The House of Representatives Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft has proposed the establishment of a special court to expedite the prosecution of crude oil thieves, pipeline vandals and other economic saboteurs, citing delays in the judicial process and weak legal frameworks as major obstacles in the fight against oil theft.
The recommendation was made during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, where lawmakers, security agencies and representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser reviewed existing laws and enforcement mechanisms aimed at combating crude oil theft and related crimes.
The meeting was part of the committee’s ongoing efforts to identify legislative and institutional reforms needed to address the persistent challenge of oil theft, which continues to impact government revenue, reduce crude oil output, discourage investment and threaten Nigeria’s energy security.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the committee, Alhassan Doguwa, said stakeholders agreed on the need for a comprehensive review of laws governing the oil and gas sector, noting that many existing statutes were enacted during the military era and no longer provide sufficient deterrence against increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Doguwa argued that crude oil theft and related offences require specialised judicial attention, warning that cases often suffer prolonged delays when processed through the conventional court system.
He said the committee had previously proposed legislation to establish a special court dedicated to handling such crimes, stressing that timely prosecution would strengthen accountability and improve enforcement outcomes.
According to him, stakeholders at the meeting resolved to work collectively to remove legal and institutional obstacles that have weakened efforts to curb crude oil theft across the country.
The lawmaker noted that many oil-producing nations have strengthened their legal frameworks to address sector-specific challenges and urged Nigeria to adopt similar reforms to safeguard its petroleum resources.
He also expressed concern that courts continue to rely on outdated legislation in prosecuting offences within the oil and gas industry, insisting that modern laws are needed to effectively tackle emerging forms of criminality in the sector.
Doguwa reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant agencies to strengthen the fight against crude oil theft and other illicit activities affecting Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
He added that persistent oil theft and pipeline vandalism remain key factors behind Nigeria’s inability to consistently meet its crude oil production targets, stressing that addressing the challenge is critical to boosting government revenue and restoring investor confidence.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, with participants emphasising the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling oil-related crimes.
Doguwa, however, expressed disappointment over the absence of officials from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), describing the agency’s non-participation as a missed opportunity in discussions aimed at strengthening the sector’s regulatory and security framework.
