Sen. Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa West) on Friday described those behind oil theft in the Niger Delta as “big players” who reside outside the region.

The senator made the allegation at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta while visiting the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketepe, Agadagba.

Mr Dickson said although Ijaw youths were tagged as being behind oil theft, they lacked the capacity and technical know-how to understand how pipelines operate.

“Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world,” he said.

He explained that the Ijaw people were living in the creeks, earning their daily livelihood on the waterways and farmlands, when the alleged thieves polluted the land with their nefarious activities.

“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the high-level operations that result in the daily loss of Nigerian crude oil produced from our place.

“Those who have the capacity to compromise and infiltrate the national security system and infiltrate the national petroleum system; those who have the capacity to hire the tankers and shuttle vessels, they are not Ijaws.

“We do not have the capacity to do that! We do not even have the experience to be involved in that kind of operation,” he said.

The legislator, who is also the state ex-governor, said such high-level operations needed a lot of resources, coordination, funding and international networking.

He, however, urged Nigeria to step up her game in the international arena by pushing for the designation of her stolen crude oil.

“Those who, on a daily basis, underdeclare what is produced; those who have refused to properly monitor and record what is produced for over 50 or 60 years should take the blame.

“It is not the Ijaw youth – harmless people without the capacity and without the technical know-how,” he said.

He, however, commended the traditional ruler for ensuring peace in his kingdom and the entire Niger Delta.

Mr Dickson also visited Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).

He commended Ekpemupolo for the wonderful job he had been doing with his private security outfit, TSSNL, to boost the nation’s oil revenue and ensure the regeneration of the region’s ecosystem.

(NAN)