Giving the breakdown, inspector-general of the police, Tafa Balogun, said his men arrested 869 suspects in 2000, 142 in 2001, 37 in 2002, 609 in 2003, and 470 so far this year. Out of this number, the police has so far brought 1,909 suspects before the courts, together with exhibits which include 55 trucks, 54 other vehicles, 10 ships, 156 canoes and boats, and 622 motorcycles..
The inspector-general said his force is facing legal, logistics, and material constraints in the drive to contain the activities of the petroleum thieves. He said the force has been having problems in prosecuting cases, as judges easily grant bail and human-rights groups put pressure on police to release those under detention..
The Nigereian National Pewtroleum Corp estimates that the country is still losing close to 50,000 brl/d of crude oil to thieves, despite the fact that security agencies have succeeded in reducing this figure from about 300,000 barrels last year.