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Oil Thieves Are Not From the Creeks – King Dakolo Alleges

Published

4 months ago

May 27, 2025

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo, has urged the Federal Government to redirect its focus in the fight against oil theft, asserting that the real perpetrators are not from the oil-producing communities.

Speaking during the Health of Mother Earth Foundation’s Book Reading Series on the topic Reflections: Ecocide in the Niger Delta, King Dakolo dispelled the popular belief that oil theft is carried out by youths in the creeks. According to him, the real oil thieves are wealthy and influential individuals, often residing far from the region, who exploit impoverished young men to execute their illegal activities.

“The oil thief is usually not from the Niger Delta. He doesn’t live in the swamps and cannot even spend a night there. He is a big man—sometimes a company or even a foreign country—that funds the operations from afar,” the monarch stated.

He explained that oil theft is a sophisticated crime requiring technical expertise, specialized tools, and even ships to transport stolen crude, which makes it far beyond the capacity of ordinary villagers. King Dakolo emphasized that those often labeled as oil thieves are actually victims of poverty, driven by desperation to carry out these dangerous acts for minimal pay.

“Oil theft is not a small man’s business. It involves breaking pipelines, which requires specific knowledge and equipment. The main beneficiaries are insiders in the oil industry who reap massive profits from these illegal activities,” he noted.

King Dakolo pointed fingers at the oil and gas regulators for their continued failure to address the issue. He described regulatory agencies like the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) as weak and compromised, accusing them of colluding with International Oil Companies (IOCs).

“Our regulators are among the worst in the world. They have no helicopters, no boats, not even houseboats. They rely on the oil companies for transport and logistics, which makes them susceptible to manipulation,” he lamented.

He further explained how pipeline vandalism has become a source of massive profit for certain players within the industry.

“When a pipeline is vandalized, repairs can cost up to a billion dollars. And the contracts for these repairs usually go to people within the industry, not locals. So, it’s in their interest to keep the cycle going,” he added.

The king also criticized the Federal Government for failing to provide quality fuel products across the country, arguing that this failure drives demand for illegally refined fuel from vandalized pipelines.

In his concluding remarks, King Dakolo painted a grim picture of the Niger Delta, describing it as a region ravaged by pollution from oil exploration and theft, and called for decisive action to protect both the environment and the people.

On his part, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, HOMEF, said those who ought to protect the environment and the people are not interested in that rather profit from the oil and gas sector.

“In Nigeria, the forces that ought to be protecting the environment are not interested. The government and the companies are more interested in the dollars that come from the crude oil, and not about the quality of life the people live.

“Nobody can tell me that those who are in authority care about the environment after over 70 years of non-stop gas fare,” he said.

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

2 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

3 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.