By Adam Abu-bashal
ABUJA, Nigeria (AA) - Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL) said Thursday that 165 facilities illegally refining stolen crude oil were destroyed in the past week.
NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari said around 400 incidents of oil theft and vandalism were also reported by both government and private security agencies in the Niger Delta region last week.
Kyari noted that NNPCL, in collaboration with the Nigerian military, conducted operations in the Niger Delta.
During these operations, 165 illegal oil refineries were destroyed and 39 unauthorized pipeline connections were eliminated, Kyari added.
Nigerian Senator Ned Nwoko had previously announced that the country lost over $3 billion last year due to increasing oil theft and pipeline attacks.
Nigeria's proven oil reserves stand at approximately 37 billion barrels, accounting for 3.1% of the world's reserves.
Ranked among the top 15 countries in crude oil production, Nigeria holds the 10th largest oil reserves and is the sixth largest oil exporter globally.
In the Delta region, where oil fields are located, armed groups frequently carry out sabotage, leading to conflicts and incidents of kidnapping.
*Writing Alperen Aktas from Istanbul