THE House of Representatives Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft has renewed calls for the establishment of dedicated courts to try saboteurs and oil thieves, warning that weak, military-era legislations are emboldening criminals and undermining Nigeria’s socio-economic development and national security.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, made the appeal at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday, which brought together senior officers from the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
In his address, Doguwa argued that tackling the menace requires a comprehensive review of existing penalties to ensure they are commensurate with the gravity of the offences.
He noted that obsolete laws dating back to the military era have become counterproductive, with lenient punishments failing to deter repeat offenders.
“We have been able to achieve some very remarkable progress in the course of our interface. We all agreed to work on the same page to address the existing legal frameworks and some of the bottlenecks affecting them,” Doguwa stated.
He stressed that the global oil and gas economy has moved to an advanced stage, with virtually all oil-producing countries making progress because they have provided effective legal instruments to address their challenges. “For this reason, we believe Nigeria should also review some of its laws,” he added.
Addressing concerns about the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the chairman clarified: “This has got nothing to do with the PIA. The PIA merely addresses the fundamentals and basic principles of doing business within the global oil economy. None of its commitments or provisions will be affected. However, we still have old legislations, some dating back to the military era, including military decrees and orders, which are still being applied at various levels. The courts have no option but to rely on those laws.”
Doguwa assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would partner with the Office of the National Security Adviser to combat crude oil theft effectively, warning that daily production targets in the budget would continue to fall short until the problem is addressed.
The committee also expressed displeasure over the absence of key regulatory agencies, particularly the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). “We frown at that action and have directed the Clerk of the Committee to write to them, requiring them to appear before the committee because they are key stakeholders in the fight against this serious problem bedevilling our country,” Doguwa said.
On the proposal for special courts, the chairman remarked: “We have also recommended in previous bills before the House the possibility of establishing a special court for these kinds of crimes because the crimes themselves are special. If we allow these criminal cases to go through the conventional court system, considering the delays involved, many of them will remain unresolved while the criminals escape appropriate punishment.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Goodluck Ilajufi, who represented National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, revealed that many previously believed crude oil losses resulted mainly from ageing pipelines – but said the reality is far more complex.
“My experience in the field is that after enormous state resources are spent arresting and prosecuting these criminals, the punishment they eventually receive is almost meaningless. A judge may sentence someone to five years imprisonment with an option of a N100,000 fine, or even six months imprisonment. That makes a mockery of the entire process,” Ilajufi lamented.
He called for urgent amendments to the Miscellaneous Offences Act, particularly Sections 107 and 118 relating to tampering with petroleum infrastructure and adulteration of products, stressing that without stronger laws, the deterrent effect would remain weak.
The Assistant Commandant General (Operations) of the NSCDC, David Idowu, also appealed for special courts, recounting a distressing incident where a lawyer returned from court in tears because the punishment handed down did not reflect the gravity of the offence. “If there is a special court to try these offenders, including the shadow actors behind these crimes, they will receive appropriate punishment,” he said.
Committee member Hon. Cyril Hart highlighted additional concerns, including the issue of obsolete infrastructure and the financial capacity of local firms acquiring critical national assets through divestment. “The PIA makes it very clear that the oil belongs to the people of Nigeria. It does not belong to the oil companies. Therefore, if an oil block is not exploited for the benefit of Nigerians, that amounts to crude oil loss and economic sabotage,” he warned.
Meanwhile, CSP Idris Abdullahi Mohammed of the Nigeria Police Force’s Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering Prevention Unit reaffirmed the police’s commitment to active collaboration with sister security agencies and stakeholders to combat sabotage in the sector.
The committee’s push for legal reforms comes as Nigeria continues to struggle with meeting its crude oil production targets, with stakeholders insisting that without a robust legal framework and special courts, the fight against oil theft would remain an uphill battle.
