Oil theft moves inland as criminal networks shift operations into communities
By Khubayb Adefaka
For decades, Nigeria’s oil theft crisis was largely concentrated in the remote creeks and mangrove swamps of the Niger Delta, where vandalised pipelines and makeshift refineries operated far from public view. Today, however, security agencies warn that the crime is increasingly migrating inland—embedding itself within civilian communities and commercial centres under the guise of legitimate business activities.
The recent exposure of Owaza Mami Market in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State has brought this evolving trend into sharp focus. Authorities say the market functioned as a major hub for illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refining, highlighting what experts describe as a broader shift in strategy by oil theft syndicates.
On January 24, 2026, a joint intelligence-led operation by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and government security agencies uncovered the market’s hidden role as a storage, processing and distribution centre for stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products. To motorists travelling along the busy Port Harcourt–Aba Expressway, the site appeared to be an ordinary roadside market. Investigators, however, say it was part of a sophisticated illicit supply chain connected to the Trans-Niger Pipeline.
Security officials say criminal networks are deliberately relocating from isolated creek-based camps to populated areas where their activities can blend into everyday commerce. Markets, warehouses, hotels and residential buildings are increasingly being used as cover for the storage and processing of stolen petroleum products.
At the Owaza site, authorities reportedly discovered warehouses stocked with crude oil and refined products, generators modified to run directly on crude oil, and operational artisanal refining equipment within the market premises.
The development mirrors patterns observed in parts of Rivers, Imo, Abia and Delta states, where illegal refining operations have steadily moved closer to highways and urban centres.
Energy security analysts say the shift offers significant advantages to criminal networks. Operating near transport corridors reduces logistics costs, shortens supply chains and provides quicker access to buyers. At the same time, enforcement becomes more complicated, as security operations in densely populated areas carry higher risks of civilian harm.
The Owaza discovery underscores a changing reality: Nigeria’s oil theft problem is no longer confined to distant creeks or offshore infrastructure. Instead, it is increasingly intertwined with community life, making detection and disruption more difficult.
Analysts warn that as networks become more organised and decentralised, authorities may face mounting challenges in dismantling operations that are embedded within legitimate economic spaces.
For now, the dismantling of the Owaza Mami Market operation stands as both a warning and a case study—illustrating how oil theft in Nigeria has evolved from remote sabotage to an inland enterprise operating in plain sight.
