The Niger-Delta Concerned Host Communities, (NDCHC), has petitioned both the United Nations Secretary-General and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, calling for an investigation into the illegal export of crude oil from Nigeria.
In a press statement issued yesterday, the group has urged INTERPOL and the new Director-General of the Department of Security Services (DSS) to probe the involvement of security forces and militia groups in the sophisticated theft of the country’s oil.
According to the NDCHC, oil theft has led to a revenue loss of N2.3 trillion for Nigeria in 2023 alone. The group alleges that certain corrupt elements within security agencies are conspiring with a Junior Defense Minister, oil regulators, international oil companies, foreign shipowners, and other industry insiders to facilitate the theft.
The NDCHC claims these illicit activities undermine the efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the Nigerian military and other security agencies, which are tasked with combating oil theft. The group describes this issue as a “grave economic and financial crime”, pointing to its disruption of Nigeria’s key economic sector.
According to an NDCHC spokesperson, “In March 2023, it was reported that Nigeria lost 65.7 million barrels of crude oil due to theft, with the oil valued at $83 per barrel. This translates to a staggering revenue loss of N2.3 trillion”.
The group urged President Tinubu to conduct a thorough investigation into the actions of oil thieves and their high-level collaborators within the security forces.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has also recently weighed in on the issue, describing oil theft as an organized crime involving both bunker operators and senior security officials. According to him, this is why many security personnel seek postings in oil-producing regions, where they can be part of these illegal operations.
