By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Nigerian Navy has launched a new operation, code-named Operation Delta Sanity II, as part of its continued effort to rid the Niger Delta region of oil thieves.
The operation is aimed at increasing oil production for the country.
Under Operation Delta Sanity II, the Navy will deploy armed drones, attack helicopters and other technological assets in combating oil theft in the region.
Speaking during the Flag-off ceremony at Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday, December 30, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, revealed that the Operation Delta Sanity was designed to curb oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminalities, towards ensuring a secure maritime domain for increased economic activities.
Ogalla noted that the operation recorded several successes which led to the arrests of numerous vessels and suspects involved in oil theft, disclosing that it also led to the identification and deactivation of several illegal refining sites.
He pointed out that the launch of the Operation Delta Sanity II is to rejig its operations and record more success.
“These successes led to significant improvements in legitimate activities in the maritime environment and increased Nigeria’s daily crude oil production, as several oil companies reported 100 per cent terminal factor,” the Naval chief said.
He said the operation also strengthened partnership with law enforcement and oil regulating agencies as well as other relevant stakeholders operating under the framework of the Harmonized Standing Operating Procedure for Arrest, Detention and Prosecution of Vessels and Persons.
“This is because a whole-of-society approach is required to fight maritime crimes, especially oil theft for increased oil production in Nigeria,” he said.
Ogalla continued: “Notwithstanding the successes recorded, the Nigerian Navy intends to rejig the Operation Delta Sanity towards achieving better results.”
He said rejigging the operation will involve improved deployment of Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure, increased aerial surveillance using our newly acquired air assets and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as well as increased intelligence gathering for enhanced situational awareness and efficient maritime security operations.
Related Posts
He said it will also incorporate non-kinetic measures to consolidate the successes of previous operations and ensure improved collaboration with all relevant stakeholders in line with the enacted Standard Operating Procedures.
The CNS charged all participating commands, units and establishments to strive towards realizing the desired operational objectives of Operation Delta Sanity II, as he also urged all concerned agencies and stakeholders to improve collaboration with the Nigerian Navy to ensure the success of Operation Delta Sanity II.
Flagging off the Operation, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpibiri, emphasised the need for stakeholders collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in ending oil theft.
While thanking the Navy for its resilience in its operations, Lokpobiri described the Trans Niger Pipeline as the major source of oil theft in the region.
“I believe that with this development we will be able to address that problem and that will automatically lead to increase in the number of barrels that we produce,” the minister said.
Earlier in his address, the Flag Officer Commanding East Command, Rear Admiral S A Akinwade, recalled that Operation Delta Sanity was activated on 10 January 2024 to consolidate the gains recorded by the erstwhile Operation Dakatar Da Barawo.
He particularly mentioned that the operations leveraged the cutting-edge technology of the Nigerian Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness facilities, intelligence inputs and kinetic operations, and determined officers and ratings, as well as collaboration with other maritime stakeholders and security agencies.
Akinwade also revealed that since its inception, a total of 215 suspects have been arrested while about 468 Illegal Refinery sites were deactivated in accordance with extant regulations.
“Furthermore, an estimated quantity of 6.5million litres of stolen crude oil and 7million litres of illegally refined AGO were seized and appropriately handled,” he revealed, adding, “Also, a total of 361 wooden boats, 1,107 dugout pits and 279 storage tanks were deactivated while 26 vessels were arrested.”
Akinwade continued: “Several items and equipment used in the construction of illegal 15 refineries were seized.”
He said the objectives of the Operation Delta Sanity II include: consolidating the gains of Delta Sanity-I; further weakening and degrade the capabilities of the criminal syndicates to regroup and reorganize; and dominating the backwaters to demoralize the criminal elements and potentially disrupt their freedom of move and action.
The rest are: enhancing NN’s Ops in the Backwaters which is the first spectrum of her Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy; and curtailing the menace of environmental pollution caused by the activities of crude oil thieves and ultimately, boost Crude Oil production per day as well as delivery of natural gas.
