$250 million worth of petrol stolen from Nigerian pipeline

In the wake of severe fuel shortages in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that more than $250 million worth of petrol has been stolen from a single pipeline during 2015.

According to the NNPC, around half a billion litres of petrol were snatched from a pipeline that runs north-east from Lagos, Nigeria´s capital city, reported the Star Daily Standard Times.

As the ongoing fuel shortages worsen and Nigerians get more frustrated, the government has shifted the spotlight onto marketers who overcharge desperate drivers and put the blame on pipeline thieves.

Government officials stressed the country should not be suffering fuel shortages as the supply of oil products is enough – it is the illegal actions of specific groups which sabotage such efforts.

In response to the shortages, the government is carrying out a tough campaign against gas station operators overcharging for their products, with numerous sites being closed in recent weeks.