Former Governor lists elements behind oil theft in Niger—Delta, reveals their locations

Former Governor lists elements behind oil theft in Niger—Delta, reveals their locations

The senator representing Bayelsa West District in the National Assembly, Seriake Dickson, has stated that the “big players” behind oil theft in the Niger Delta region reside outside the region.

Dickson, elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), revealed this at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta during his visit to the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketepe, Agadagba.

The senator claimed that although Ijaw youths were tagged to be behind oil theft, they don’t have the knowledge and technical know-how on the operations of pipelines.

According to him, the Ijaws were busy earning their daily livelihood on the waterways and farmlands when the thieves polluted the lands with their criminal acts

Senator Dickson said: “Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world.

“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the high-level operations that result in the daily loss of Nigerian crude oil produced from our place.

“Those who have the capacity to compromise and infiltrate the national security system and infiltrate the national petroleum system; those who have the capacity to hire the tankers and shuttle vessels, they are not Ijaws.

“We do not have the capacity to do that! We do not even have the experience to be involved in that kind of operation.

“Those who, on a daily basis under declare what is produced; those who have refused to properly monitor and record what is produced for over 50 or 60 years should take the blame.

“It is not the Ijaw youth – harmless people without the capacity and without the technical know-how.”