The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has said that the masterminds behind crude oil theft in Nigeria often evade detection, while those arrested at illegal refining sites are usually low-level operatives with little or no knowledge of the criminal networks they serve.
Speaking on Friday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Abbas said the structure of oil theft syndicates makes it difficult for security agencies to identify and prosecute those who orchestrate the illicit trade.
According to him, many of the suspects apprehended during anti-crude oil theft operations are merely labourers recruited for small payments, while the principal beneficiaries remain hidden.
“Most of the faces behind these thefts are not really known or are not the ones we always catch. The ones we get at most of the illegal refinery sites are just being given some paltry sum, while the big masquerades are the ones that make the real money,” he said.
The Naval Chief explained that prosecution efforts are often hindered because many arrested suspects possess limited information about those financing or directing the operations.
“In trying to prosecute some of these people that we get, some of them don’t even know who they are working for. So, the network is a very delicate one,” he added.
Despite the challenge, Abbas said the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies have continued to adapt their strategies to counter the evolving tactics of oil thieves and illegal refiners.
“As they are evolving strategies, we are also evolving new strategies. Like I keep saying, technology is the way forward. With that, we have been able to reduce the level of theft,” he stated.
He noted that the deployment of technology-driven surveillance systems, intelligence-gathering platforms, and enhanced monitoring mechanisms has significantly improved efforts to curb crude oil theft and protect critical national assets.
Crude oil theft remains one of the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s petroleum sector, contributing to huge revenue losses and environmental degradation across oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.
The Naval Chief reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining operations against oil theft, stressing that collaboration among security agencies, industry stakeholders, and host communities remains essential to safeguarding the nation’s oil resources.
Coastal Areas Relatively Safe
Abbas also expressed confidence in the security situation within Nigeria’s maritime environment, stating that the country’s coastal and riverine communities are now relatively safe.
He attributed the improvement to sustained naval operations against crude oil theft, sea robbery, and other maritime crimes.
“As it stands today, I can say that our coastal areas and the riverine areas are relatively safe,” he said.
According to him, while crude oil theft and isolated incidents of sea robbery still occur, the Navy has been largely successful in containing such threats through intensified surveillance and enforcement operations.
“What we are contending with mostly there is the issue of crude oil theft and some pockets of sea robbery, which we are able to curtail,” he stated.
Naval Chief Advocates Special Court for Maritime Crimes
The Chief of the Naval Staff also renewed his call for the establishment of a special court dedicated to the prosecution of maritime crimes, including crude oil theft and related offences.
According to him, such a court would help fast-track the administration of justice and address delays associated with the conventional judicial process.
“What we are pushing for is that we should have a special court that will try these maritime criminals,” Abbas said.
He argued that the creation of a specialised court would ease the burden on the Navy, which currently spends significant resources maintaining seized vessels and other exhibits pending the conclusion of prolonged legal proceedings.
“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody,” he stated.
Abbas noted that the Navy incurs substantial operational costs in securing and maintaining vessels arrested for involvement in crude oil theft and other maritime offences while awaiting prosecution and judgment.
He maintained that a specialised maritime court would not only strengthen accountability but also enhance the overall effectiveness of efforts to combat criminal activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
