Pyrates Confraternity demands stiff action against oil theft

By Adewale Sanyaolu

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has demanded stiff and decisive action against crude oil theft.

According to the group, the loss of “a staggering 400,000 barrels per day (bdp) to oil thieves as disclosed by government officials and oil industry stakeholders’ is “gravely worrisome”.

The NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje in a statement ‘Curbing Large-Scale Oil Theft in Nigeria- It’s Time to Act, Now’ noted that given the price of oil in the international market in contrast to cost of living conditions in Nigeria, couple with the free fall of the naira, this is not the time for Nigeria to be losing such huge revenue.

While pointing out that oil theft did not start with the current administration, he stated that the trend has “spiralled geometrically and has attained such a disturbing dimension under the present administration” posing great danger to the economic well being of Nigerians.

“It is against this background that the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) condemns this continuing brazen, disheartening and unacceptable theft. It is bewildering that with the number of security agencies including the Joint Task Force, (Operation Delta Safe), the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the special squad of the Police and Department of State Security deployed to guard oil assets, the industrial scale stealing of crude oil in the Niger Delta is continuing unabated,” he said.

 Owoaje stated that the on-going court-martial of 13 naval personnel over allegations of complicity in oil theft should be an eye-opener for the Federal Government to adopt more stringent measures through enacting stiffer laws to serve as deterrence to oil thieves.

He called on the Senate to make public the report of the findings of its 13-man Committee set up in April to probe oil theft and solicited support for a special court to try oil thieves so as to ensure diligent prosecution.

“To this end, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to appreciate that Nigeria is dealing with organised crime at its most daring and sophisticated depth and so should demonstrate brave and decisive leadership by taking concerted action towards unmasking the thieving cartel as well as their internal collaborators within the locals, and in all the security agencies. We believe that a total overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture in the maritime domain is an essential and major step towards cleaning the Augean stables.