An attempt to attack the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP) in a part of Rivers State has led to swift arrests, achieved through community collaboration and support from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The pipeline protection company responsible for the eastern corridor has also welcomed recent commendations by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which said that near-zero infractions on oil pipelines had contributed to a boost in revenue.
The failed attack on the TNP allegedly took place in Bodo, Gokana LGA of Rivers State, in Nigeria’s South-South region.
A report from Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), which polices the eastern corridor of Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia states, indicated that the culprits were apprehended swiftly due to strong community resistance, backed by ONSA.
PINL officials expressed satisfaction that the Federal Government has, for the first time in many years, met the oil and gas sector revenue benchmark for 2025.
The announcement was made by the FIRS, which attributed the milestone to sustained peace in the Niger Delta region, championed by security agencies and pipeline surveillance contractors such as PINL.
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Spokesperson for the FIRS Executive Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, 13 August 2025.
According to the statement, Chairman Zacch Adedeji made the remarks when he received a delegation of military top brass led by General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Adedeji noted that the improved security situation in oil-producing areas had boosted production, resulting in greater profitability for companies in the sector and higher tax revenue for the federation.
“The Coordinating Director of the Large Tax Group made a presentation at our management meeting today on tax collection to date, and I am glad to say that, for the first time in a long while, we met our oil and gas target,” Adedeji said.
“This is actually a result of the peace that has been maintained where oil and gas facilities are located. Production is happening, and companies are making more profit from it.”
He commended the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their role in maintaining stability, noting that the success aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to “taxing prosperity and not poverty.”
Akpos Mezeh, General Manager for Community and Stakeholder Relations at PINL, told host communities in Port Harcourt that robust partnerships and consistent application of proven strategies—such as safety measures for surveillance personnel, timely salary payments, and rapid dispute resolution—had resulted in zero infractions in the past month.
PINL recently intervened in an oil spill in Yorla, Kpean community in Khana LGA, and dismantled illegal bunkering sites in Umuebule and Oyigbo, Rivers State.
The company also announced CSR initiatives for youth and women in host communities, and reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable energy security in line with the Federal Government’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
Meanwhile, joint operations between PINL and the Special Prosecution Task Force (SPT) have led to the closure of two illegal refining sites in Oyigbo LGA. One was disguised as a logistics company, Emekus Nigeria Ltd, and the other as a large piggery on the Imo River’s eastern bank.
According to CSP Omar Sini, Head of Investigation for the SPT, credible intelligence from PINL led to three arrests at Emekus Nigeria Ltd and the seizure of 60,000 litres of stolen crude, tanks, and a 33,000-litre truck. He added that over 100 suspects are currently in custody across the Niger Delta and Abuja, with cases at various stages of prosecution.
