By Miriam Humbe
The Nigerian Navy has welcomed the Federal High Court, Uyo’s conviction and sentencing of nine persons for crude oil theft, describing the judgement as a significant development in the sustained fight against economic sabotage.
Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho
Director Naval Information disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday.
The nine convicts were sentenced by the Court on 14 September 2026 to five years’ imprisonment on Count One and 10 years’ imprisonment on Count Two, without the option of a fine.
Recall that the Nigerian Navy arrested the suspects on 7 February 2026 during an intelligence-led operation while allegedly stealing crude oil from an oil wellhead identified as ASABO-D in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The conviction of the nine crude oil thieves is therefore not merely a judicial outcome but a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when operational action is matched by effective prosecution and judicial determination.
The development comes as the Nigerian Navy sustains intensified operations against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, its anti-crude oil theft operation.
Since its inception in January 2026, the operation has leveraged intelligence-driven surveillance, precision interdictions and sustained maritime dominance across the Niger Delta to dismantle over 241 illegal refining sites, disrupt sophisticated criminal networks, recover more than 6.44 million litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, and arrest over 230 suspects.
These operational achievements underscore the Nigerian Navy’s unwavering resolve to deny economic saboteurs the freedom to exploit the nation’s hydrocarbon resources, while protecting critical national infrastructure and reinforcing energy security.
The renewed operational momentum is driven by the strategic leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, whose emphasis on intelligence-led operations, inter-agency collaboration and enhanced maritime domain awareness has significantly strengthened the Service’s capacity to combat maritime crime.
These efforts directly support the policy direction of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027, thereby contributing to national economic development and the sustainable growth of the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The Nigerian Navy reiterates that while successful interdictions at sea are essential, their strategic value is fully realised only when they culminate in timely convictions that reinforce the rule of law and serve as a strong deterrent to criminal networks.
Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy commends the Judiciary for this landmark judgment and appreciates the Department of State Services for its professionalism in seeing the case through to a successful conclusion.
The Service underscores that the fight against crude oil theft can achieve enduring success only through seamless collaboration across the entire criminal justice chain, from intelligence gathering and enforcement to prosecution and conviction.
In this regard, the Nigerian Navy advocates the accelerated adjudication of all pending crude oil theft cases to further strengthen deterrence, uphold accountability and consolidate the nation’s efforts to protect its maritime resources.
The Nigerian Navy affirms its unwavering resolve to combat crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage, while warning all individuals, groups and organised criminal syndicates engaged in such illicit activities to desist forthwith.
Indeed, the latest conviction is a pointer that perpetrators of crude oil theft cannot rely on the remoteness of oil-producing communities, waterways or oil installations to evade justice.
The Service also calls on law-abiding citizens and communities to continue to support ongoing efforts by providing credible information on activities of criminal elements that threaten our critical oil and gas infrastructure.
Particularly, the cooperation of host communities is vital to denying criminal elements the local support and freedom of action required to sustain crude oil theft and related activities.
Going forward, the Nigerian Navy will not waver in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain, protecting critical national oil and gas asset/infrastructure and supporting legitimate economic activity.
The Service will sustain its operational pressure against economic saboteurs while strengthening collaboration with the judiciary, sister Services, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders, in furtherance of the national policy direction on increased oil production and the blue economy for national prosperity.
