Nine Oil Thieves Bag 10 Years Each in Akwa Ibom

The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced nine men to 10 years each for stealing crude oil from an oil wellhead in Ibeno Local Government Area.

Justice Joy Ikpeme convicted the men on two counts of conspiracy and tampering with an oil pipeline.

The offences contravened Section 1(7) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

The judge imposed five years on each convict for the first count and 10 years for the second.

She ordered that the sentences should run concurrently and ruled out any option of a fine.

The ruling therefore means each of the nine convicts will spend 10 years in prison.

The convicts formed part of 19 suspects arrested during an intelligence-led operation by the Nigerian Navy and the Department of State Services.

Security operatives caught them while allegedly stealing crude from an oil wellhead identified as ASABO-D in Ibeno.

The remaining 10 suspects are expected to face further legal proceedings, according to reports on the case.

The prosecution of the suspects reflects the wider security campaign against crude theft across Nigeria’s oil-producing areas.

Security agencies have increased operations against illegal bunkering networks that target pipelines, wellheads, vessels and other petroleum facilities.

In April, Nigerian Army troops arrested 15 suspected oil thieves around the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State.

The suspects allegedly tried to tap crude from a vessel supplying the Dangote Refinery.

Troops from the 9 Brigade and 65 Battalion recovered vehicles, pumping equipment, a speedboat engine and several hose pipes.

The operation followed intelligence and surveillance around the refinery corridor.

The government has intensified such operations because crude theft continues to threaten oil production and public revenue.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has repeatedly highlighted the financial cost of theft and pipeline sabotage.

NEITI reported that Nigeria lost 13.5 million barrels of crude worth $3.3 billion to theft and sabotage in 2022.

The agency said the loss represented revenue that could have supported critical sectors such as healthcare and energy access.

The scale of the losses has made oil theft a major concern for the Federal Government and the petroleum industry.

The problem also extends beyond lost revenue because illegal operations can damage pipelines and other oil infrastructure.

Such activities can further disrupt production and create environmental risks for communities in oil-producing areas.

Recent security efforts, however, have shown signs of improving the situation in some parts of the Niger Delta.

In August 2025, NNPC Limited said coordinated security operations had nearly eliminated pipeline theft.

The company said improved protection had helped crude reaching export terminals approach full delivery levels.

Despite the progress, authorities continue to confront organised networks involved in crude theft and illegal bunkering.

The Akwa Ibom convictions therefore add to the growing number of prosecutions targeting individuals accused of interfering with petroleum infrastructure.

The 10-year sentences also send a stronger warning to those involved in crude theft as security agencies intensify enforcement across the country.