…terrorism charges for major offenders
The National Assembly is considering stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said.
He said this yesterday while declaring open a twoday public hearing on the incessant and nefarious acts of crude oil theft in Niger Delta. According to him, the National Assembly will not stand by while the economy bleeds.
Akpabio said the oil and gas sector remains the lifeblood of the economy, accounting for over 80 per cent of government revenue and 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. Latest reports indicate that Nigeria loses between 150,000 and 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to theft.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor said: “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 the fight against crude oil theft cannot be left to government alone as such oil companies must invest in modern surveillance technology and secure pipelines. The legislator urged host communities must see themselves as first-line defenders of these assets, not victims or accomplices.
Akpabio said: “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.”
