More chilly revela
tions have emerged to show that not only operators of thousands of tiny illegal oil refineries dotting the Niger Delta landscape are involved in crude oil theft, but that some high authorities entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the nation’s crude are neck deep in the mega naira oil theft, after all.
On their part, those in high authority are pointing accusing fingers at some host communities, multinational oil companies including Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), men of Joint Task Force and even some elements in the presidency.
At the recently concluded second Delta Oil and Gas stakeholders conference held in Effurum, Delta State, the Itsekiri Regional Development Council accused oil companies and military men of being involved in the illegal crude oil bunkering deals in the Niger Delta region.
Chairman of the council, Chief Ayirimi Emmanuel, alleged that host communities benefit through handouts and other forms hence would not offer information or report those involved and urged the multinationals to look inward in their quest for an answer to the menace.
He also accused the oil companies, saying the technical skills needed to carryout illegal bunkering operations were beyond the knowledge of the layman.
Emmanuel explained further that companies were insincere in reporting illegal bunkering activities by exaggerating figures involved for fraudulent reasons.
He said, “If one barrel of crude is stolen, the oil companies would say it is 10 and the balance goes into their account thereby benefiting from the crime.”
The accusation of the Itsekiri chief that the military men where also involved received the support of the Governor of Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, who explained that the military men have the responsibility of securing  all the three entry and exit points in the state.
He wondered how the illegal crude dealers could always pass unnoticed when the military men are at their strategic checkpoints.
Governor Uduaghan argued that even him as the governor was being stopped at each of the check points when passing and wondered how vessels and boats of the illegal bunkerers pass through the checks.
The Managing Director of SPDC, Mr Mutui Sunmonu tried so hard to exonerate staff of the company from illicit crude deal, but he said he could not vouch for thousands of SPDC contract staff.
The SPDC boss who lamented at the scope of illegal bunkering activities also remarked that operators involved trained engineers instead of the layman.
What could be more perturbing was the bombshell from a former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha who last week accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of shielding oil thieves during his administration.
At an interactive session between the National Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue and officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which took place Monday in Abuja, the former Bayelsa State governor told the public how he arrested some oil thieves, but to his astonishment the former president shielded them from prosecution.
He narrated, “I had an experience. Tankers were loaded in Bayelsa. I got the information and laid ambush for them and arrested them. About 14 big tankers and they were handed over to the police.”
“They were charged to court and the judge ordered that the product should be tested. NNPC was invited, they came out as agro chemical and they were all released,” the former governor continued.
Chief Alamieyesiegha said when he confronted the ex-president and accused him of being the chief bunkerer, the ex-president, “started mentioning names. I said, oh, you are the chief bunkerer. I confirm you know them. Don’t call me again.”
The ex-Bayelsa State executive officer went further to  disclose that expatriates are even more involved in the crime than Nigerians, stressing that local boys who were regularly arrested for oil theft were mere escorts with no international connections to sell stolen crude oil.
News is awash with daily arrest of many illegal oil bunkerers both offshore and onshore. Men of the JTF in collaboration with other security agencies destroy their facilities and its contents yet, the transaction remain unabated.
Experts and regulatory authorities have lamented that billions of naira worth of crude oil was being stolen thereby sabotaging the economy of the country.
This trend coupled with lack of transparency in accounting for the value of crude sales by the regulatory authorities have continued to deny Nigerians of the needed social amenities resulting in crisis in education, health sectors as well as lack of strategic infrastructure.
Apart from the economic loss, hazard caused by the illegal bunkering activities on the environment cannot be over emphasised.
The resultant oil pollution has rendered farm lands which were formerly fertile to be barren and aquatic lives wickedly destroyed. Thereby denying the local farmers their major sources of livelihood.
The question is, how would Nigeria be able to surmount the hydra-headed illegal oil bunkering phenomenon? SPDC boss, in submitting solution, called for urgent and concerted efforts that should embrace local, national, regional and international levels to address the situation.
He suggested that such action plan should also include improved intelligence gathering, stronger policing and the prosecution of suspected criminals.
The oil sector has become the most controversial in the country in the past two decades. Inclusion of the native people who feel excluded from the policies of the government and oil exploration companies should also be explored.
At least when the host communities have the sense of belonging in the sharing of oil proceeds, the could as well redouble their efforts in protecting the common good.
Another alternative which a school of thought has always put forward is that of legalizing the activities of illegal refineries.
The argument being pushed forward is that as the government owned refineries across the country, with all the experts cannot work up to acceptable capacity, leading to incessant scarcity and wholesome importation of petroleum products, the native refineries should be empowered by supplying to them, enough crude to refine for the masses.
Those in the school of thought believe that with needed training and adequate supply, their activities could become legal, monitored and of better benefits to the nation.
Some commentators have also frowned at the mass destruction of facilities and large volume of crude by the military task force.
Instead of destroying the vessels, boats, vehicles used in illegal bunkering including setting ablaze the contents, the government could as well sieze and converts them to its property to control the wastage, health, and economic hazard caused by such massive destruction in time of extreme need.
As efforts geared towards reducing the rate of economic sabotage through crude theft, involvement of the caretakers,’ especially those entrusted with protection of he nation’s economy would only dim the confidence of Nigerians in the fight.
It is most disturbing that Ex-President Obasanjo has not reacted to the public accusation of Chief Alamesiegha, especially at a time some of those in high quarters are being viewed as the hunters that should rather be the hunted for their nefarious activities.

Chris Oluoh