to the crisis.
The police said the operation highlights a broader mandate to protect critical infrastructure. “Members of the public are encouraged to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing efforts aimed at combating crime and safeguarding national assets across the country,” said CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer.
