The Nigerian Navy has welcomed the conviction of nine suspected crude oil thieves by the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, describing the judgement as a significant boost to the fight against economic sabotage.

The nine convicts were sentenced on September 14, 2026, to five years’ imprisonment on Count One and 10 years on Count Two, without the option of a fine.

The suspects were arrested by the Nigerian Navy on February 7, 2026, during an intelligence-led operation while allegedly stealing crude oil from an oil wellhead identified as ASABO-D in Ibeno Local Council of the state.

The Navy said the conviction demonstrated the importance of linking operational arrests with effective prosecution and judicial determination in the fight against crude oil theft.

In a statement yesterday, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the judgement reinforced the Service’s resolve to protect the nation’s oil and gas resources from criminal exploitation.

He said: “The conviction of the nine crude oil thieves is not merely a judicial outcome but a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when operational action is matched by effective prosecution and judicial determination.”

The development comes amid intensified operations by the Navy against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, its anti-crude oil theft operation.

According to Folorunsho, since the operation began in January 2026, it has leveraged intelligence-driven surveillance, precision interdictions and sustained maritime dominance across the Niger Delta to dismantle more than 241 illegal refining sites.

He added that the operation had also led to the recovery of more than 6.44 million litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, while over 230 suspects had been arrested.

He said the figures reflected the Navy’s determination to deny criminal networks the opportunity to exploit Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources, protect critical national infrastructure and strengthen energy security.

Folorunsho attributed the renewed operational drive to the strategic leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, particularly his emphasis on intelligence-led operations, inter-agency collaboration and enhanced maritime domain awareness.

He said the efforts were also in support of the Federal Government’s policy to increase crude oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.

The Navy, however, stressed that arrests and interdictions would have greater impact when they result in timely convictions.

“The strategic value of successful interdictions at sea is fully realised only when they culminate in timely convictions that reinforce the rule of law and serve as a strong deterrent to criminal networks,” Folorunsho said.

He commended the judiciary for the judgement and the Department of State Services for its professionalism in seeing the case through to a successful conclusion.

The Navy also called for faster adjudication of pending crude oil theft cases, arguing that prompt determination of such cases would strengthen deterrence and accountability.

According to the Service, the fight against crude oil theft requires seamless cooperation across the criminal justice chain, from intelligence gathering and enforcement to prosecution and conviction.

Folorunsho warned individuals and organised criminal groups involved in crude oil theft and related activities to desist, stressing that the latest conviction showed that perpetrators could not rely on the remoteness of oil-producing communities, waterways or oil installations to escape justice.

He also appealed to law-abiding citizens and host communities to provide credible information on criminal activities threatening the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure.

“The cooperation of host communities is vital to denying criminal elements the local support and freedom of action required to sustain crude oil theft and related activities,” he said.

He assured that the Navy would sustain its operational pressure against economic saboteurs while strengthening collaboration with the judiciary, sister Services, security agencies and other stakeholders to protect Nigeria’s maritime domain and critical oil and gas assets.