A well-known petroleum engineer, Alex Neyin, has stated that oil theft is not a new thing in Nigeria. Alex Neyin said that as far back as 1983, he had already discovered that pipelines were tapped by some individuals.

 

 

According to Alex Neyin, it is surprising that Nigerians are acting as if the recent discovery of tapped pipelines in the Niger Delta is a new thing. Alex Neyin made this known in a recent interview with Arise Television.

 

Alex Neyin disclosed that he came back to Nigeria in 1979 and in 1983, he discovered that some persons had tapped the pipelines in the Niger Delta and were stealing oil from Nigeria.

 

 

Furthermore, Alex Neyin, stated that the level of sophisticated tapping which was done in the pipeline was done by professionals. Alex Neyin went on to say that it is important to note that nobody will attempt to tap the pipeline without knowing the exact time crude oil was not being popped through the pipeline.

 

 

Alex Neyin was of the opinion that the persons who tapped the pipelines must have had insider information about how crude oil was being pumped in the pipelines. Alex Neyin also said that when he discovered that the pipeline was tapped, he tried his best to let people know but he could not do much because he acted as a private individual.