SHOCKER FOR NIGER DELTA MILITANTS

NNPC GMD

Following the incessant cases of pipeline vandalization and the blowing up of the pipelines by militants in the Niger Delta region, the federal government has concluded plans to get crude oil supply from other sources.

Accordingly, the Federal Government reveals that it has finalized plans on the construction of a 1,000 kilometer crude oil pipeline that will cater for the supply of crude oil to the Kaduna Refinery, one of the nation’s refineries located in the Northwest state of Kaduna.

The pipelines would run from the neighbouring Niger Republic to the Kaduna Refinery and Petro-Chemical Company in Kaduna state.

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru making this known in Kaduna recently, revealed that the plan is part of efforts by government to find alternative crude supply to the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC), which has been affected by the incessant vandalism of pipeline carrying crude from the Niger Delta to the refinery as well as ageing.

He also revealed that President Buhari has made several contacts with the President of Niger Republic over the issue.

“Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipelines that had been breached severally, the operations of the refinery have been epileptic. This we are determined to resolve through various intervention methods, including evaluation of alternative crude oil supply from Niger Republic through building of a pipelines of over 1, 000 kilometers from Agadem to Kaduna. That effort is being championed by Mr. President himself.”

“It was important to explore alternative crude supply to KRPC, which has been affected by vandalism of pipelines and obsolescence, assuring that the initiative will reduce downtime of the plant and ensure optimal utilization.

“The Corporation has already started engagements with the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum and the Chinese that are operating the field at Agadem (The Agadem Block is located in the East Niger Rift Basin).”

The NNPC GMD however assured that Industries in Kaduna would be beneficiaries of the energy supply project with the completion of the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline.