Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism: Legal Responses and Security Governance in Edo State

This study explores legal and security governance responses to oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Edo State, South South Nigeria, a corridor frequently cited in NNPC Limited's infrastructure loss reports. The phenomenon of crude oil theft, locally described as bunkering, has escalated significantly since 2020, costing Nigeria billions in lost revenue annually. The research adopts a qualitative design, conducting focused interviews with six legal practitioners, four security officials, and three community leaders in Ovia North East and Orhionmwon Local Government Areas. Secondary data are drawn from Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) asset integrity reports and judicial records of pipeline vandalism prosecutions between 2020 and 2024. The analysis reveals that existing legal instruments, including the Miscellaneous Offences Act, are inadequate in deterring systemic oil theft due to poor coordination between security agencies and the judiciary. The study recommends statutory reform to create a dedicated petroleum infrastructure protection law with stronger evidentiary standards and community whistleblower incentives. These findings are relevant to security law scholars, oil industry stakeholders, and policymakers focused on upstream revenue protection. Keywords: oil theft, pipeline vandalism, Edo State, petroleum security, bunkering.