Stakeholders, activists, and environmental experts in the Niger Delta have made a strong call for the investigation of all past and current Joint Task Force (JTF) commanders and operatives, from the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo up to the current administration, over alleged complicity in crude oil theft within the region.
The JTF is a coalition of Nigeria’s security agencies including the military, police, and DSS, tasked with addressing issues such as militancy and oil-related crimes in the oil-rich Niger Delta. However, insiders assert that despite its mission, oil theft continues unabated because senior security personnel are reportedly safeguarding major oil criminals while only arresting petty offenders.
Stakeholders who spoke to Saturday Vanguard claimed that these high-level criminals operate using large containers and ships, smuggling crude directly from export terminals, while the low-level “bunkerers” use jerrycans in the creeks. They further alleged that corrupt security personnel leak operational information to these syndicates.
Bunkerers Now Use Women, Children to Evade Arrest
Security reports have revealed an alarming strategy adopted by bunkerers — using women and children as human shields in their illegal refining camps. This tactic is employed to discourage security operatives from engaging due to fear of harming innocent lives.
An anonymous source disclosed that this approach has become a standard practice. The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, confirmed receiving such a report during a meeting with traditional leaders and local government officials. Governor Diri expressed concern, noting that soldiers often withdraw when they encounter children and women during raids. He urged community leaders to report these incidents to help combat the escalating menace.
Advocate Demands Holistic Probe of JTF Roles
Saviour Akpan, Executive Director of the COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace Building, highlighted that the fight against oil theft lacks effectiveness. He emphasized the need for a covert and impartial investigation of every JTF commander since Obasanjo’s administration.
Akpan referenced public allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, both of whom openly accused law enforcement officers of colluding with oil criminals. According to Akpan, unless these accusations are properly addressed, oil theft will persist indefinitely.
Conspiracy Between Security Agencies and Oil Cartels — NDPC
Zik Gbemre, Coordinator of the Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), lamented that small-time oil thieves are often prosecuted while the masterminds remain untouched. He noted that large vessels involved in oil theft are rarely traced back to their financiers, and those arrested are usually foot soldiers who get lenient sentences or fines, allowing the real perpetrators to escape justice.
He further exposed how local diesel producers — often called “kpofire” operators — flood the market with unregulated diesel, undercutting prices and attracting patronage from legitimate marketers. Gbemre alleged that even billion-naira security surveillance contracts have failed to stop this fraud because too many parties benefit from it — including compromised oil company workers, security forces, and surveillance firms.
Gbemre accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of lacking the political will to hold military officers accountable, noting that many personnel even lobby to be posted to the South-South region due to the lucrative nature of illegal oil deals.
Small-time Criminals Punished, Big Players Shielded
In Akwa Ibom, enforcement against artisanal refineries has led to some arrests. Yet, the trend shows that the more authorities clamp down, the more emboldened the perpetrators become.
For instance, on February 23, 2024, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Forward Operating Base Ibaka intercepted eight suspected oil thieves aboard the MV Jasmine. The vessel reportedly carried 30,000 liters of suspected crude in Geepee tanks. The suspects lacked the necessary permits and were handed to the EFCC.
Likewise, on April 3, 2024, the commanding officer of NNS Jubilee, Commodore Abubakar Umar, paraded nine suspects caught at a remote offshore wellhead. Convictions are rare; however, on January 13, 2025, the Federal High Court in Calabar sentenced MT New Angel and Edi Eurolink Distribution to fines of ₦10 million for unauthorized petroleum trading.
Leaked Intelligence and Intimidation Undermine Anti-Theft Efforts
Environmental activist Morris Alagoa, Deputy Director of the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), pointed out that security operatives often leak information to oil criminals. He recounted how a traditional ruler’s attempt to report criminal activity was compromised, leading to threats on his life.
Alagoa referenced the role of Tompolo, the head of Tantita Security Services, who has been working to prevent illegal refining. However, he stated that military personnel who initially act upright often get corrupted over time.
