The Senate’s ad-hoc committee probing the ongoing theft of Nigeria’s crude oil ramped up its investigation on Tuesday with an oversight visit to the top management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
After the meeting, the committee chairman, Senator Ned Nwoko, described the visit as an important step toward producing a final report that is “accurate, defensible, and supported by verifiable evidence.”
Nwoko explained that the committee has already submitted three interim reports to the Senate, each based on thorough analysis, expert input from within and outside the country, and solid documentation. According to him, the findings so far reveal years of major revenue losses within the oil sector. He added that the probe is not only examining past losses but also taking a close look at current developments in Nigeria’s upstream operations.
“While the past issues are substantial, it is just as vital to understand what is happening now in NNPC’s upstream activities,” he said.
During the meeting with NNPC officials, the committee sought explanations for previous operational failures that allowed widespread crude theft and financial losses. It also reviewed the ongoing reforms meant to stabilise production and secure key pipeline infrastructure.
Nwoko said the committee aims to compare past documented losses with present operational data to assess whether current preventive measures are working. The insights gathered at this stage, he noted, will play a key role in shaping the committee’s final report to the Senate.
