Image Caption: Stakeholders from the NNPC Ltd’s Industry Wide Security Architecture (IWSA), Nigerian Pipelines & Storage Company (NPSC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army and other security stakeholders, conducting a joint inspection of a vandalized section of the NPSC crude oil pipeline at Pai Community in Kwali Area Council of the FCT, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Security agencies in Nigeria have intensified coordinated operations against oil infrastructure sabotage following the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in Piri and Pai communities in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The operation was led by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) through its Industry-Wide Security Architecture (IWSA) in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) Special Prosecution Team, the FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army, and other security stakeholders.
The arrests preceded a high-level inspection of a vandalized section of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC) crude oil pipeline located in Pai Community, where authorities assessed the extent of damage and ongoing security risks to national energy infrastructure.
According to security officials, the joint inspection was conducted to evaluate damage to critical national assets, strengthen ongoing investigations, and reinforce inter-agency coordination aimed at curbing economic sabotage.
Authorities emphasized that pipeline vandalism continues to pose a significant threat to Nigeria’s energy security, fiscal stability, and investor confidence.
The Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd, manages over 5,000 kilometres of crude oil and petroleum products pipeline network across the country.
Security data indicates a persistent rise in pipeline vandalism across key corridors of the NPSC network since 2024. Criminal groups have reportedly exploited vulnerable sections of infrastructure, sometimes disguising themselves as official taskforce operatives to gain access to pipeline assets.
In 2025 alone, at least 19 incidents were recorded, including the theft of approximately 9 kilometres of pipeline along the Enugu–Makurdi–Yola corridor and sections of the Warri–Kaduna pipeline near Piri and Izom.
So far in 2026, five additional incidents have been reported across Piri–Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Badanga along the Jos–Gombe corridor, underscoring ongoing security challenges in protecting national energy assets.
Speaking during the inspection, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by Chief Interface Officer Dahiru Sani-Gwarzo, described the arrests as part of a broader strategy to dismantle organized networks behind pipeline sabotage.
He noted that the Industry-Wide Security Architecture remains focused on identifying both perpetrators and sponsors of pipeline vandalism, stressing that such activities undermine national development and energy security.
Authorities also reiterated that the financial and operational losses from pipeline sabotage continue to affect production efficiency and public revenue generation.
The Commissioner of Police for the FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, confirmed that the suspects were arrested following intelligence-led surveillance operations and coordinated patrols.
He added that investigations had already produced actionable intelligence pointing to wider criminal networks involved in the theft and distribution of vandalized materials.
According to him, all individuals linked to the operations will be identified and prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian law.
The Director of Energy Security at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr. Goodluck Ebele, urged citizens to support security agencies by providing timely intelligence to prevent further acts of economic sabotage.
He emphasized that community cooperation remains essential to safeguarding national energy infrastructure and strengthening Nigeria’s overall energy security framework.
Representing the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. J.O. Ajongbo reaffirmed the military’s continued collaboration with other security agencies in protecting oil and gas infrastructure nationwide.
In a related statement, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Sesi Whingan, pledged legislative backing for stronger deterrence measures, including enhanced legal frameworks to combat pipeline vandalism.
With Nigeria’s pipeline network serving as a critical backbone for crude oil transportation and domestic fuel supply, analysts warn that sustained vandalism could have long-term implications for energy stability, production costs, and national revenue.
The renewed crackdown in Kwali reflects a broader federal effort to tighten security around strategic energy infrastructure amid rising incidents of oil theft and sabotage.
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