Crude oil theft: Reps panel seeks tougher measure against perpetrators

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft has called for tougher measures against those involved in crude oil theft in the country.

The Chairman of the committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who made the call at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, also advocated for special courts to try those arrested for crude oil theft.

Doguwa noted that tackling criminals engaged in crude oil theft and sabotage in the oil and gas sector requires a review of existing legislations on penalties to make them commensurate with the gravity of the offences.

He said: “We have been able to achieve some very remarkable progress in the course of our interface. We all agreed to work on the same page to address the existing legal frameworks and some of the bottlenecks affecting them.

“The global oil and gas economy is now in an advanced stage. Virtually all oil-producing countries are making progress because they have provided effective legal instruments to address their challenges. For this reason, we believe Nigeria should also review some of its laws.

“Some may ask what happens to the PIA. This has got nothing to do with the PIA. The PIA merely addresses the fundamentals and basic principles of doing business within the global oil economy. None of its commitments or provisions will be affected.

“However, we still have old legislations, some dating back to the military era, including military decrees and orders, which are still being applied at various levels. The courts have no option but to rely on those laws.”

The lawmaker noted that, “unless we provide new measures, new laws and a new legal framework, the courts will continue to rely on these obsolete legislations in handling serious criminality within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.”