The Nigerian Navy (NN) said its operations against oil theft in 2023 led to the  arrest of 23 ships, over 233 suspects, 690 wooden boats with stolen crude oil and products, while over 703 illegal refining sites were destroyed.

The Director of Naval Information, Rear Adm. Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, added that tens of barges, 82 vehicles and tanker trucks were arrested and crude oil and petroleum products amounting to over N105 billion were confiscated and denied oil thieves.

The NN said criminals, desperate individuals and organisations behind crude oil theft in the country were sponsoring malicious media campaign against it for their selfish interest.

According to him, appropriate prosecuting agencies are in custody of all arrested suspects and the fight against crude oil theft is ongoing with renewed vigour in year 2024.

“It is not surprising, therefore, that these ignorant publications aimed at distracting the Navy are obviously sponsored by the soon-to-be-arrested criminals involved in oil theft who are feeling the impact of the Nigerian Navy’s renewed fight towards eradicating the menace of oil theft.

“The Navy’s effort has been visible leading to increase in oil production in the last six months as rightly reported by relevant authorities and the media.

“The Navy under the able and focused leadership of Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, will not be deterred by the malicious and misguided propaganda in the media.

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“The sponsored campaigns of calumny will not deter the NN from carrying out her constitutional roles in the interest of national economy.

“Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to jettison the highly unpatriotic publications,” he said.

The spokesman said the NN as the lead agency in the security of Nigeria’s maritime environment had been in the forefront of galvanising legitimate maritime stakeholders for the collective fight against crude oil theft and securing national assets.

He said the role of the service was obvious with the various past and ongoing operations and exercises designed to curb maritime criminalities and particularly oil theft.

Some of the operations, according to him, are: Operation Dakar Ta Dabarwo, Operation Calm Waters, Operation Nchekwe Oshimili and Exercise Sea Guardian, among others.

The Star