By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft has proposed the establishment of a special court to fast-track the prosecution of crude oil thieves and oil sector saboteurs, as part of broader efforts to curb the persistent menace undermining Nigeria’s economy and national security.
The proposal emerged at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the committee in Abuja on Thursday, where lawmakers, security agencies and other stakeholders called for a comprehensive overhaul of existing legal frameworks governing crude oil theft.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, said the current legal regime, largely based on obsolete laws dating back to the military era, has failed to deter offenders because of the lenient penalties imposed on convicted criminals.
According to him, the committee would work with relevant stakeholders to review existing legislations and strengthen sanctions against oil thieves and economic saboteurs.
“We have agreed to work together to address the legal bottlenecks affecting the fight against crude oil theft. Nigeria must review its obsolete laws to reflect present-day realities in the global oil and gas industry,” Doguwa said.
He clarified that the proposed legal reforms would not affect the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), explaining that the reforms are targeted at outdated criminal laws that courts currently rely on to prosecute offenders.
The lawmaker stressed that the National Assembly would collaborate with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to ensure stronger legal instruments are put in place to combat crude oil theft, noting that the crime continues to undermine Nigeria’s crude oil production targets and economic growth.
Doguwa also disclosed that the committee had recommended the creation of a special court dedicated to handling crude oil theft and related offences to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.
“If these cases continue to pass through the conventional court system, many of them will linger while the criminals evade justice. These are specialised crimes that require specialised courts,” he said.
The committee chairman, however, expressed disappointment over the absence of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) at the stakeholders’ meeting, describing the agency as a critical player in the fight against crude oil theft.
He directed the committee clerk to summon the commission to appear before the panel.
“It is unfortunate that the NUPRC neither attended nor sent representatives. They are key stakeholders, and we expect them to appear before the committee,” he said.
Also speaking, Director of Energy Security at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Goodluck Ilajufi, who represented the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, called on the National Assembly to strengthen existing laws, arguing that the current punishment regime offers little deterrence.
He lamented that despite the huge resources committed to arresting and prosecuting oil thieves, many offenders receive minimal punishments, including fines that do not reflect the gravity of the offences.
He specifically called for amendments to provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act relating to petroleum infrastructure vandalism and adulteration of petroleum products.
Similarly, the Assistant Commandant General (Operations) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), David Idowu, backed the proposal for a special court, saying weak laws have continued to frustrate efforts to tackle crude oil theft.
He recalled instances where convicted offenders received sentences that failed to match the severity of their crimes, stressing that specialised courts would ensure stiffer punishments for both direct perpetrators and their sponsors.
A member of the committee, Hon. Cyril Hart, also urged the committee to examine issues surrounding oil block ownership and production capacity, warning that licence holders who fail to develop oil assets within stipulated timelines should be held accountable for economic sabotage.
He expressed concerns over the ongoing divestment by international oil companies, noting that indigenous firms acquiring the assets must possess adequate financial capacity to maximise production.
Representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC attended the meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration in the fight against crude oil theft.
