The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, on Wednesday in Warri, Delta State, inaugurated ‘Operation Delta Sanity’, as part of the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to eliminate crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, and other forms of insecurity within Nigeria’s maritime environment.
The inauguration, held aboard NNS Ikenne at the new Nigeria Ports Authority Jetty in Warri, saw the presence of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu; leaders from various security agencies in the Niger Delta region, and key maritime stakeholders, including the NNPCL and Oil Producers Trading Section.
Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of the Naval Staff, addressing the assembly, highlighted that the newly initiated ‘Operation Delta Sanity’ would succeed ‘Operation Dakatar Da Barawo,’ operational in the Niger Delta since April 2022.
Commending the positive outcomes of ‘OPDB,’ during which numerous arrests of illegal vessels and incidents of crude oil and refined products theft were reported, the CNS disclosed that a total of N105 billion worth of seized crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products marked the success of that operation.
He said, “As a result of OPDB, as at September 2023, Nigeria’s crude oil output rose to 1.35 million barrels per day, from about one million barrels per day, peaking at 1.57 million barrels per day in October 2023. This is indicative of the impact of OPDB.”
However, he revealed that the initiation of ‘Operation Delta Sanity’ had become necessary to enhance the safeguarding of the Niger Delta environment.
He added, “In addition to the Nigerian Navy’s conventional assets, there is the need to ensure greater integration of Maritime Domain Awareness facilities and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in order to enhance situational awareness of the area of operations.
“Furthermore, the increasing need to restrategize on environmentally sustainable handling of seized products and arrested vessels has come to the fore.
“As a result, the renewed efforts are hereby reconstituted under ‘Operation Delta Sanity,’ which seeks to restore sanity to the oil and gas exploration activities in the Niger Delta region.”
The CNS disclosed that “the operation will incorporate complimentary kinetic and non-kinetic measures to consolidate the successes of OPDB in the Niger Delta area.”
Ogalla expressed heartfelt appreciation to relevant Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and maritime stakeholders for their collaborative efforts in previous years, encouraging them to ensure the success of the upcoming operation.
He spoke further, “In line with my vision to have a ‘highly motivated professional naval force, capable of shaping the security outcomes within Nigeria’s maritime domain and the littorals, including land-based engagements in fulfillment of Nigeria’s national interest,’ I hereby charge all participating commands, units and establishments to strive towards realizing the desired operational objectives of ODS.
“I hereby seek the support of concerned Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as maritime stakeholders to ensure the success of this operation.
“I believe that all hands will be on deck towards achieving the desired objectives of this operation.
“This would foster the much-desired economic recovery and development of our great nation, Nigeria.”
The Chief of the Naval Staff expressed profound appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “for his continuous support to the Nigerian Navy, without which we would not have accomplished the achievements recorded so far.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Oil, Senator Lokpobiri, in a goodwill message, described the event as “an epoch-making occasion, which symbolizes consolidation of Nigerian Navy’s series of successes in its fight against crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other related crimes in the nation’s maritime domain.”
The minister added, “As we gather here today, I wish to specially acknowledge and commend the indefatigable efforts of our Navy at ridding Nigeria’s maritime environment of crimes which threaten our national security and economic stability, particularly oil theft.”
He hailed the close collaboration among the security agencies and relevant maritime stakeholders, “coordinated under the framework of the Harmonised Standing Operating Procedures for the Arrest, Detention and Prosecution of Vessels and Persons,” stressing that “it has indeed, brought a great deal of sanity in the conduct of maritime businesses in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.”
Lokpobiri made an appeal to the governors of the oil-producing states in the Niger Delta region, urging them to provide full support to the Nigerian Navy in preventing crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, and other forms of maritime insecurity within their respective states.