The Nigerian Navy, Operation Delta Sanity 2, has arrested nine suspected oil thieves at a wellhead, located at about 26 nautical miles offshore in Akwa Ibom.
Commander of NNS Jubilee, Commodore Abubakar Umar, stated this in a press briefing at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, noting that the objective aimed at increasing the country’s crude oil production.
He added that since the launch of the operation, the Task Group had conducted a series of maritime and air patrols as well as interdiction operations, stressing that a wooden boat suspected to be carrying out act of economic sabotage with nine persons were arrested at the vicinity of one of the wellheads within Eastern Naval Command area of responsibility.
Umar said the arrest was a result of joint intelligence collaboration between the security team of the Nigerian Navy and the Department of State Service DSS, stressing that the arrest demonstrated the Nigerian Navy’s resolve and commitment to reduce maritime-related crimes in the nation to the barest minimum.
He therefore revealed that the effort aligned with the desire of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, for a synergy between the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
The Commander used the opportunity to warn oil thieves and other criminal elements operating in the country’s Eastern flank to desist from their acts of economic sabotage as the Navy was poised to deal ruthlessly with economic saboteurs.
9News Nigeria, reports that the
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, flagged off Operation Delta Sanity 2 on December 30, 2024 as a continuation of the mandate of Operation DELTA SANITY 1.
The News Platform further reveals that the operation’s objective was to checkmate crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, smuggling, sea robbery and piracy amongst other maritime crimes in the Eastern flank of the country’s maritime environment.
