Senate Appoints Nwoko to Lead Ad Hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft
ABUJA/Nigeria: The Senate has appointed Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, as the chairman of its ad hoc committee on crude oil theft. Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during plenary on Tuesday, February 11.
The committee’s formation follows a motion sponsored by Senator Nwoko on July 25, 2023, titled “Need to Investigate the Incessant and Nefarious Acts of Crude Oil Thefts in the Niger Delta and the Actors.” The motion, which highlighted the alarming scale of oil theft in the region, prompted the Senate to take decisive action to address the crisis.
The committee has been mandated to investigate the involvement of security forces, militia groups, local communities, and oil company employees in crude oil theft. It will also recommend measures to enhance surveillance, including the deployment of aerial drones to safeguard oil installations. Additionally, the committee is expected to propose conflict resolution mechanisms involving International Oil Companies (IOCs), host communities, and security agencies to tackle the root causes of oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Senator Nwoko, while moving the motion, emphasized the devastating impact of oil theft on Nigeria’s economy and the suffering of oil-producing communities. He lamented that despite contributing significantly to the nation’s crude oil and gas output, five out of the nine local government areas in his senatorial district remain plagued by poverty, with inadequate access to clean water, electricity, healthcare, and job opportunities.
The Senate has also directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to engage host communities, government officials, IOCs, and security agencies in strengthening the protection of oil pipeline infrastructure to curb economic sabotage.
