The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC, says it uncovered an illegal 4-kilometre pipeline from Forcados terminal to the sea, and a loading port that had operated undetected in the last nine years.

Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer, GCEO), NNPC Limited, said this on Tuesday when he appeared before the senate joint committees on petroleum (upstream and downstream), and gas.

He said the pipeline was found during a clampdown on theft in the past six weeks.

According to him, the level of oil theft at hand, poses a blend of both social and security problems.

After over four hours of interactive session, members of the committees proposed that capital punishment be put in place for offenders, which will be presented at plenary for consideration.