Reps Push Special Court to Tackle Crude Oil Theft

The House of Representatives Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft has proposed the establishment of a special court to prosecute cases of crude oil theft and sabotage.

The recommendation was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where the committee argued that weak laws and delays in the conventional court system have continued to undermine efforts to curb the crime.
Chairman of the committee, Alhassan Ado, said the existing laws governing crude oil theft are outdated and no longer serve as an effective deterrent. He noted that some of the legislations currently in use date back to the military era.

The Assistant Commandant General, Operations, of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), David Idowu, also supported the proposal for a special court, stating that weak legislation and inadequate punishment have continued to hamper efforts to combat crude oil theft.

Representing the National Security Adviser, the Director of Energy Security at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Goodluck Ilajufi, also called for stiffer laws, saying the current penalties imposed on convicted oil thieves are too lenient to deter criminal activities.
Officials of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC attended the meeting alongside other stakeholders to discuss measures aimed at curbing crude oil theft and protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.