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Nigeria oil production harmed by pipeline vandalizing: minister

Xinhua, May 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

Criminals have been sabotaging Nigeria's crude oil production in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, an official said Monday.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, told parliament that Nigeria's crude oil production had declined from 2.2 million barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day due to pipeline vandalism.

He condemned the incessant attacks on oil installations in the country, and expressed his ministry's commitment to ensuring that destroyed facilities were repaired and effectively protected.

Kachikwu also restated the need to develop infrastructure, which he described as key to promoting increased and efficient crude oil production.

"Our pipelines are 35 years old and none has been replaced... our refineries are next to comatose and old and we are working hard on them," he said.

Pipeline vandalizing is rife in the Niger Delta region as some local youths allege they were alienated from the benefits of their natural resources by multinational oil companies and the government. Endit