By THE Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources has been warned that illegal crude oil export operations in the Niger Delta are not only draining national revenue but also causing severe environmental damage.
A report presented to the committee by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) detailed how crude transfers from sacks to wooden boats and onward to offshore vessels are occurring without any safety protocols.
“The transfer of crude from sacks to boats to offshore vessels, conducted without any of the safety protocols required in legitimate operations, frequently results in spills that contaminate marine ecosystems,” the report stated.
“These spills add to the cumulative environmental damage already inflicted on the Niger Delta by decades of oil industry operations and criminal activity.”
The report described how Tantita’s marine patrols have had to develop specialised tactics to counter these operations.
“Unlike land-based theft, which can be addressed through pipeline monitoring and ground patrols, the maritime dimension requires capabilities including high-speed interceptor boats, night-vision equipment, and intelligence networks,” the document explained.
In one notable operation detailed before the committee, Tantita personnel spent weeks gathering intelligence about a particularly active illegal jetty.
“The operation involved coordination with naval assets and resulted in the seizure of thousands of litres of stolen crude and the arrest of multiple suspects,” the report noted.
However, it added that “criminal networks have shown a frustrating ability to reconstruct such facilities quickly.”
The testimony also highlighted the international dimension, revealing that ships receiving stolen crude are often flagged in countries with minimal maritime enforcement, with ownership obscured through complex corporate structures.
“This international character of the crime complicates enforcement efforts that are necessarily focused on Nigerian territory and waters,” committee members were told.
Despite the challenges, the report expressed confidence in continued enforcement.
“The success Tantita has already achieved in interdicting boats and destroying clandestine jetties has reportedly disrupted the operations of multiple criminal networks, forcing them to expend more resources on evasion and reducing the profitability of their illicit activities,” the document concluded.
Several committee members indicated they would raise the issue of Nigeria’s global reputation with international partners, as the report warned that if buyers can reliably obtain discounted Nigerian crude illegally, “it undermines the legitimate market for Nigerian oil and potentially encourages further theft.”
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