The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned 19 suspected oil thieves before a Chief Magistrate Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, reaffirming its commitment to sustaining ongoing operations against crude oil theft and maritime criminal activities in the Niger Delta region.
Among those recently brought before the court were Arepade Dominic Ekprese and Benson Ekiokekeme Innocent, who had previously evaded arrest.
Their arraignment brings the total number of suspects facing prosecution in connection with the case to 19, following the earlier arraignment of 17 others.
Sitting at Fulga Road, Uyo, the Chief Magistrate Court declined jurisdiction over the matter, citing the serious nature of the offences and relevant constitutional provisions.
The court subsequently ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Uyo Medium Security Correctional Centre for an initial period of 21 days.
Sources indicated that the Federal High Court, which has the exclusive jurisdiction to hear the case, is currently on vacation.
As a result, the DSS approached the Magistrate Court to obtain a remand order pending the resumption of the Federal High Court, where the suspects are expected to stand trial.
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The arrests stem from an intelligence-led operation carried out on April 9, 2026, by the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (JTF-SS OPDS), in collaboration with the DSS.
During the operation, security operatives apprehended 26 crew members and seized two motorized tankers, MT WESTAF and MT MKPODU.
According to the DSS, the vessels were intercepted while allegedly siphoning crude oil from a facility operated by a major oil company along the Akwa Ibom coastline.
The operation led to the earlier arraignment of 17 suspects, as well as the detention of the seized vessels.
The suspects were initially arraigned before the Federal High Court in Uyo and remanded at the Medium Security Correctional Centre pending further proceedings, which are expected to resume in September.
A senior security official stated that the intensified campaign against crude oil theft forms part of the federal government’s broader strategy to boost Nigeria’s daily crude oil production and enhance foreign exchange earnings through the protection of critical oil assets.
