Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The recent seizure of a Nigerian-owned supertanker, Skipper, by United States authorities has once again forced Nigeria to confront an old but unresolved wound: the persistent theft of its crude oil and the heavy economic, social, and reputational price that comes with it.
Though investigations are ongoing, reports that the vessel was intercepted over allegations of crude oil theft and related transnational crimes have reignited national debate on how Africa’s biggest oil producer continues to lose billions of dollars annually to a crime that cannot thrive without powerful protection.
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, described the development as “deeply troubling,” warning that it reflects a much larger crisis that has continued to undermine Nigeria’s economy, global standing, and the future of its youth.
“My attention has been drawn to reports that the Nigerian-owned supertanker was seized by the United States authorities over allegations of crude oil theft and related illicit activities,” Obi said. “While the full facts are still emerging, this development is deeply troubling and speaks to a much bigger crisis that has continued to undermine our national economy, our global reputation, and the future of our young people.”
A Bleeding Economy
Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil revenue means that every stolen barrel weakens the country’s capacity to provide basic services. Over the years, successive governments have acknowledged that crude oil theft costs Nigeria billions of dollars annually, funds that should have been invested in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation.
“When a nation’s most valuable resources are stolen in broad daylight, whether at home or on the high seas, its people inevitably suffer. Our schools deteriorate, our hospitals remain underfunded, insecurity worsens, and millions slip further into poverty,” Obi said.
The supertanker seizure underscores how sophisticated and internationalised crude theft has become, stretching far beyond illegal tapping of pipelines in the Niger Delta to complex maritime operations.
Ordinary Nigerians Cannot Steal Crude Oil
At the heart of Obi’s argument is the assertion that crude oil theft on this scale cannot occur without the involvement of powerful interests.
“I have consistently mentioned that ordinary Nigerians cannot steal crude oil,” he said, insisting that the crime thrives because of “weak institutions, lack of accountability, and an entrenched culture of impunity.”
For years, security agencies and industry operators have spoken of well-organised cartels with access to vessels, export routes, and forged documentation, an ecosystem that thrives where enforcement is weak and oversight compromised.
MT Heroic Idun: A Case Study in High-Sea Theft
From the Niger Delta, environmental and youth advocate Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, point to the MT Heroic Idun saga of 2022 as a stark example of how supertankers can operate beyond Nigerian oversight, exposing systemic gaps in maritime security.
He highlighted the interception of the supertanker, MT Heroic Idun with IMO Number 9858058, off the coast of Equatorial Guinea, and the subsequent detention, prosecution, plea bargain and release by Nigerian government, of the vessel which carried millions of barrels of allegedly stolen Nigerian crude.
“The vessel, a Very Large Crude Carrier, VLCC, entered Nigerian waters off the Akpo oilfield operated by TotalEnergies JV on August 7th 2022 without proper authorization. After being accosted by the Nigerian Navy, the ship fled toward Equatorial Guinea, falsely claiming it was under attack by Nigerian naval forces. The Equatorial Guinea Navy arrested the vessel on August 10, 2022, fined the owners, and subsequently handed it over to the Nigerian Navy in November 2022.
“These incidents suggest that our efforts to combat oil theft and organised crime in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea have not yielded significant results,” said Dr. Fyneface “Vessels like MT Heroic Idun and Skipper can carry up to 3million barrels at a time, far beyond the capacity of creek-level operations, yet enforcement gaps allowed it to operate with impunity.”
The MT Heroic Idun episode illustrates how sophisticated networks, well-armed vessels, and international loopholes enable large-scale theft, dwarfing artisanal activities in financial impact.
Supertanker Theft vs Creek Theft: Who Really Steals Nigeria’s Oil?
Scale of Theft: Supertankers carry millions of barrels per shipment (up to 3 million barrels), while artisanal operations in creeks manage tens of barrels at a time.
Actors: Supertankers are controlled by highly connected networks, political elites, and international cartels. Creek-level theft is conducted by local jobless youths and small-scale refiners.
Method: Supertankers operate via illegal export, forged documentation, and high seas logistics. Artisanal operators tap pipelines manually, refining crude with cups and spoons.
Economic Impact: Supertanker theft costs Nigeria billions of dollars annually, directly weakening national revenue, while creek-level theft has a far smaller financial effect.
Detection & Enforcement: Supertankers are intercepted by international naval forces such as the US Coast Guard and Nigerian Navy, whereas creek-level theft is policed locally, often ineffectively.
Environmental Impact: Supertanker operations risk large-scale spills offshore; artisanal refining pollutes creeks, farmlands, and fishing grounds.
Solution Path: Supertanker theft requires stronger maritime security, digitised oil tracking, and prosecution of cartels. Creek-level theft needs legalization of artisanal refineries and alternative livelihood programs.
Key Takeaway: While artisanal operators steal “with cups and spoons,” the real financial hemorrhage happens on the high seas, orchestrated by powerful and connected individuals. Efforts to curb oil theft must target these high-scale operations while addressing socio-economic realities on the ground.
Security Gaps and Local Realities
Fyneface argued that Nigeria cannot win the war against oil theft if enforcement focuses only on small-scale actors while large vessels continue to operate.
“The country cannot win the war against illegal bunkering if large vessels continue to enter Nigeria, load stolen crude oil, and leave with it,” he said.
He called for stronger policing of waterways, deployment of more patrol vessels and helicopters, and sustained surveillance. At the same time, he urged the government to address the socio-economic roots of illegal refining by legalising artisanal refineries and providing alternative livelihoods for youth.
“We must provide alternative livelihood opportunities for youths involved in illegal refineries, so they can engage in legitimate businesses and stop stealing oil with cups and spoons,” he said.
Background to the Seizure of Skipper
The controversy centres on the interception of Skipper, a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier, VLCC, with IMO number 9304667 by the United States Coast Guard in collaboration with the U.S. Navy.
The tanker is reportedly owned and managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., though registered under Triton Navigation Corp. in the Marshall Islands. U.S. authorities said the tanker was illegally flying the Guyanese flag at the time of interception, a claim denied by Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department.
The vessel is under investigation for crude theft, potential drug trafficking, and links to transnational money-laundering networks. The saga mirrors that of MT Heroic Idun, reinforcing the scale and sophistication of maritime oil theft threatening Nigeria.
A Test Nigeria Keeps Failing
For Peter Obi, the lesson is clear: Nigeria’s challenge is not a lack of resources but the absence of accountable and people-centred leadership.
“Nigeria has everything it needs to become a prosperous and respected nation,” he said. “What we lack is competent and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the welfare of our citizens.”
As investigations continue abroad, the question remains whether this latest scandal will fade into history, just like MT Heroic Idun, or finally force decisive action against Nigeria’s entrenched oil theft networks.
“Our nation cannot continue on this path,” Obi warned.
