The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, alleged that stolen crude oil products are now stored in places of worship such as churches and mosques.
This was as he lamented how widespread the phenomenon had become, permeating many aspects of society.
Kyari made the revelation during the 49th State House Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to him, the NNPC operatives discovered that stolen petroleum products are stored in places of worship with the consent of the clergy, members, and neighbours.
He revealed that at least 295 illegal connections were spotted on a 200km stretch of pipeline in one instance.
Such spate of vandalism, he said, has prompted the NNPC to shut down its entire network of pipelines conveying petroleum products nationwide.
“Wherever our products have gone to, everybody has become some sort of vandal,” he said.
Asides from vandalism, the aging pipelines also contributed to the shutdown.
Consequently, the company now relies heavily on petrol tankers, which Kyari admitted, were not favourable to roads.