Boma Achenimie 
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has vehemently condemned the rate of oil theft and vandalism in the Niger Delta region, describing it as a catastrophe.
This is as he rejected the move by the Senate Committee on Appropriation to increase the crude oil production benchmark in the 2024 Appropriation Bill from 1.7 million barrels per day to 1.8 million per day.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during his appearance before the Senate Committee, Kyari highlighted that the security conditions would significantly influence the daily oil production in the Niger Delta.
According to him, there are more than 4,800 unauthorized connections on crude oil pipelines in the area, and he cautioned that this could hinder the Federal Government’s plans.
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“The situation we have in Niger Delta in terms of security is a calamity. We don’t have that anywhere in the world. To engage non-state actors as a last resort is abnormal. But we have to respond abnormally.
“In the Niger Delta, people are coming from all parts of the country to do illegal refining. That’s why we engage locals to deal with it.
“We will contain this challenge. We are doing everything possible to restore sanity. What is happening is colossal damage to the environment and the host communities,” Kyari said.
