Security agencies say criminal networks involved in oil theft in Nigeria are increasingly operating within communities, markets and transport corridors, marking a shift from their traditional bases in remote creeks and offshore areas.
Oil theft has long been linked to crude bunkering and illegal refining in the Niger Delta’s waterways and creeks.
Authorities now report that the pattern of operations is expanding into more populated areas, embedding illicit activities amid legitimate commercial and social settings.
Security agencies cited the January 24, 2026, discovery of fuel theft operations at Owaza Mami Market in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State as an example of the evolving trend.
Investigators said crude oil and refined products were stored in warehouses within the market. Generators modified to run on crude were also found, the agencies reported.
Officials said the market along the Port Harcourt‑Aba Expressway appeared to be a regular roadside market but served as a hub for storage, processing and distribution of stolen petroleum products.
They said joint intelligence‑led operations by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and security agencies led to the uncovering of the activities.
Security sources said markets, warehouses, hotels and residential compounds are increasingly used to conceal crude oil theft activities.
The sources noted that criminal groups leverage the dense human and commercial traffic in these areas to disguise their operations.
In the Owaza Mami Market case, security reports indicated active artisanal refining equipment was found within the market area.
Authorities said the discovery aligns with broader patterns of illegal refining and crude theft across parts of Rivers, Imo, Abia and Delta states.
Officials also cited enforcement challenges. In some areas, checkpoints and patrols experienced delays or difficulties in accessing certain zones, allowing suspects to evade arrest. The reports said routes and terrain fringes complicate enforcement efforts.
Security agencies said Nigeria loses billions of dollars annually to oil theft. They also linked artisanal refining sites to environmental degradation, noting that waste from illegal refining is often disposed of into soil and waterways, contaminating farmlands and aquatic resources.
