Credit: Adebayo Folorunsho-FrancisScores of demonstrators staged a protest on Wednesday at the National Assembly, as lawmakers intensified deliberations on crude oil theft and pipeline security in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta. The protest comes amid heightened legislative attention on oil theft, which has long undermined Nigeria’s crude oil output, depleted government revenue, and fuelled insecurity in host communities. ); Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; and Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Limited, Kestin Pondi, among others. When a programme produces measurable gains in oil security, education, skills, agriculture, and youth engagement, the responsible thing is not disruption; it is consolidation. Crude oil theft remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing economic challenges, with successive governments adopting a mix of military operations and private surveillance contracts to curb pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering.

Source: Punch April 08, 2026 13:54 UTC