Navy foiled theft of 91,725 barrels crude oil in 2023 — Ex-commandant

A former Commandant of the Navy War College, Rear Admiral Murtala Bashir (Rtd.), says the Nigerian Navy’s onslaught against oil thieves saved the nation 91,725.26 barrels of crude in 2023.

Bashir disclosed this in a paper he presented at the inauguration of the Naval Warfare Course 8 in Calabar on Monday.

Speaking on the topic, “Operational Level Warfare: Imperatives for Training and Command in the Nigerian Navy,” he said that this was against 889,890 barrels that were saved from thieves between January and December 2022.

According to Bashir, the economic saboteurs were also denied 513,350 litres of kerosene in 2023 alone. He further noted that 351 illegal refining sites, 630 storage tanks, and 315 wooden boats were deactivated within the same period.

Bashir said that 78 suspects, 35 vessels, and 13 trucks were arrested between January and December 2023.

While commending the Navy for the feat, he said that more action was needed to reduce the activities of oil thieves to the barest level.

“The aforementioned achievements and others were possible because most operational-level commanders displayed sterling personal qualities, such as diligence, commitment, courage, knowledge, foresight, the ability to take risks, the ability to delegate authority, and respect for subordinates, among others,” he said.

Bashir also commended the Navy for delisting the country from the International Maritime Organization’s list of High-Risk Countries.

“For so many years, Nigeria’s maritime area was plagued by piracy, with the area regarded as a High-Risk Area, alongside the Gulf of Aden and other notorious areas by the IMO.

“It is noteworthy to say that the Flag Officer Commanding the operational commands doubled his efforts by being proactive.

“They invested more in intelligence and collaborating with other stakeholders, which led to coordinated and sustained operations in their individual areas of responsibilities with occasional overlaps.

“Many of the pirates were arrested ashore, either while planning their operations or when they returned after operations,” he said.

Bashir called for the optimisation of the operational level of Naval Warfare Training for the service to produce professional officers that would adequately translate strategic directives into precise tactical actions.

“The officers will also be apolitical and more responsive to national security priorities.

“They will be more efficient in the alignment and use of resources, uphold the law, and respect human rights, thereby earning public trust, respect and confidence,” Bashir said.

On October 26, PUNCH reported that the Nigerian Navy arrested eight oil thieves in a wooden boat with over 300 drums and pumping machines with which they planned to store stolen crude oil.

Subsequently, on December 7, the Nigerian Navy said its personnel arrested a 77-metre-long Motor Tanker Vinnalaris 1 Lagos.

According to the service, the vessel had 17 crew members onboard at the time of arrest, adding that it was caught engaging in illegal siphoning of crude oil from one of the well heads at EBESAN oil field about seven nautical miles off the coast of Awoye riverine community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

(NAN)