A Nigerian newspaper reporting on annual theft of $1 billion from Nigeria's oil sector misrepresented U.S. Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM) and U.S. Naval Forces Africa maritime security officials. The U.S. military officials did not provide any opinions or quotes with regard to tacit support of oil theft by authorities.

In an article March 24, 2010, titled "Nigeria Loses Billions in Oil Theft," the Daily Sun copied and rewrote an article that originally appeared March 21 in the Stars and Stripes, titled, "West African Pirates Want Cargo, Not Ransom." The Nigeria newspaper did not acknowledge copying its interview from Stars and Stripes.

The Stars and Stripes reported that pirates in western African waters appear mainly interested in capturing shipping cargo, unlike in eastern Africa, where Somalia-based pirates have primarily sought to capture hostages.

"They're going for the goods, not necessarily the ransom, and that's because of the large amount of natural resources out there," said U.S. Navy Lieutenant (junior grade) Peter Flynt, a U.S. Navy Forces West and Central Africa desk officer, according to Stars and Stripes.

The Stripes article then went on to say, "The primary natural resource being shipped is petroleum -- oil theft from Nigeria alone totals roughly $1 billion a year, said Phillip J. Heyl, chief of the Air and Maritime Security Branch of the Strategy, Plans and Programs Directorate of U.S. Africa Command. And more countries are producing petroleum for export, such as Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana and Cameroon, making them targets of thieves who steal from fuel storage sites, pipelines and anchored barges, Heyl said."

The article in the Nigeria Daily Sun rearranged the flow of the story but directly quoted both officials. However, the Daily Sun added a phrase that did not appear in the original story, incorrectly alleged that Heyl "said such high profile stealing, often with official tacit support, has been responsible for the growing poverty among the nation's population."

"I have never said that Nigerian oil theft has tacit, or otherwise, official support," Heyl said after the Nigerian story was brought to his attention. Neither Heyl nor Flynt were interviewed for the Daily Sun article.

The Stars and Stripes article can be found at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=68802

The Daily Sun article can be found at:
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/mar/24/national-24-03-2010-18.htm.