Senator Eteng Jonah Williams Declares Crude Oil Theft a National Menace at Public Hearing

In a compelling address at the National Assembly on Thursday, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams described Nigeria’s rampant crude oil theft crisis as a national menace that must be brought to an end. Speaking at the public hearing of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Senator Williams who represents Cross River Central condemned the scale of the illicit trade, calling it a threat to Nigeria’s economic survival and national security.

Senator Williams emphasized that the hearing was not merely a formality but a decisive step in uncovering the full extent of the criminal enterprise plaguing the oil and gas sector. He reiterated the Senate’s commitment to accountability, insisting that no individual, institution, or syndicate involved in oil theft would be spared scrutiny.

The public hearing, held in Abuja, brought together top government officials, oil industry regulators, security agencies, community leaders from oil-producing areas, and international experts. It forms a pivotal phase in the Senate’s strategy to expose the systemic failures enabling crude oil theft and introduce practical, enforceable solutions.

Senator Williams praised the committee’s ongoing technical and forensic investigations, which are tracking stolen crude from source to sale, including following financial trails through international banking networks.

“We must rise beyond rhetoric. This is about restoring integrity to a sector that forms the backbone of our economy,” Williams added. “The Nigerian people are watching, and we must deliver results.”

Also speaking at the hearing, Committee Chairman Senator Ned Nwoko echoed Williams’ sentiments, stressing that the committee’s work is focused on dismantling a criminal economy that robs Nigeria of critical revenue and fuels environmental degradation.

“We are listening. We are acting. And we will not stop until this tide is turned,” Nwoko declared.

In his opening remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, announced that the Senate is considering stiffer penalties for oil theft, including classifying it as an act of terrorism.

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