The Nigerian Navy has flagged off Operation Delta Sanity II, an extension of its special maritime security operation aimed at combating oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and other criminalities in the Niger Delta region.
The extension ceremony, held onboard the Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, marked the continuation of the operation, which was initially activated on January 10, 2024.
Operation Delta Sanity II was launched by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, on December 30, 2024.
The operation is a follow-up to the initial Operation Delta Sanity, which has recorded significant successes in checkmating the menace of crude oil theft and other illegalities within Nigeria’s Maritime Environment.
Lokpobiri, who commended the Navy for the exceptional leadership provided by the Chief of the Naval Staff and the successes recorded in the last one year, in an interview, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made by the Nigerian Navy in combating crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
The Minister also expressed his excitement about the launch of Operation Delta Sanity 1, which took place in Delta State, and the extension of the operation to other areas, tasking the Navy to ensure to curtail the sabotage on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).
He said: “When I became minister, we were doing barely a million barrels per day, but today we are doing 1.8 million barrels per day and our target is to do at least 3 million barrels by this same time in 2025.
“I am particularly happy about this one because this is where we have the most fundamental problem. This Trans-Niger Pipeline is where we have most of the illegal infractions that we have as far as crude oil theft, Pipeline vandalism is concerned.”
Lokpobiri emphasized the importance of collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers, youth groups, and other stakeholders to support the Nigerian Navy and Armed Forces in achieving their objectives.
“For us to guard this region enough, the Navy needs the support of other security agencies, including the civilian security and contractors. We also need the collaboration of traditional rulers, youth groups, we need all hands of critical stakeholders to support the Nigerian Navy and the Armed Forces to be able to achieve that for the benefit of all of us,” he said.
The Cheif Of Naval Staff(CNS) Vice Admiral Emmauel Ogalla, said the operation is designed to ensure a secure maritime domain for increased economic activities, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for national economic prosperity and poverty eradication.
He noted that since the launch of Operation Delta Sanity in January 2024, the Nigerian Navy has recorded significant successes, including the arrest of numerous vessels and suspects involved in oil theft, as well as the identification and deactivation of several illegal refining sites.
He added that the successes have led to improvements in legitimate activities in the maritime environment and increased Nigeria’s daily crude oil production.
Despite the positive results, to achieve better results, Ogalla said the Navy deemed it fit to rejig Operation Delta Sanity by improving the deployment of Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure, increasing aerial surveillance, and enhancing intelligence gathering.
He assured that the Operation will also incorporate non-kinetic measures to consolidate previous successes and ensure improved collaboration with stakeholders.
Ogalla, however, charged all participating commands, units, and establishments to strive towards realizing the operational objectives of Operation Delta Sanity II.
Ogalla also expressed optimism that Nigeria’s oil production target of 2 million barrels per day is achievable by next year.
“And if you look at where we were last year, when we launched this operation, we were about 1.4million barrels, we have gone to 1.8 million. I believe that with all the assets that we are bring on board, particularly our new assets, armed drones, attack helicopters and different other assets that we are bringing on board, including increased intelligence sharing with other agencies we are definitely going to even that target and surpass it. Because it is just a task that we are all committed to.”
Meanwhile, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral, Saheed Adeshina Akinwande highlighted the operation’s remarkable achievements over the past 12 months.
He noted that the Operation has leveraged cutting-edge technology, intelligence inputs, and kinetic operations to checkmate the menace of crude oil theft. Collaboration with other maritime stakeholders and security agencies has also been instrumental in the operation’s success.
According to Rear Admiral Akiwande, the operation has yielded significant results, including the arrest of 215 suspects, deactivation of 468 illegal refinery sites, and seizure of 6.5 million liters of stolen crude oil and 7 million liters of illegally refined AGO.
Additionally, 361 wooden boats, 1,107 dugout pits, and 279 storage tanks have been deactivated, while 26 vessels have been arrested. Several items and equipment used in the construction of illegal refineries have also been seized.
The operation’s efforts have also contributed to an increase in crude oil production, which has reached 1.8 million barrels per day, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The extension of Operation Delta Sanity aimed to consolidate the gains made so far, further weaken and degrade the capabilities of criminal syndicates, and dominate the backwaters to disrupt the freedom of movement and action of criminal elements.
Akiwande expressed optimism that the operation would meet and surpass the 2 million barrels per day production target set by the President.
Nigerian Navy Launches Operation To Curb Oil Theft, Pipeline Vandalism is first published on The Whistler Newspaper