By Augustine Ehikioya
Recognizing their good roles, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, on Thursday 25 April, 2024, extended Operation DELTA SANITY tenure for another 90 days.
He did that at the Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER in Port Harcourt, commending them for the successes recorded so far.
The CNS had on 6 January, 2024, launched Operation DELTA SANITY to combat Crude Oil Theft in the region in line with the President and Commander-in-Chief’s directive to eradicate crude oil theft and ramp up Nigeria’s production for an improved economy.
A statement by the Director Naval Information, Commodore, Aiwuyor Augustine Adams-Aliu, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA), recalled that Operation DELTA SANITY was conceptualised as a “major anti-crude oil theft operation, the Nigerian Navy personnel, platforms, helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were deployed on aggressive surveillance and interdiction operations across the Niger Delta area.
“Additionally, commands, units and bases were directed to conduct both Kinetic and non-Kinetic operations to stem the tide of maritime criminalities.”
The operation, it pointed out, has denied oil thieves and vandals across various parts of the Niger Delta, freedom of action.
It added “From Bayelsa to Ondo to Rivers to Akwa Ibom States, and beyond, with the recovery of massive quantities of stolen products, the dismantling of Illegal Refining Sites, arrest of suspects, seizure of stolen products has underscored the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to stamp out crude oil theft.
“Cumulatively, Operation DELTA SANITY has recorded successes as follows: Recovery of large quantities of stolen crude oil and refined products.
“Seized Wooden Boats – 95, Deactivated storage tanks and Refining Ovens – 119, Deactivated Dugout Pits – 447, Deactivated Illegal Refining Sites – 120, Seized Fibre Boats – 13, Seized Vehicles – 9, Arrested Suspects – 74, Arrested Vessels – 14.”
The CNS, the statement said, thanked the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hs Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support to the Armed Forces in general and the Nigerian Navy in particular.
“He also commended all the officers and men of the Nigerian Navy who daily sacrifice every form of physical comfort to fulfil the mandate of Operation DELTA Sanity” the statement stated.
