The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate reasons for frequent vandalisation of oil and gas pipelines in the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Fagge Federal Constituency, Kano State, Muhammed Shehu and 15 others on the Urgent need to rehabilitate the oil and gas pipeline networks to avert economic loss for Nigeria.
In the motion, the Kano lawmaker noted that between 2018 and 2023, Nigeria recorded over 7,000 incidents of pipeline vandalism, resulting in the loss of 12.74million dollars worth of crude oil.
He argued that the recurrent pipeline breaches have led to extensive environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods, and substantial national revenue losses, thus straining the country’s economic and security landscape.
He commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited for intensifying efforts to combat crude oil theft, uncovering 19 illegal pipeline connections and 58 illegal refineries in a single week in January 2025. He stressed that the deterioration of oil and gas pipeline networks not only threatens Nigeria’s energy security but also undermines the country’s potential sustainable economic development.