Tag: Senate

Senate President Godswill Akpabio yesterday said the National Assembly is considering stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders.

Akpabio spoke at the opening of a two-day public hearing on the incessant and nefarious acts of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta at the National Assembly.

Represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, the Senate President said the 10th National Assembly would not allow the nation’s economy to be gored to death by criminals.

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“We are prepared to strengthen laws, enhance oversight, and ensure that agencies responsible for protecting our oil assets are held accountable.

“Specifically, we will consider stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders;  mandatory digital metering and real-time monitoring of all oil production and exports; greater transparency in crude oil lifting and revenue reporting; enhanced collaboration between the military, police, NSCDC, EFCC, and international partners to track and intercept stolen crude,” he said.

Akpabio stressed that the fight against crude oil theft should not be left to the Executive alone, saying oil companies must also invest in modern surveillance technology and secure pipelines.

According to him, host communities must see themselves as first-line defenders of these assets, not victims or accomplices.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to tackle crude oil theft, saying the legislature is considering stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders.

Akpabio disclosed this while declaring open a two-day public hearing on the incessant and nefarious acts of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta at the National Assembly.

Represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, he said the 10th National Assembly will not stand by while the country’s economy bleeds.

“We are prepared to strengthen laws, enhance oversight, and ensure that agencies responsible for protecting our oil assets are held accountable.

 “Specifically, we will consider: Stiffer penalties for oil theft, including terrorism charges for major offenders. Mandatory digital metering and real-time monitoring of all oil production and exports. Greater transparency in crude oil lifting and revenue reporting. Enhanced collaboration between the military, police, NSCDC, EFCC, and international partners to track and intercept stolen crude,” he said.

He said that the fight against crude oil theft cannot be left to government alone as such oil companies must invest in modern surveillance technology and secure pipelines.

According to him, host communities must see themselves as first-line defenders of these assets, not victims or accomplices. He said security agencies must demonstrate zero tolerance for complicity.

“As I declare this Public Hearing open, I charge all stakeholders to engage with the utmost seriousness. The recommendations from this session must lead to actionable, measurable, and time-bound solutions. Nigeria’s survival depends on it.

Read Also: Senate names 20-member panel to organise security summit

“To the criminals stealing our crude oil, your time is up. To the agencies tasked with protecting our resources, the nation is watching. And to this Ad-hoc Committee, the Senate expects nothing less than a robust, no-holds-barred report that will guide decisive legislative and executive actions. It is time to take back what belongs to Nigeria,” he said.

He commended the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Incessant Crude Oil Theft, chaired by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko (Delta North), for convening the public hearing

“Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains the lifeblood of our economy, accounting for over 80 per cent of government revenue and 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. Yet, for decades, we have watched in dismay as criminal syndicates—both foreign and domestic—continue to siphon our crude oil with brazen impunity.

“Recent reports indicate that Nigeria loses between 150,000 and 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to theft – a staggering hemorrhage that translates to billions of dollars in lost revenue annually.

“This theft is not a victimless crime. It directly undermines our economic stability, devalues the Naira, starves critical sectors of funding, and perpetuates poverty in oil-producing communities. Worse still, it finances illegal arms, fuels violence, and emboldens criminal networks that threaten national security.

“Let me be unequivocal, crude oil theft is an act of economic sabotage and must be treated as such. Those behind this criminal enterprise are enemies of the state, and they must be pursued, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. We can no longer tolerate a situation where a few greedy individuals and cartels hold our nation’s wealth hostage while millions of Nigerians suffer.

“While previous efforts have been made to curb this menace, the persistence of oil theft suggests systemic failures that require immediate and decisive action.

“This Public Hearing must address key questions: Who are the perpetrators? (Are they militants, corrupt officials, international collaborators, or all three?) Why have current surveillance and security measures failed? How are stolen crude oil shipments exported without detection? What legislative and policy reforms can close existing loopholes?

“We must also critically examine the roles of regulatory agencies, security forces, oil companies, and host communities in either enabling or combating this crime,” the President of the Senate said.

…as Bamidele chairs panel

The Senate on Thursday constituted a 20-member committee to plan a national security summit towards addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the committee during the plenary after the majority of the senators supported it through a voice vote.

Akpabio said the committee would be chaired by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District and Yahaya Abdullahi representing Kebbi North would serve as vice chairman.

Other members of the committee are Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Adebule Idiat (Lagos), Barinada Mpigi (Rivers), Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa), Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), Osita Ngwu (Enugu), Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno), Titus Zam (Benue), Ahmed Lawan (Yobe), Abdulaziz Yar’adua (Katsina) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).

Others are Austin Akobundu (Abia), Shehu Buba (Bauchi), Ahmed Madori (Jigawa), Emmanuel Udende (Benue), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Shuaib Salisu (Ogun), Isah Jibrin (Kogi), and the Clerk of the Senate, Andrew Nwoba.

The Senate President said the committee’s primary assignment is to design the framework for the proposed national summit, including setting the agenda, identifying key discussion points, and proposing actionable strategies to effectively tackle Nigeria’s security lapses.

He directed the committee to submit its report within two weeks.

The Senate had on May 6, during plenary, resolved to organise a two-day national security summit with a view to proffering solutions to terrorism, insurgency, and other security challenges in the country.

Read Also: Senate committee engages telecom stakeholders ahead of national security summit

The red chamber decided after adopting a motion sponsored by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC – Ondo South).

One of the critical issues the upcoming summit intends to address is the leakage of sensitive military information to insurgents and bandits, an issue widely believed to be undermining security operations across the country.

This is not the first time a national security summit has been organised by the National Assembly.

