The Senate’s Ad Hoc Committee on Crude Oil recently convened with Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to strengthen their partnership in combating crude oil theft across the nation. During the meeting held on Thursday in Abuja, the committee, chaired by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta), highlighted the importance of this collaboration in addressing the widespread issue of oil theft.
A statement from the Ned Nwoko Media Directorate, shared with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), emphasized the Senate’s dedication to working alongside security agencies to protect Nigeria’s oil resources. Senator Nwoko pointed out the necessity for improved cooperation between the Nigerian Police Force and the Senate in tackling crimes related to oil.
He stressed the importance of enhancing intelligence sharing to effectively fight against crude oil theft, calling for urgent strategies to bolster operational coordination between the police and the legislative body. Nwoko remarked on the need for stricter security measures around critical oil infrastructure and affirmed the Senate’s commitment to supporting law enforcement agencies in their efforts to prevent economic sabotage and safeguard Nigeria’s oil assets.
“Collaboration is key to developing effective solutions to this urgent problem,” he stated. “The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft is steadfast in its mission to devise long-term solutions, and this meeting represents a significant advancement towards that goal.”
According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), between 2002 and 2025, approximately 353 million barrels of crude oil were stolen from Nigeria’s Niger Delta. This amount translates to around 56.1 billion liters, equivalent to 1.2 million fuel tankers, each holding 45,000 liters. At the current average price of $73 per barrel for Nigerian crude, the estimated financial loss from this stolen oil reaches about 25.7 billion dollars, or N39.3 trillion.
