A former Commander, Operation Delta Safe between 2016 and 2019, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi has alleged that crude oil theft in the Niger Delta was often perpetrated through the collaboration of operators of the oil well, security agents and sponsors of the nefarious activity.

The retired naval officer who stated this when he appeared before the House Special Committee on crude oil theft and revenue losses in Abuja on Friday, said there was no way crude oil could get stolen from the nation's export pipeline without the collaboration of the three groups.

Apochi noted that nobody will attempt to take crude from the pipeline when there is flow of crude because the pressure through the lines is enough to kill anybody, while the pipelines have security agents who are supposed to carry out 24-hour surveillance of the pipeline.

He said: "The pressure of flow on the lines is usually very high and nobody can afford to take crude illegally from the pipelines when there is crude on the line. It can only happen when there is no crude and only one set of persons will be aware when the pipeline is dry.

"What that mean is that those who operate the lines are working with the sponsors of these criminal gangs to steal our crude and these are people who are well known. If I mention nes here, you will be shocked.