The Nigerian Navy held a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the maritime sector on Tuesday to address the persistent issue of crude oil theft, particularly in the Niger-Delta region.
The meeting aimed to tackle challenges such as pipeline vandalism, sea piracy, and revenue loss.
Attendees included industry regulators, maritime law enforcement, and industry players, as well as traditional rulers and officials from NNPCL, NPA, NIMASA, and NSCDC.
The meeting followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the military to curb crude oil theft and increase production for supply to the Dangote refinery.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, disclosed that Operation Delta Safe has led to the arrest of 35 ships with stolen crude, which have been handed over to prosecuting agencies.
“Accordingly, this forum seeks to address emerging security issues arising from implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, contemporary trends in maritime security as well as other law enforcement issues which border on maritime and energy security,” he said.
Ogalla added, “The Nigerian Navy has sustained her maritime security operations through surveillance, response capability and law enforcement in addition to collaboration with all maritime stakeholders.
“We rejigged our operations and established OPERATION DELTA SANITY in Jan 24. This operation has achieved remarkable successes in curbing oil theft. Over 35 ships involved in oil theft have been arrested and handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies.
“So, provision of security is part of ways of increasing promoting ease of doing business, because if there is no security, the operators cannot operate. Also ensuring that our arrests and detentions do not impede on the legitimate business operators, we ensure that when we make arrests, we quickly carry our preliminary investigation.
“And if I it was based on wrong information, we quickly release those vessels so that we do not impede businesses. So generally that is our own contribution. The way we feel that we can promote ease of doing business by ensuring that our operations, our patrols, do not end up constituting problems to the operators.
“Rather, we should support them by giving them the assurance and the confidence that they are well protected from the criminal elements who are always keen towards disrupting businesses in Nigeria.”
Group Managing Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, reported that crude production has increased to 1.6 million barrels daily, with a target of 2 million barrels by year-end. He appreciated the Navy’s support in reducing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, expressing hope for sustained efforts to achieve the production target.
