Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has proposed death penalty for anyone found guilty of crude oil theft.

The group made the suggestion while reacting to the revelation that Nigeria lost N2.3 trillion due to oil theft in the first quarter of 2023.

According to HURIWA, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the motion moved by Senator Ned Nwoko of the Peoples Democratic Party representing Delta North, at the Senate plenary session on Tuesday exposed the alarming rate of pipeline vandalism and oil bunkering in the country. In the motion, Nwoko pointed fingers at some elements within the security forces, especially the Army and Navy, accusing them of collaborating with organised groups and oil companies to steal crude oil, using sophisticated techniques.

The Senate had ordered a thorough probe into the activities of these security personnel and groups, and urged the federal government to take urgent steps to curb the menace that was undermining the nation's economy and security.

HURIWA commended Senator Nwoko for bringing the issue to the attention of the Senate and the public and expressed its support for the probe. The group also urged the Senate to ensure that the probe was transparent, impartial, and conclusive, adding that anyone found culpable was brought to justice.

Oil theft, the group said, was not only a crime against the state, but also a crime against humanity, as it deprived millions of Nigerians of their rightful share of the nation's wealth and resources. It maintained that oil theft was tantamount to economic sabotage and treason, and should be treated as such.

HURIWA said that it was unacceptable that Nigeria, which had vast oil and gas reserves, was losing billions of dollars every year due to oil theft, while millions of its citizens were living in abject poverty and underdevelopment, pointing out that the situation was a result of the failure of governance, corruption, and lack of political will to tackle it.

HURIWA said that it was time for Nigeria to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards oil theft and to impose severe sanctions on anyone involved in it. The group said that it was in favour of applying the death penalty for oil thieves, as it would serve as a deterrent and a warning to others.

The rights group also called on the federal government to review its security strategy in the Niger Delta region; ensure that only patriotic and professional officers were deployed to protect the oil facilities, and should also engage with the local communities and stakeholders in the region; and address their grievances and demands for environmental justice and social development.