The 9th National Assembly, under former Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, held a security summit in May 2021 to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

However, despite the participation of security experts, civil society organisations, and government representatives, and the recommendations from the summit, security challenges have persisted.

The current 10th Senate has also summoned service chiefs and heads of security agencies several times to address it since its inauguration in 2023, and there have been several motions and debates on security in the two chambers of the National Assembly, yet killings kidnappings and banditry have persisted, with many citizens expressing frustration over the lack of visible progress.

The Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity has held an interactive session with key players in the communications sector as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity in the country.

The session, a precursor to the forthcoming National Security Summit being organised by the Senate, focused on harnessing Nigeria’s communications infrastructure and digital systems to combat crime and enhance national security.

Participants included lawmakers, telecom operators, cybersecurity experts, and representatives from major regulatory bodies such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Declaring the session open, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele stressed the urgent need to strengthen and safeguard the nation’s digital assets as a critical component of national security.

“If we do not fix our digital architecture,” Bamidele said, “we will be building a national future on quicksand.”

According to the chairman of the Committee, Senator Afolabi Shuaib, who convened the high-level interactive session, On his part, said there is urgent need for the government, regulators and industry players to act towards making the proposed summit a success.

“Technology has become a double-edged sword,” Senator Shuaib warned. “While it fuels innovation and growth, it is also enabling crime, extortion, harassment, and terrorism. If we don’t act now, we’ll be chasing shadows at the National Security Summit.”

Some senators who spoke at the session decried a situation where “kidnappers are collecting ransom using our telecom networks.

“Someone with 10MB of data can destroy reputations and lives – and they do it with impunity.”

Lawmakers also called out the absence of global tech giants from Nigeria’s regulatory landscape, with

Senator Ned Nwoko queried why companies like Meta are not compelled to establish a local presence in the country.

“Could this improve digital law enforcement and accountability?” he asked.

Lawmakers observed that despite Nigeria’s digital economy now accounting for nearly 20 per cent of its GDP, the infrastructure protecting that ecosystem is dangerously underdeveloped.

Their concerns ranged from flawed SIM registration processes to “number churning” – the practice of reactivating old lines that still have access to banking services.

The Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Edoyemi Ogoh, acknowledged the system’s shortcomings.

“Yes, every SIM is linked to an identity,” he said. “But when the user isn’t the owner, it becomes a liability. Many Nigerians don’t know they can be held responsible for crimes committed with SIMs registered in their name.”

He also announced new safeguards, including a notification platform to combat recycled number fraud and improved caller ID authentication—alongside efforts to reduce disruptions caused by fiber cuts and unauthorized tower shutdowns.

NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said there is need to embed cybersecurity into the nation’s digital DNA.

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“Cybersecurity today is not just about firewalls,” Abdullahi said. “It’s about data sovereignty, AI ethics, social media manipulation, and digital influence. We are embedding trust into the architecture of our public systems.”

He pointed to concrete progress, including updated codes of practice for global tech firms, legal action on data privacy violations like the recent fine on Meta, and a digital public infrastructure blueprint that mandates architectural planning for all government IT projects with a focus on national data residency.

Lawmakers however called for a wholistic government and society response as well as a harmonized effort across NITDA, NCC, NBC, and national security agencies to checkmate the rising spate of insecurity.

“This is not about blame,” Senator Shuaib said. “It’s about breaking down silos and entering the National Security Summit with a united front.”

The Senate yesterday threatened to unmask violators of the Federal Character principle in recruiting personnel into the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.

The Federal Character Principle in Nigeria is enshrined in Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

It stipulates that the composition of the government and its agencies, at both the federal and state levels, must reflect the diversity of the country and ensure that no single ethnic group or state dominates.

The principle aims to promote national unity, loyalty, and a sense of belonging for all citizens. But this has been grossly violated by public officers at both the federal and state levels over the years.

In a move to curb the violation, the Senate had, at plenary on March 25, 2025 after exhaustive debate on a motion sponsored by Minority Whip Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West), mandated its Committee on Federal Character to investigate the violations of the principle across the various MDAs. At the beginning of its probe, while interacting with heads of MDAs, Committee Chairman Allwell Onyesoh (PDP, Rivers East) warned them not to hide any documents needed for the investigation.

“As enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Federal Character Principle is fundamental to our national cohesion.

“It mandates that governance must reflect the diversity of our federation to prevent domination by any one group or region.

“Sadly, systemic abuse and ineffective enforcement have made this principle more honoured in the breach than in observance.

“Persistent non-compliance by many MDAs in both recruitment and infrastructure allocation has fueled marginalisation and deepened discontent.

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“The Federal Character Commission (FCC), despite its legal powers, has struggled with enforcement. This reality calls for urgent reforms — possibly including a Federal Character Compliance Tribunal — to ensure that violations are meaningfully addressed,” he said.

“This committee will pursue its mandate through rigorous investigative hearings, interactive sessions, and, where necessary, on-the-spot assessments.

“Our approach is not punitive but corrective. We aim to foster accountability, reinforce equity, and restore trust in our national institutions.

“We call on all stakeholders — MDAs, civil society, and the public — to support this process. Full cooperation is expected, and the committee will not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers under sections 88 and 89 where necessary,” he said.

Onyesoh added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is 100 per cent behind the planned investigation.

The committee chairman warned that “those aiming to hide behind or under the Presidency would be disappointed as the time to account for their misdeeds has come”.

Committee Vice Chairman Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) said the committee was all out to stop the violation in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

According to him, the first set of agencies that will face the committee for the investigation, as from next Monday, are the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Pension Commission (PenCom), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), among others.