Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), the sole administrator of Rivers State, has advocated for effective prosecution of oil thieves to combat the endemic economic sabotage that is destroying Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Ibas made the call while hosting the Senate Committee on Incessant Crude Oil Theft, chaired by Senator Ned Nwoko, at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
This was contained in a statement made by the media aide to the Sole Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, on Friday.
Igbikiowubo emphasised that inadequate punishment for offenders encourages criminality, depriving the country of essential money for development.
“Your presence here is both significant and timely. Crude oil theft strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s economic survival, undermining President Bola Tinubu’s reforms to boost oil production and fund national infrastructure,” he stated.
He praised the Committee’s responsibility to examine oil theft across producing states and ports and expressed confidence that its recommendations would enhance Nigeria’s economic foundation.
Ibas highlighted Rivers State’s progress in reducing pipeline vandalism through improved intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination.
He added, “As a major oil-producing state, we are committed to eliminating threats to production. Our goal is a secure, tech-driven monitoring framework to safeguard assets and boost output.
“Strict prosecution of offenders will ensure convicted oil thieves face deterrent penalties.”
In his response, Senator Ned Nwoko affirmed the committee’s determination to identify and dismantle theft networks, both onshore and offshore.
“We need Rivers State’s support to end this menace. Big-time thieves operate in international waters, and we must collaborate to secure Nigeria’s resources,” he said.
