I’ve been threatened severally by crude oil thieves-Uduaghan

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in a warm handshake with the Ovie of Uvwie, HRM. Abe I, while Hon. Daniel Yingi and other dignitaries observe 

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has revealed that he has received several threat text messages and phone calls from suspected crude oil thieves in his determination to stop crude oil theft.

Dr. Uduaghan made the revelation at day-1(Tuesday April 15) of the 2nd Delta State Oil and Gas Stakeholders' Conference held at the PTI Conference Centre in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.



While noting that it takes a lot of "political will "to stop crude oil theft, Dr. Uduaghan vowed that his administration will continue to do "what is right "to stop the oil thieves from further milking the Nation’s Economy dry.

Dr. Uduaghan called on stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to protect their environment by refraining from pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft and other criminal acts.


According to the governor, those who have been prosecuted by security agencies for oil theft are "jerry can thieves," noting that the real thieves or sponsors are nowhere to be found.

He advised security agencies not to destroy products or boats seized from oil thieves, noting that it will serve as evidence in the court of law.


Convener of the Conference, Delta State Commissioner for Oil & Gas, Mr. Omamofe Joseph Pirah (middle) with other distinguished guests

Our Senior Correspondent who covered the conference reports that despite being invited, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Allison Deziani Madueke and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, were absent at the conference whose theme was titled, “Securing Oil and Gas investments in Delta State-The role of Stakeholders”.


Representative of Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral RI Alade, in a remark declared that there is no way the oil companies can claim ignorance of criminal activities of pipeline vandals, pointing out that the loading point of crude oil is the first place where the crime is being perpetrated.

Rear Admiral Alade bemoaned the lack of adequate personnel confronting the Navy in its quest at combating crude oil thieves, just as he solicited for the collaboration of the Department of State Security, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Custom Service in the war against crude oil theft as well as pipeline vandalism in the country.

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, described response of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC in cleaning up oil spills as "too slow" just as he accused the corporation of adding to the problems of the NSCDC.

According to Dr. Abolurin, whenever the NSCDC arrests any vehicle or boat with illegal products, the NNPC will ask them to pay before testing the products.

The Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and Country Chair Shell Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu in a key note remark opined that sufficient investment should be made in the power sector by the government, while sufficient returns should be given to encourage private firms.

Mr. Sunmonu who was represented by the Manager, Ogoni Restoration Project, Mr. Augustine Igbuku called on the Federal and State governments to provide incentives for youths and sustainable community development by creating employment.

Chairman of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC Chief Ayirimi Emami attributed oil theft in Ugborodo, Warri South-West local government area to “poverty and greed", even as he accused law enforcement agencies of complicity in the business of oil theft.