Nine suspected oil thieves arrested in Akwa Ibom

Nine suspected oil thieves arrested in Akwa Ibom

The Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sanity 2 has arrested nine suspected oil thieves at a wellhead located about 26 nautical miles offshore in Akwa Ibom.

The 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.

He said that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, flagged off Operation Delta Sanity 2 on Dec. 30, 2024, as a continuation of Operation DELTA SANITY 1’s mandate.

He explained that the operation’s objective was to checkmate crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, smuggling, sea robbery, and piracy, among other maritime crimes, in the eastern flank of the country’s maritime environment.

Umar said that the objective aimed at increasing the country’s crude oil production.

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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.

He, however, said that a wooden boat suspected to be carrying out an act of economic sabotage with nine persons was arrested in the vicinity of one of the wellheads within the 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).

He said that the arrest demonstrated the Nigerian Navy’s resolve and commitment to reduce maritime-related crimes in the nation to the barest minimum.

He said 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 warned 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.