We’ve secured conviction of 120 vandals, oil thieves — PINL

The General Manager, Community Relations and Stakeholders Engagement of Petroleum Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), Dr Akpos Mezeh, says it has successfully conducted and secured 120 investigations and convictions of vandals and oil thieves in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Dr. Mezeh stated this during the monthly engagement meeting with stakeholders from 215 pipelines host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), held Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.

Speaking further, he said that the PINL has recorded near-zero incidents in the past month across the Eastern Corridor pipelines, adding that the result speaks volumes about the strength of their collaboration with host communities.

He explained that “this achievement is rooted in the consistent application of proven strategies—ensuring the safety of our surveillance personnel, timely salary payments, and rapid community dispute resolution, all contributing to reduced downtime and increased trust.

“Building on this momentum and with a firm resolve to stop the bleeding of our national economy by unrelenting saboteurs, your mandate is now broadened to include all oil and gas assets, notably gas pipelines within the NNPCL-classified Eastern Corridor.

“It is said that the reward for good work is more work and to whom much is given, much is expected. We call on you to stand even stronger together, step up your commitment, and carry out this broader responsibility with renewed strength and unity—for the benefit of our dear nation.”

Also speaking was the Chairman of the Southern Ijaw Traditional Rulers Council, HRH. King Darius Job averred that the entire pipeline communities in the state were satisfied with the operations of the firm in their domain.

He acknowledged that the operations of PINL have helped to reduce cases of pollution and mitigate crisis in their communities.

“I want to thank you for what you are doing to protect our pipelines and I think overall the damage has reduced.

“With the way you people are going, the whole Bayelsa State is hailing your work and if you continue like this, our prayer is that the whole pipelines in the federation should be handed over to you for proper surveillance work.

“So that our pipelines will be safer and the federal government to earn more money to do developmental projects.”

King Job however, called for increased incentives for the surveillance guards engaged by the company saying, “Our celebration here is because of those people in the bush. They should be given preferential treatment with some sort of incentives so that they will work happily while they are in the forest”.

Also speaking, HRM, King Funpere Gabriel Okah, King of Gbarain Kingdom said they had witnessed changes since the company started operations in their domain.

He called on the stakeholders to rally behind the surveillance firm, adding that “I want to encourage you to do more because we have seen changes.

“In my kingdom, there is no vandalism because we believe that if you do that we cause more problem for ourselves. Let us support companies coming to work for us,” he stated.

For his part, Dr Morris Alagoa, a Frontline environmentalist and Deputy Director, Environmental Rights Defenders Network, corroborated the fact that PINL’s operations was yielding results especially in the area of environmental protection.

He said “the incidents of pipeline vandalism and oil spills has drastically reduced. PINL is really not only protecting the environment from recurring spills but have also enable the nation to have more volumes in terms of crude oil production.”

READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE