Nine men convicted of stealing crude oil from an oil wellhead in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have collectively received 90 years imprisonment after the Federal High Court in Uyo found them guilty of the offence.
Justice Joy Ikpeme sentenced each of the convicts to 10 years in prison without the option of a fine, in a ruling delivered on Monday, September 14, 2026.
The case involved the alleged siphoning of crude oil from the ASABO-D oil wellhead within Akwa Ibom’s territorial waters, highlighting the continuing challenge of oil theft in the state’s maritime environment.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) after they were arrested by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to the security agency on February 7, 2025.
The prosecution established its case beyond reasonable doubt, paving the way for the court to impose the custodial sentences on all nine defendants.
Those convicted are Michael Mebawondu, Owei Godspower Mitin, Godspromise Amigoe, Opuowei Siarerebo, Gerekumo Panyan, Newyear Orimisan, Victor Ita, Egbayelo Innocent Oluwatomisin and Ayakimeze Alexander Amagbopere.
The significance of the judgment extends beyond the individual sentences, as none of the convicts was given the opportunity to avoid imprisonment through payment of a fine.
The convictions also come against the backdrop of wider enforcement efforts in the state, with authorities reporting that 21 other suspected oil thieves are currently facing prosecution for similar offences.
The latest judgment therefore underscores the increasing use of criminal prosecution and custodial punishment in the fight against crude oil theft within Akwa Ibom’s oil-producing and maritime communities.
