Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North and Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Oil Theft and Sabotage, has pressed for an expanded mandate to trace, track, and recover billions of dollars lost to crude oil theft both within Nigeria and internationally. Speaking in Abuja, Nwoko revealed forensic audits uncovered over $300 billion in unaccounted oil proceeds over recent years—a staggering economic sabotage.
Nwoko stressed urgent reforms, including implementing international crude measurement standards, deploying tamper-proof tech or returning measurement duties to the Department of Weights and Measures, and enhancing surveillance with drones to support security agencies.
He also advocated for a Special Court for swift prosecution of oil theft perpetrators and the full operationalization of the Host Communities Development Trust Fund to empower local populations and reduce sabotage risks.
Nwoko’s call underscores the critical need to halt corruption, enforce accountability, and stimulate local refinery development by reallocating abandoned oil wells to modular refineries for growth and job creation.
Leave a comment