By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, has said that the fight against Crude Oil Theft has been a huge success under the auspices of OPERATION DELTA SANITY, which was re-launched in January 2024, as over six vessels suspected to be involved in crude oil theft were nabbed within a period of nine months.
He noted that the NN has also provided all year-round situation awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone through its Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities which enabled early detection and swift response to incidences within the maritime environment, in line with its total spectrum maritime strategy.
Vice Admiral Ogalla, (Admiralty Medal), said, this in Abuja, during a press conference to announce the commencement of NN 68TH Anniversary Celebrations 2024, scheduled to hold from Friday, 24 May to Saturday, 1 June 2024.
The CNS, who spoke through Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, also disclosed that the Commander In Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will commission three new ships and two helicopters, acquired
for the Nigerian Navy.
He said: “As the name implies, the NN Anniversary Celebration, often referred to as ‘Navy Week’, is an annual event held to commemorate the establishment of the NN as an arm of force on 1 June 1956. Today, the Nigerian Navy has grown from its humble beginning with a handful of coastal boats into a force to be reckoned with, not only in the West African Sub-region, but also in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), and indeed the entire sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, this Navy Week Celebration, as with others in the past, also serve as a score-card of the NN’s performance in the service of our dear nation. This can only be put in perspective by reviewing the noble achievements of the current leadership. Under the current NN leadership, the NN has attained the highest state of operational readiness in the discharge of its constitutional roles. In particular, the fight against Crude Oil Theft has been a huge success under the auspices of OPERATION DELTA SANITY which was re-launched in January 2024. In the 9 months of its existence, the operation has led to the arrest of various suspects and vessels involved in COT. Some of these vessels include MT KALI, MT SWEET HARBOUR SPIRIT, MT SAISNIL, MV TOKITO, MT VINILLARIS and MT SWEET MIRI, among others”.
This, the CNS said, has impacted positively on Nigeria’s crude oil production.
He said that OPEC records for the month of April 2024 shows that Nigeria’s Crude Oil Exports rose to 1.28m bpd in April from 1.23m bpd in March.
This, he said is in line with the President’s directive to eradicate crude oil theft in order to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and exports.
On the newly acquired platform, he said: “During the occasion, the President and C-in -C will also commission 3 newly acquired ships and 2 helicopters as well as declare open the International Maritime Exhibition in which international and local maritime security related companies will showcase their products and services. On the side line, the Meeting of Gulf of Guinea Heads of Navies and Coast Guards will take place on 31 May 24.
“The series of activities marking the Navy Week Celebration will be rounded off on 1 Jun 2024 with the commissioning of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Ceremonial Sunset/ Reunion Dinner at NNS QUORRA Apapa and Naval Dockyard Limited Victoria Island respectively”.
He also highlighted other activities lined up for the commemoration of Nigerian Navy at 68.
