Senate Initiates Investigation into Oil Theft, Collusion with Security Forces

The Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step by launching a comprehensive investigation into the illicit activities of organized groups and security forces involved in crude oil theft in the country.

The decision comes as a response to a motion presented during a recent plenary session by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North under the Peoples Democratic Party.

In his motion, Senator Nwoko highlighted the severe socio-economic crisis caused by pipeline vandalism and oil bunkering in Nigeria, leading to a staggering revenue shortfall of N2.3 trillion for the nation this year.

He also raised concerns about individuals within the security apparatus collaborating with unscrupulous elements in the oil industry, undermining the efforts of the Joint Task Force, which includes the Nigerian military and various security agencies, to combat this menace.

Senator Nwoko emphasized that while collaborative efforts had led to positive results, there were still individuals within security institutions engaging in illicit activities that harm the nation’s economy.

He pointed out that oil theft thrives due to troubling collaborations between security forces, militia groups, the local population, and some oil company employees, who employ sophisticated methods for these activities.

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The Senate’s investigation aims to scrutinize the activities of oil thieves and their collaborators within the security forces comprehensively. It will involve the committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream, Downstream, and Gas), host communities, and Niger Delta Affairs, with the objective of identifying those responsible for employing advanced methods to illicitly obtain resources from oil facilities.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has instructed the committees to conduct a thorough inquiry and report back to the Senate within six weeks. This initiative underscores the Senate’s commitment to addressing oil theft and corruption within the oil industry, a critical issue for Nigeria’s economy.