The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to introduce stiffer penalties, including terrorism charges, against perpetrators of crude oil theft and terrorism-related crimes in the country.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made this known on Thursday during the opening of a two-day public hearing on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, held at the Senate wing of the National Assembly in Abuja.
Represented by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Akpabio decried the persistent sabotage of the country’s oil assets and vowed that the legislature would not stand by while economic saboteurs and non-state actors wreak havoc on national resources.
“The National Assembly cannot sit back and watch the country bleed,” Barau stated. “We are prepared to strengthen laws, enhance oversight, and ensure that agencies responsible for safeguarding our oil infrastructure are held accountable.”
Barau outlined some of the proposed legislative actions, which include:
Introducing stiffer penalties for crude oil theft, including labeling major offenders as terrorists.
Enforcing mandatory digital metering and real-time monitoring of all oil production and export activities.
Promoting greater transparency in crude oil lifting and revenue tracking.
Improving collaboration among security agencies—including the military, police, NSCDC, EFCC—and international partners to trace and intercept stolen crude.
The Senate’s firm stance comes amid growing concern over the scale of oil theft and its devastating impact on Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
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