Nigeria’s military and security forces have launched a major campaign against illegal oil operations, delivering a crushing blow to nearly six dozen illegal bunkering sites.
By dismantling 56 oil bunkering sites, Nigerian authorities are attempting to drain the lifeblood of the illegal oil trade that has been a severe drag on the country’s economy. Despite being Africa’s top crude oil producer, the west African country has faced significant setbacks due to rampant oil theft and pipeline sabotage. These issues have led to reduced production levels, diminished exports, and in turn, substantially crippled government finances, posing a serious challenge for the current President Bola Tinubu administration. Between 2009 and 2020, Nigeria reportedly lost an estimated 620 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $46 billion.
Already in late November, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) vowed to permanently shut down all illegal cross-border routes used for smuggling petroleum products out of Nigeria. The NCS’s plans were to complement efforts by other security agencies including the Nigerian army, navy, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, aiming to curb the illicit trade of energy products. In the latest operation, authorities have also confiscated 88 cooking drums, and recovered approximately 1.2 million liters of stolen crude oil. Seventeen individuals were arrested during these operations, alongside the seizure of various vehicles and oil refining equipment.