The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned two additional suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in crude oil theft in Akwa Ibom State.
The latest arraignment, conducted at the Magistrate Court sitting along Fulga Road, Uyo, brings to 19 the total number of suspects being prosecuted in connection with crude oil theft in the state.
The suspects, identified as Arepade Dominic Ekprese and Benson Ekiokekeme Innocent, were arraigned before the court, which declined jurisdiction over the matter.
The Magistrate Court held that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case. It, however, ordered that the two suspects be remanded at the Uyo Medium Correctional Facility for an initial period of 21 days.
In a media release, the DSS said the suspects were members of a syndicate busted during an intelligence-driven operation by the Joint Task Force – South South, Operation Delta Safe (JTF-SS OPDS), on 9 April 2026.
The operation led to the arrest of 26 crew members and the seizure of two motorised tankers, MT WESTAF and MT MKPODU.
According to the DSS, the two vessels were intercepted while allegedly siphoning crude oil from a platform operated by a major oil company off the shores of Akwa Ibom State.
The media release disclosed that 17 of the suspects and the two vessels had earlier been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Uyo and remanded at the Medium Security Correctional Centre, Uyo, pending the resumption of the matter in September.
The latest development brings to 19 the number of suspects being prosecuted over the alleged crude oil theft operation in the state.
It further disclosed that intelligence-driven operations against crude oil theft were ongoing across the Niger Delta region.
The operations are part of the NNigerianGovernment’s efforts to increase the country’s daily crude oil production and boost foreign exchange earnings.
The Nigerian Government has continued to intensify efforts to curb crude oil theft, which has been identified as a major challenge to Nigeria’s oil production and revenue generation.
