By Tukur Muntari

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it had spent over N1.6 billion on the repairs of the vandalised pipeline between Kaduna and Kano in 2016.

The NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Maikanti Baru, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje on Tuesday in Kano.

Baru was in Kano to inaugurate loading operations at the NNPC depot following the repairs of the vandalised pipeline.

He said the company had also expended about N2 billion to provide security for the pipelines within the last one year.

He said it was unfortunate that the company had to spend the money to rectify the pipeline after the illegal activities of vandals.

“These are funds that would have been invested for providing other essential services.

“With the repairs of the vandalised pipeline, I am happy to tell the governor that the line is now 100 operational,”he said.

He disclosed that following the repairs of the pipeline, the company had been able to transfer over 20 million litres of AGO into tanks of Kano and Kaduna refinery in addition to 40 million liters of diesel to Kano depot.

“All these would not have been possible without President Muhammadu Buhari’s support to the NNPC.

He urged the state government to support the company by ensuring that arrested suspects were appropriately prosecuted to deter others.

“We should ensure that apprehended vandals are appropriately prosecuted and kept away from larger community for good.

The governor, represented his Deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, commended NNPC for repairing the facility and relaunching loading operations at the depot.

“This is an important economic milestone and dividend of the change mantra because it is coming at the heals of our celebration of 50th anniversary as a state created on May 27, 1967,” he said.

He assured that the state government would give NNPC the necessary support to ensure provision of adequate security to the pipeline.