According to a finance expert and political analyst, Yinka Ogunnubi, the repeated theft of crude oil in Nigeria is impossible without the collusion of government officials.
Speaking on Newscentral’s A Place at the Table, Ogunnubi stressed that massive vessels cannot move within Nigerian territorial waters without the government’s knowledge.
To address the situation, Ogunnubi says the government has to look inward to tackle the menace.
“This is beyond a policy issue; it is a question of the government ensuring that what we produce is not siphoned by criminal elements”. He said.
Meanwhile, speaking on the same programme, lawyer and rights activist Deji Adeyanju believes people at the highest levels of political office and security know those who are behind the oil theft in the Niger Delta.
“I have seen the capacity of Nigeria’s security and intelligence network, and there Is no way a ship can move around within Nigerian waters without the authorities’ knowledge”.
“The problem we have is that those entrusted with doing their jobs are in collusion with criminals,” Adeyanju said.
To combat the menace, he said that the President must show strong leadership and political will to step on toes because the people responsible for the theft are influential and highly placed.