The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has disclosed that the masterminds behind Nigeria’s massive crude oil theft operations largely remain beyond the reach of security agencies, while those frequently arrested are mostly low-level operatives with little knowledge of the criminal networks they serve.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Abbas said the structure of oil theft syndicates is highly sophisticated and deliberately designed to shield the real beneficiaries from detection and prosecution.
According to him, individuals apprehended at illegal refining sites are often poor labourers recruited to carry out specific tasks for small payments, while those financing and coordinating the operations remain hidden.
“Most of the faces behind these thefts are not really known or are not the ones we always catch. The ones we get at most of the illegal refinery sites are just being given some paltry sum, while the big masquerades are the ones that make the real money,” he said.
The Naval Chief explained that investigations and prosecutions are often complicated because many suspects arrested at illegal facilities lack useful information about the identities of those directing the operations.
“In trying to prosecute some of these people that we get, some of them don’t even know who they are working for. So, the network is a very delicate one,” he added.
Despite the challenges, Abbas said the Nigerian Navy, alongside other security agencies, has continued to refine its operational strategies to counter the constantly evolving methods employed by oil thieves.
He noted that technology-driven surveillance systems, intelligence gathering, and enhanced monitoring capabilities have helped reduce the scale of crude oil theft across the country’s maritime and riverine environments.
“As they are evolving strategies, we are also evolving new strategies. Like I keep saying, technology is the way forward. With that, we have been able to reduce the level of theft,” he stated.
Abbas maintained that significant progress has been made in securing Nigeria’s coastal and riverine areas, although pockets of crude oil theft and sea robbery still persist.
“As it stands today, I can say that our coastal areas and the riverine areas are relatively safe,” he said.
He added that the Navy has recorded notable successes in combating illegal oil bunkering and maritime crimes, contributing to improved security within the nation’s waters.
The Naval Chief also advocated judicial reforms aimed at strengthening the fight against maritime crimes.
He called for the establishment of a specialised court dedicated to handling maritime-related offences, arguing that such a measure would accelerate the prosecution process.
READ ALSO:Â Army Intensifies Crackdown on Oil Theft, Dismantles 37 Illegal Refining Sites
According to him, the current legal process often leaves the Navy with the burden of maintaining seized vessels and exhibits for prolonged periods while cases remain in court.
“What we are pushing for is that we should have a special court that will try these maritime criminals,” Abbas said.
“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody.”
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining operations against oil theft networks and stressed that lasting success would require stronger collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, industry stakeholders, and host communities.
Crude oil theft remains one of Nigeria’s biggest economic challenges, costing the country billions of dollars annually in lost revenue while also causing severe environmental damage across oil-producing communities, particularly in the Niger Delta region.