Senate Weighs Stiffer Penalties for Oil Theft, Terrorism Charges for Offenders

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly in tackling the crude oil theft, stressing the legislature is considering stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders.Akpabio disclosed this while declaring open a two-day public hearing on the incessant and nefarious acts of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and the actors at the Senate wing of the National Assembly.

Represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, he said the 10th National Assembly will not stand by while the country’s economy bleeds.”We are prepared to strengthen laws, enhance oversight, and ensure that agencies responsible for protecting our oil assets are held accountable.

”Specifically, we will consider: Stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders. Mandatory digital metering and real-time monitoring of all oil production and exports. Greater transparency in crude oil lifting and revenue reporting. Enhanced collaboration between the military, police, NSCDC, EFCC, and international partners to track and intercept stolen crude,” he said.He said the fight against crude oil theft cannot be left to the government alone as such oil companies must invest in modern surveillance technology and secure pipelines.According to him, host communities must see themselves as first-line defenders of these assets, not victims or accomplices. He said security agencies must demonstrate zero tolerance for complicity.”As I declare this Public Hearing open, I charge all stakeholders to engage with the utmost seriousness. The recommendations from this session must lead to actionable, measurable, and time-bound solutions. Nigeria’s survival depends on it.”To the criminals stealing our crude oil, your time is up. To the agencies tasked with protecting our resources, the nation is watching. And to this Ad-hoc Committee, the Senate expects nothing less than a robust, no-holds-barred report that will guide decisive legislative and executive actions. It is time to take back what belongs to Nigeria,” he said.He commended the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Incessant Crude Oil Theft, chaired by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko (Delta North), for convening the public hearing”Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains the lifeblood of our economy, accounting for over 80% of government revenue and 90% of foreign exchange earnings. Yet, for decades, we have watched in dismay as criminal syndicates—both foreign and domestic—continue to siphon our crude oil with brazen impunity. “Recent reports indicate that Nigeria loses between 150,000 and 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to theft—a staggering hemorrhage that translates to billions of dollars in lost revenue annually.”This theft is not a victimless crime. It directly undermines our economic stability, devalues the Naira, starves critical sectors of funding, and perpetuates poverty in oil-producing communities. Worse still, it finances illegal arms, fuels violence, and emboldens criminal networks that threaten national security.”Let me be unequivocal, crude oil theft is an act of economic sabotage and must be treated as such. Those behind this criminal enterprise are enemies of the state, and they must be pursued, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. We can no longer tolerate a situation where a few greedy individuals and cartels hold our nation’s wealth hostage while millions of Nigerians suffer.”While previous efforts have been made to curb this menace, the persistence of oil theft suggests systemic failures that require immediate and decisive action.This Public Hearing must address key questions: Who are the perpetrators? (Are they militants, corrupt officials, international collaborators, or all three?) Why have current surveillance and security measures failed? How are stolen crude oil shipments exported without detection? What legislative and policy reforms can close existing loopholes?”We must also critically examine the roles of regulatory agencies, security forces, oil companies, and host communities in either enabling or combating this crime,” the President of the Senate stated.