Presidential team discovers illegal oil connection in Abia

The delegation deployed by President Bola Tinubu to assess the oil situation in the Niger Delta on Saturday discovered an illegal oil connection in Abia State.

The delegation led by the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, discovered the illegal oil connection in the Owaza area of Abia State.

Other members of the delegation are the service chiefs, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperipe Ekpo, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd., Mele Kyari.

Also in the team are Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira, operatives of security agencies and chief executive officers of regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector.

READ ALSO: Troops destroy illegal refinery in Delta

The delegation visited the Trans-Niger Pipeline Right of Way in Owaza area of Abia where several dismantled illegal connections were observed.

In his remarks, Kyari said Nigeria loses an average of $7.2 million monthly from the illegal connection.

He urged oil-producing communities to support the government’s efforts at curbing oil theft in their communities.

“Oil theft is one of the reasons why Nigeria cannot meet her OPEC daily production quota,’’ he said.

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