Nigeria loses N130m barrels of crude oil to 32 militant groups in 2016.

The Security sub-committee of the Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS, of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has revealed that the activities of 32 militant groups in the Niger Delta region since the resurgence of militancy has robbed Nigeria of over 130 million barrels of crude oil.
Vice-chairman of the sub-committee, Shina Bankole, stated this in Lagos yesterday at the 17th Health Safety and Environment, HSE, Biennial Conference on the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria organised by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR.
Disclosing that insecurity in the Niger Delta has led to the proliferation of several militant groups, as well as small arms and weapons, he explained that between January and November, 58 incidents of sabotage were recorded where oil and gas facilities belonging to the oil companies were vandalized.
“Again, within the same period, the rate of sabotage on oil and gas assets has led to lost production opportunities by the oil companies. As of today, more than 130 million barrels of crude oil have been lost due to the inability of the oil companies to produce as a result of the activities of the militants,” he added.
Bankole explained that with the rehabilitation of about 30,000 ex-agitators, the Amnesty Programme introduced in 2009 by the federal government had successfully restored normalcy to the oil-producing region until 2015 when new militant groups began to emerge.
“The resurgence of militancy since 2015 has led to the proliferation of militant groups. As of today, no fewer than 32 of such groups have emerged in the Niger Delta – some with possible ethnic agenda, while others came with a criminal agenda,” he said.
He disclosed that of the over 275 cases of kidnappings recorded across 29 states between January and November, 45 cases were related to oil and gas industry personnel and their dependants.
According to him, of the 99 incidents of sea robberies and pirates recorded within the same period, 19 cases involved the oil and gas industry.
It was recently reported that suspected militants carried out an attack on the 42-inch delivery pipeline line operated by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC and Niger Delta Western, in Otu-Jeremi, Delta State.