Until security agencies are held to account and transparency becomes a standard in enforcement, Alagoa warned, the cycle of oil theft will continue unabated.
Exposing Military Complicity at Oil Terminals
Continuing his remarks, Alagoa recalled an eye-opening revelation from the 2013/2014 Bayelsa Security Summit on Illegal Bunkering and the Nigerian Economy. During the event, where he and Alabo Nengi James served as panelists, a high-ranking naval officer disclosed that senior officials in the military, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and oil companies were complicit in under-reporting crude volumes at export terminals.
Despite the presence of Joint Task Force (JTF) commanders and top military personnel at the summit, the naval officer openly criticized their roles, drawing attention to systemic corruption in the oil sector’s oversight and operations.
“Spoons in the Creeks, Drums at the Terminals”
Using a vivid metaphor, the officer compared the scale of theft: local bunkerers in the creeks were likened to “stealing with spoons,” while massive operations at export terminals equated to “stealing with drums.” This stark contrast illustrated how small-scale local theft pales in comparison to the industrial-level fraud at official terminals.
Until Nigeria adopts a comprehensive strategy to confront oil theft holistically—both at the grassroots and institutional levels—the crisis will continue unchecked.
Alagoa stressed that issues like fuel scarcity also contribute to the persistence of bunkering. He noted that kerosene, a vital resource for low-income Nigerians, remains largely inaccessible, and even urban dwellers struggle to refill cooking gas. According to economists, supply-demand imbalances fuel the illegal trade. In the Niger Delta, this harsh reality often pushes locals toward bunkering as a survival strategy.
Traditional Rulers Must Be Protected Too
He further argued that just as politicians and oil executives receive armed security escorts, community leaders—especially traditional rulers—must also be granted protection. Expecting them to confront bunkerers within their communities without safeguarding their lives is unreasonable.
“When Prof. Yemi Osinbajo served as acting president, he visited the Niger Delta and the government pledged to support modular refineries,” Alagoa reminded. “That promise needs to be renewed and discussed with local youth. Until that happens, we will keep going in circles.”
Oil Belongs to the People – Prof. Okaba
Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and head of the Conference of Presidents-General of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, suggested that militarized crackdowns alone won’t resolve oil theft. Instead, he advocated for a carrot-and-stick approach, combining enforcement with local empowerment.
According to Prof. Okaba, persistent military operations have failed to end illegal refining. He urged that the root causes—poverty, unemployment, collusion by officials, and environmental neglect—must be addressed.
He proposed that the only lasting solution is to transfer oil resource ownership to indigenous communities. Let them oversee oil extraction and remit an agreed share to the federal government, aligning with principles of true federalism. He added that strategies like economic empowerment, environmental restoration, and local participation in decision-making will foster sustainable peace and development.
Legal Activist Calls for Written Security Agreements
Human rights lawyer and minority rights advocate Iniruo Wills emphasized that the exclusion of host communities from oil surveillance schemes is a critical flaw.
According to Wills, a formal, written agreement is necessary between the federal government, state governments, oil asset operators, and host communities. This contract should define roles in securing oil infrastructure, choosing between trained local asset monitors or private security firms, guided by strict operational standards.
He stressed the importance of community-based whistle-blowing platforms, involving all stakeholders in security and accountability. Moreover, he called on President Tinubu to direct agencies like the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NMDPRA, and NUPRC to urgently draft and implement a clear roadmap for addressing the petroleum product supply deficit in host communities—whether through modular refineries or other creative methods.
Wills also pointed to the role of institutions like the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), NNPC, NDDC, CBN, and Ministry of Finance. According to him, these agencies bear both blame and responsibility—and must work collaboratively under presidential guidance to close local supply gaps.
“This supply gap is the gateway exploited by major racketeers, escalating oil theft into an industrial-scale crisis that continues to drain the nation’s economy,” he warned.
Kindly Share:
Discover more from LMSINT STORE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
