Oil and Gas stakeholders and host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) corridor in Bayelsa State have been urged to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding critical oil and gas infrastructure in their domain.
This will guard against vandals and economic saboteurs according to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
Speaking at the weekend in Yenagoa during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for pipeline host communities in Bayelsa State, the representative of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Project Monitoring Office (NNPCL-PMO),Engr. Akponime Omojewvhe, noted that Bayelsa had recorded no pipeline infraction in the last six months.
Omojewvhe, who is the Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor of NNPCL-PMO, described the achievement as commendable
He, however, stressed the need for sustained vigilance to ensure the state maintains its zero-infraction status, especially in light of the recent attack on the Trans Niger Pipeline in Odau Community, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to him, protecting the nation’s critical assets is a collective responsibility, urging community leaders, youths and other stakeholders to promptly report suspicious movements or activities around pipeline right-of-way corridors to surveillance personnel and security agencies.
“We do not have any infraction in the Bayelsa axis, but we appeal to communities to remain watchful. Whenever unfamiliar persons, particularly groups of young men, are noticed around pipeline facilities, community members should immediately alert PINL and security agencies,” he said.
Omojewvhe commended host communities for their continued support and cooperation, noting that timely information and community collaboration remain crucial in preventing pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
In his remarks, the General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations of PINL, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said the support of host communities had contributed significantly to the operational stability of the Trans Niger Pipeline and helped Nigeria exceed its OPEC production quota in May 2026.
Represented by the Head of Community Relations, Mr. Ebikeme Andrew, Mezeh cited figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which showed that national oil production increased by 2.2 per cent in May, rising from 1.66 million barrels per day in April to about 1.70 million barrels per day.
He attributed the improvement to enhanced operational stability on the TNP, stronger community participation, and increased collaboration among government agencies, security operatives and host communities in combating crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Mezeh, however, condemned the June 15 attack on the TNP around the Odau axis in Rivers State, warning that such incidents pose serious environmental and economic risks, including pollution, ecosystem degradation and loss of livelihoods for host communities.
He therefore called on all stakeholders, including community leaders, youths, contractors, surveillance personnel and security agencies, to sustain their collaboration in protecting vital national assets.
Also speaking, a stakeholder from Yenagoa, Dr. John-John Onyifie, advocated the adoption of a “check-the-checker” mechanism among security personnel and surveillance guards to reduce the possibility of insider compromise.
While lamenting the damage caused by the Odau incident, he assured that Bayelsa communities would remain vigilant and committed to protecting oil and gas facilities within their areas.
