The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, has said that stolen crude oil products are now stored in places of worship, especially churches and mosques.
He made the disclosure at the 49th Session of the State House Briefing Organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Kyari lamented that the practice had become pervasive, and investigations by the NNPC found that the stolen petroleum products were usually stored with the consent of clergymen, members and neighbours.
In one instance, he said, that at least 295 illegal connections were spotted on a 200km stretch of pipeline.
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He said that this wanton vandalism forced 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,” Kyari said.