DSS arrests two as five flee in Akwa Ibom crude oil theft operation

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned two suspected crude oil thieves before a Magistrate Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over alleged involvement in the illegal siphoning and smuggling of crude oil.

The two suspects, identified as Noah Yomi, 41, and Ojo Igbala Abiodun, 42, were reportedly arrested while allegedly siphoning crude oil from the SEPLAT Utue B Oilfield Jacket into a wooden boat loaded with 17 Gee Pee tanks.

Following their arraignment, the suspects were remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Uyo, pending the next adjourned date of September 24, 2026, when the matter is expected to come up in connection with their trial before the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo.

The development is part of the Federal Government’s continuing efforts to combat crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and other activities regarded as economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, particularly in Akwa Ibom State.

According to information gathered by our correspondent, the suspects were allegedly caught in the process of siphoning crude oil from the SEPLAT oilfield platform into their wooden boat, with the intention of transporting the product out of Nigeria for illegal sale in the Republic of Cameroon.

Items reportedly recovered from the suspects include five outboard engines, three pumping machines and three large hoses, which were allegedly being used to siphon crude oil from the oilfield platform into the boat.

The operation, it was learnt, followed intelligence gathered by security agencies and was carried out on August 25, 2026, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) GONGOLA, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka.

Sources said the wooden boat was intercepted during the operation while the suspected illegal activity was ongoing. The two suspects were arrested on board the vessel, while five other members of the alleged crew reportedly escaped by diving into the ocean when the security personnel moved in.

A manhunt is said to be continuing for the fleeing suspects as security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the alleged criminal network.

The recovery of the pumping equipment and hoses has also raised concerns over the sophistication of the operation, as such equipment can facilitate the unauthorised extraction and transfer of crude oil from oil production facilities.

Crude oil theft and illegal bunkering have remained major challenges confronting Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with security agencies and other stakeholders increasingly focusing on intelligence-driven operations to disrupt activities that could undermine oil production and government revenue.

In Akwa Ibom, the latest arrest adds to a series of operations and prosecutions targeting suspected crude oil thieves operating within the state’s oil-producing communities and maritime environment.

It would be recalled that 19 other suspected crude oil thieves previously arraigned by the DSS in recent months are currently standing trial before the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The latest development underscores the renewed determination of security agencies to prosecute individuals suspected of involvement in crude oil theft and related activities, particularly those allegedly seeking to move stolen petroleum resources across Nigeria’s international borders.

The authorities are expected to continue investigations into the activities of the arrested suspects and their alleged associates, while efforts are being made to apprehend the five other crew members who reportedly escaped during the operation.

The suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.