The activities of oil pipeline vandals pose potent threat to the successful operation of both the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Austen Oniwon, has said.
The Corporation, which raised the red flag on what it termed sustained nefarious activities of oil pipeline marauders, said that if left unchecked Nigeria would wake up one day to discover that pipeline thieves have taken over the country.
The NNPC boss was speaking at an interactive forum between top management of the Corporation and the board and commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
He warned that the situation, if left unchecked, could degenerate to the scenario in countries like Mexico and Colombia where criminals empower themselves through nefarious activities and call the shots.