The Defence headquarters has said that it recovered over 500,000 litres of stolen crude oil in one week.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, shared some important updates on Thursday, November 23, in Abuja during a press briefing about the military’s actions according to Punch report.
He mentioned that the troops of Operation Delta Safe have achieved significant results in the past week.
They recovered a large amount of stolen crude oil, about 578,900 litres, along with 454,330 litres of illegally refined diesel (known as Automotive Gas Oil) and 10,000 litres of Dual-Purpose Kerosene.
Additionally, the military took action against illegal activities in the Niger Delta region. They destroyed 50 sites where illegal oil was being refined and arrested 51 people involved in these activities.
Furthermore, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba noted that the troops were successful in eliminating four criminals and seized weapons and ammunition.
They also demolished 245 pits used for illegal activities and destroyed 31 boats, 69 storage tanks, one tricycle, 23 vehicles, 162 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, and three outboard engines.
These actions were part of efforts to curb unlawful practices and maintain security in the region.
He said:
“The maritime component of Operation Delta Safe on November 17 conducted a search and rescue operation following a distress call on a missing Cameroonian-flagged motor Fishing Vessel MFV AFKI with registration number UK12 and number AFKI 8432780.
“After frantic surveillance, maritime components traced and made contact with the vessel 17 nautical miles off Pennington terminal. The vessel was recovered with two foreign crew members onboard.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has restated its firm commitment to stopping the theft of crude oil in the country.
In a statement dated November 22, signed by Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, it was mentioned that Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., emphasised this commitment during a presentation about the company’s operations under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
This presentation took place at the Federation Account Allocation Committee Retreat in Asaba, Delta State.
Represented by the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, the GCEO highlighted NNPC Ltd’s strong stance against crimes that negatively impact the nation’s energy security.
He stressed the importance of collaboration across the industry to address the problem.
Thanks to this joint effort, many illegal operations related to crude oil and product pipelines have been stopped, and numerous offenders have been apprehended.
He mentioned that the focus of these security operations is to stop both crude oil theft and pipeline damage.
The goal is to increase the country’s crude oil production, raise revenues, ensure energy security, and contribute to economic growth. This initiative aims to protect the country’s resources and enhance its overall prosperity.
