Nigeria’s Struggle Against Oil Theft Continues As 400,000 Barrels Lost Daily, Despite Anti-Menace Efforts

Despite strenuous efforts to curb the issue, Nigeria continues to suffer a daily loss of 400,000 barrels of crude oil to both local and international thieves, as revealed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu. Leading a presidential delegation on an inspection of oil and gas facilities in Abia and Rivers State, Ribadu highlighted the detrimental impact of these illicit activities on the nation’s economy, attributing part of the rising cost of living to such acts.

“It’s disheartening that a small group can pilfer our shared resources, resulting in immeasurable losses to our nation, communities, and citizens,” remarked Ribadu, emphasizing Nigeria’s underutilized crude oil production capacity of two million barrels daily, currently hindered by theft and pipeline damage, which causes output to hover below 1.6 million barrels. “This means 400,000 barrels of valuable crude oil are being squandered, with minimal gains for these culprits and economic saboteurs,” he added.

Ribadu also emphasized the government’s concern, asserting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is actively taking measures to counter the issue. In his call to action, Ribadu urged a united front to combat oil theft, hoping to put an end to decades of assaults on the nation’s vital oil and gas infrastructure.