The Nigerian Navy has said that its operations in 2023 have led to the confiscation of crude oil and petroleum products amounting to over N105 billion, being denied oil thieves.
This was contained in a statement issued Thursday by the NN’s spokesman, Rear Admiral AO Ayo-Vaughan, to debunk publications “in some mainstream media and online news platforms” maligning the ongoing effort of the Service towards eradicating the menace of crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the nation’s maritime domain.
The NN decried the modus operandi of these “desperate individuals and organizations”, which includes “sourcing the services of third-party agents/sectional egoists to discredit the reinvigorated stance of the NN in the fight against crude oil theft”.
Ayo-Vaughan noted that the NN has always worked harmoniously with all maritime stakeholders nationally, regionally, and internationally, adding that the onboarding 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.
Furthermore, the various past and ongoing operations and exercises, some of which include Operation DAKAR TA DABARWO, Operation CALM WATERS, Operation NCHEKWE OSHIMILI, and Exercise SEA GUARDIAN among others, attest to the Service’s mandate of curbing maritime criminalities and particularly oil theft.
These operations against crude oil theft in 2023 affected 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.
Also, tens of barges, 82 vehicles, and tanker trucks were arrested and crude oil and petroleum products amounting to over N105 billion were denied to oil thieves. Appropriate prosecuting agencies are in the custody of all arrested suspects and the fight against crude oil theft is ongoing with renewed vigour in the year 2024.
The NN said further that as the lead agency for the security of Nigeria’s maritime environment, it has been at the forefront of galvanizing legitimate maritime stakeholders for the collective fight against crude oil theft and to secure our national economy assets, “hence, it is complete fallacy to allege to the contrary via sponsored ill-conceived and uncorroborated publications”.
Ayo-Vaughan reiterated that the Navy will not be deterred by the malicious and misguided propaganda in the media, and neither would the sponsored campaigns of calumny deter it from carrying out its constitutionally enshrined roles in the interest of the national economy.
