The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced nine persons to 10 years’ imprisonment each for stealing crude oil from an oil wellhead in Ibeno Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Joy Ikpeme convicted the defendants on two counts bordering on conspiracy and tampering with an oil pipeline, contrary to Section 1(7) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

The judge sentenced each of them to five years’ imprisonment on the first count and 10 years on the second count, with no option of fine.

The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning each convict will spend 10 years in prison.

The convicts were among 19 suspects arrested by the Department of State Services following an intelligence-led operation by the Nigerian Navy and DSS.

They were apprehended while allegedly stealing crude oil from the ASABO-D oil wellhead in Ibeno LGA.

Crude oil theft remains a major challenge to Nigeria’s oil production and revenue.

In October 2025, NEITI said the country lost 13.5 million barrels of crude valued at $3.3bn to theft and sabotage in 2022.