The Naval Headquarters has revealed that its operations against crude oil theft in 2023 effected the arrest of 23 ships, over 233 suspects, 690 wooden boats with stolen crude oil and products while over 703 illegal refining sites were destroyed.
It further adds that also, tens of barges, 82 vehicles and tanker trucks were arrested and crude oil and Petroleum products amounting to over N105 billion were confiscated and denied oil thieves.
The Director of Information (DINFO), Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, in a Statement in Abuja disclosed that appropriate prosecuting agencies are in custody of all arrested suspects just as he reiterated that the fight against crude oil theft is ongoing with renewed vigour in 2024.
Ayo-Vaughan was reacting to what he described as fraudulent and unsubstantiated the publications in some mainstream media and online news platforms against the ongoing efforts of the Nigerian Navy (NN) towards eradicating the menace of crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the Nation’s maritime domain.
According to the Statement, the enviable scorecard of the Nigerian Navy has necessitated the ‘ignorant publication’ by soon-to- be arrested criminals desirous to undo the giant strides by the Nigerian Navy.
The DINFO explained that the need for a response to the sponsored and senseless egoistic tendencies is to prevent gullible members of the public from being misinformed by the erroneous publications.
“Suffice to state that the NN in the discharge of her statutory responsibilities as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will continue to work tirelessly for the betterment of the nation’s maritime security.
“It is on record that the NN has always worked harmoniously with all maritime stakeholders nationally, regionally and internationally. The coming onboard of Private Maritime stakeholders for the protection of critical onshore economic assets in the sole interest of the nation’s economy is a known development provided professionalism and Standard Operating Procedures are upheld strictly. Hence, it is a complete fallacy to allege to the contrary via sponsored ill-conceived and uncorroborated publications.
“Evidently, the NN as the Lead Agency for the security of Nigeria’s Maritime Environment has been in the forefront of galvanizing legitimate maritime stakeholders for the collective fight against crude oil theft and to secure our national economy assets. This is obvious with the various past and ongoing operations and exercises designed to curb maritime criminalities and particularly oil theft. Some of these operations are: Operation DAKAR TA DABARWO, Operation CALM WATERS, Operation NCHEKWE OSHIMILI and Exercise SEA GUARDIAN among others.”
Ayo-Vaughan pledged the unwavering commitment of the Navy under the able and focused leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla to go the whole hog in sanitizing Nigeria’s maritime domain even in the face of malicious and misguided propaganda in the media.
“The sponsored campaigns of calumny will not deter the NN from carrying out her constitutional enshrined roles in the interest of National economy. Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to jettison the highly unpatriotic publications,” he advised.
