The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has said the real sponsors and financiers of crude oil theft in Nigeria remain largely beyond the reach of security agencies, while those usually arrested are low-level operatives who know little or nothing about the wider criminal network.

Abbas disclosed this on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he explained that the structure of oil theft syndicates is deliberately complex and difficult to penetrate.

According to him, most of those arrested at illegal refinery sites are not the major beneficiaries of the crime but persons paid small amounts to carry out the operations.

“Most of the faces behind these thefts are not really known or are not the ones we always catch. The ones we get at most of the illegal refinery sites are just being given some paltry sum, while the big masquerades are the ones that make the real money,” he said.

The Naval Chief noted that this structure often makes prosecution difficult because many of the arrested suspects do not know the identities of those behind the operations.

“In trying to prosecute some of these people that we get, some of them don’t even know who they are working for. So, the network is a very delicate one,” he added.

Despite the challenge, Abbas said the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies were continually reviewing their strategies to counter the evolving methods used by oil thieves.

“As they are evolving strategies, we are also evolving new strategies. Like I keep saying, technology is the way forward. With that, we have been able to reduce the level of theft,” he stated.

He said the deployment of technology-driven surveillance systems, intelligence gathering and coordinated monitoring had improved enforcement efforts in oil-producing areas.

Crude oil theft, particularly in the Niger Delta, has continued to cost Nigeria huge revenue losses while also causing environmental damage in affected communities.

However, Abbas insisted that progress was being recorded in securing maritime, coastal and riverine areas.

“As it stands today, I can say that our coastal areas and the riverine areas are relatively safe,” he said.

According to him, the Navy has recorded notable success in tackling illegal oil bunkering and sea robbery, although isolated incidents still occur.

“What we are contending with mostly there is the issue of crude oil theft and some pockets of sea robbery, which we are able to curtail,” he added.

Beyond security operations, the Naval Chief called for judicial reform to strengthen the prosecution of maritime crimes.

He proposed the establishment of a special court dedicated to trying maritime offenders, saying such a court would speed up prosecution and reduce the burden on the Navy.

“What we are pushing for is that we should have a special court that will try these maritime criminals,” Abbas said.

He explained that the current system places a heavy financial and logistical burden on the Navy, especially in relation to the custody and maintenance of seized vessels during prolonged trials.

“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody,” he stated.

Abbas reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining pressure on oil theft syndicates, stressing that long-term success would require stronger collaboration among security agencies, stakeholders and host communities.

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