PORT HARCOURT — Nigeria’s oil lifeline is haemorrhaging, and the Federal Government (FG) has declared an all‑out war on the marauding economic saboteurs behind illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
In a blistering address at the monthly stakeholders’ meeting of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) in Port Harcourt, Ojukaye Flag‑Amachree, Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), vowed that “no one is untouchable” – from street‑level operators to generals in uniform.
His stern warning is more than rhetoric: the ONSA has already prosecuted over 100 individuals for oil theft and pipeline sabotage.
A Nation Bleeding Billions
Illegal bunkering is not a petty crime; it is a crippling assault on Nigeria’s economy. Recent research estimates that the country loses about ₦2.184 trillion (roughly US\$5 billion) annually to oil bunkering alone.
Other analyses put the figure even higher—up to US\$25 billion per year, siphoned off through collusion, corruption, and clandestine refining operations.
This black‑market bonanza undermines public services, starves infrastructure projects and imperils national security.
The Human and Environmental Toll
Behind these staggering figures lies human tragedy and environmental devastation.
Over the past year, the Nigerian Navy destroyed 703 illicit refining sites and arrested 232 suspects, recovering more than 803,000 barrels of stolen crude—equivalent to over ₦105 billion in lost revenue reclaimed.
Yet the creeks and forests of the Niger Delta remain pockmarked by spills, toxic fumes and scorched earth, fuelling poverty, disease and social unrest in oil‑producing communities.
“No Business as Usual”
Speaking through his representative, Young Harry Amakiri, Flag‑Amachree appealed directly to community leaders: “Talk to our brothers… the business is not as usual as before; it has changed.”
He emphasised that rank and privilege offer no shield: “Even if you are a general in the army… if you are found guilty, you are going in for it.”
Such unflinching resolve marks a departure from past tolerance of “kpofire” outfits that siphoned crude and sold adulterated fuel with impunity.
From Vandalism to Prosecution
The figures speak volumes: over 100 prosecutions for oil theft and vandalism have already been secured by ONSA-led units this year.
Yet Nigeria’s daily production still hovers at 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd)—far below the 3 million bpd target set for 2025.
Operation Delta Sanity (OPDS), a joint initiative of the Navy and the petroleum ministry, has deployed drones, attack helicopters and enhanced intelligence to curb sabotage, boosting output from 1.4 million bpd to its current level.
Sweetening the Deal: Scholarships and Skills
In a dual‑pronged strategy, PINL announced 645 scholarships—three per host community along the Trans Niger Pipeline—and a forthcoming skills‑acquisition programme for women.
“Management has approved scholarships for three persons per community… and partnered with ONSA to build an investigative facility,” revealed Seriaki Alamieseigha, PINL’s Community Relations Executive.
This carrot‑and‑stick approach aims to co‑opt local youths, undercut criminal networks and foster economic empowerment in Rivers, Abia and Imo States.
Ministerial Endorsement
The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, lauded PINL’s community engagement and its role in slashing illegal bunkering.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Host Communities, Julius Eddie, Lokpobiri noted that PINL’s interventions have earned the ministry high‑profile recognition in ThisDay and Arise TV.
“Illegal oil bunkering… has tremendously reduced,” he declared, urging further collaboration to protect pipelines, livelihoods and the environment.
Zero Tolerance for Collusion
Engr. Akponine Omojevwe, Head of Field Operations for the Eastern Corridor at NNPCL, sounded a fresh alarm: sub‑contractor connivance remains a critical weakness.
He called for stringent due diligence in local hiring to prevent complicit insiders from facilitating vandalism.
“For PINL ratings to go up, you…the subcontractors… need to carry out your jobs effectively. Before you employ, carry out due diligence,” he warned.
A Critical Crossroads
Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads: continue to bleed revenue through oil theft—or embrace a bold security‑focused agenda that marries prosecution with community development.
The FG’s hardline stance, spearheaded by Flag‑Amachree and amplified by PINL’s scholarships, signals a seismic shift in tactics.
But sustaining this momentum demands unwavering political will, robust inter‑agency collaboration and genuine empowerment of oil‑bearing communities.
The Stakes: Sovereign Survival
Ultimately, this fight transcends crude volumes; it strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s sovereignty.
With oil revenue accounting for 70% of government coffers and 95% of export earnings, unchecked bunkering threatens the state’s very viability.
The coming months will reveal whether the FG can translate its tough talk into enduring deterrence—or whether the entrenched nexus of crime, corruption and complicity will remain too formidable to break.
Additional reporting by Atlantic Post writer Kalada Jumbo.
