Former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa West), has alleged that the masterminds behind oil theft in the Niger Delta are influential figures based outside the region.
The senator made this claim during a visit to Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, where he met with the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketepe, Agadagba.
Dickson dismissed the notion that Ijaw youths were responsible for the oil theft, arguing that they lacked the expertise and resources required to carry out such sophisticated operations.
“Big Players Behind Oil Theft”
“Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts of the world,” Dickson asserted.
He emphasized that the Ijaw people, who reside in the creeks and depend on the waterways and farmlands for their livelihood, were unfairly blamed for the environmental pollution caused by these activities.
“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the high-level operations that result in the daily loss of Nigerian crude oil produced from our place.
Those who have the capacity to compromise and infiltrate the national security system and infiltrate the national petroleum system; those who have the capacity to hire the tankers and shuttle vessels, they are not Ijaws.
We do not have the capacity to do that! We do not even have the experience to be involved in that kind of operation,” he explained.
Call for International Action
Senator Dickson urged Nigeria to intensify its efforts on the international stage to address the issue of stolen crude oil.
He criticized those who under-declare oil production and fail to monitor and record outputs accurately, holding them accountable for the long-standing issues.
“Those who, on a daily basis under-declare what is produced; those who have refused to properly monitor and record what is produced for over 50 or 60 years should take the blame.
It is not the Ijaw youth – harmless people without the capacity and without the technical know-how,” he stated.
Commendation for Local Leaders
The senator praised the traditional ruler of Gbaramatu Kingdom for maintaining peace in the region. He also lauded Dr. Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, the founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), for his efforts in enhancing the nation’s oil revenue and restoring the region’s ecosystem.
Dickson’s visit underscores the need for a broader understanding and strategic approach to tackling oil theft, shifting the focus from local communities to the powerful entities orchestrating these crimes from afar.
This latest development calls for a reevaluation of how oil theft is addressed, recognizing that those causing the most damage may be far removed from the creeks and communities that suffer the consequences.
