Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff
The Nigerian Navy’s attention has been drawn to a front-page report of This
Day newspaper of Thursday 28 July 2022, alleging the unwillingness or
inability of the navy to halt oil theft menace as attacks in the Gulf have
reduced.
The report identified massive crude oil theft as one of the reasons for
which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is unable to
meet its oil quota. Furthermore, it was alleged that, “the top hierarchy of the
Navy fighting the menace in the Niger Delta have been fingered by locals and
several top Nigerians of complicity in the growing oil theft.” Mention was also
made to the immediate past Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete
Ibas (Rtd) who was reported to have admitted and lamented the involvement of
naval personnel in the illicit oil bunkering and theft in the country, warning
them (navy personnel) to desist.
First, it is most surprising that the writers of the report are unaware of the
several operational efforts of the Nigerian Navy to curb Crude Oil Theft (COT)
and illegal refineries since the menace surfaced in the Niger Delta decades ago.
For a report on such topical issue to refer to a former CNS to buttress a point is
an indication that the writers are totally oblivious of the current leadership of
the Nigerian Navy. They would have taken the pains to do findings and
personal update on the subject matter before making such reckless,
preposterous, and unfortunate remark. For the avoidance of doubt, Vice
Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) handed over on 29 January 2021. In the past 18
months, the navy under the able leadership of the incumbent CNS has left no
stone unturned in her renewed fight against illegalities in the maritime domain
particularly COT, illegal bunkering, Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) and associated
crimes.
Recall that on 1 April 2022, the Nigerian Navy in synergy with the NNPC
launched Operation DAKATAR DA BARARWO (OPDDB) meaning, ‘Stop
the Thief’ in Hausa. The operation is to curb COT and associated crimes. In
the last 4 months, the entire naval assets and personnel in the Niger Delta have
continually and vigorously fought the menace of COT as directed by the CNS.
The Navy has also reported regularly and given updates on its efforts in the
media with over 10 press releases stating the tireless efforts of the Navy to
deny oil thieves well over Twenty Five Billion naira (N25,000,000) worth of
stolen crude oil and product. Accordingly, the achievements of the 4 month
OPDDB include the following seizures and arrests:
AGO – 23,110,102.59litres
Crude Oil – 39,664,420.16 litres/230,882.73 barrels
DPK – 649,775.38 litres
PMS – 345,000.49 litres
Sludge – 380,000 litres
LPFO – 66,000 litres
Destroyed IRS – 278
Arrested Suspects – 85
Arrested Boats – 72
Arrested Vehicles and Tanker-Trucks– 23
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Destroyed Illegal Refinery Ovens – 127
Destroyed Illegal Refinery Large Pits – 102
Destroyed Illegal Refinery Storage Tanks – 148
Recovered Outboard Engine – 41
Recovered Pumping Machines – 35
The ongoing OPDDB has seen the mobilization of the entire Nigerian Navy
Operations Bases and Forward Operating Bases, Ships, helicopters, personnel
including the maritime surveillance infrastructure of the Navy in collaboration
with sister Services and other security agencies in the Niger Delta with the
generous logistical support of NNPC. The entire region has indeed felt the
impact of OPDDB because most oil thieves have been put out of business, the
carbon soot that was predominant in some places due to the operation of Illegal
refineries has disappeared and innocent citizens have been saved from the
health dangers/hazards the fumes/soot posed to them. Navy personnel in the
Niger Delta creeks have repeated raided these IRS to ensure they remain
inactive, unproductive, and moribund.
At the strategic level there are regular and fruitful exchanges, engagements and
meetings between the leadership of the navy and that of NNPC to continually
reappraise, update and situate the operation so as to fashion out new strategies
to curb the menace. The primary thrust and major effort of the navy is the
ongoing fight against COT and a lot of resources, equipment and logistics are
being factored into the operation to sustain the effort. There is therefore no
unwillingness or inability on the part of the navy to curb the menace of COT
having demonstrated the resolve in the last 4 months and even before OPDDB
was launched. To allege, imply or assume anything to the contrary is mere
falsehood and rude misrepresentation which must be retracted.
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Secondly, in alleging complicity by the top hierarchy of the Navy in the crime
of oil theft by locals and several top Nigerians, the report again proved
spurious, imaginary and unsubstantiated, and the general public must not be
misinformed on the caliber of senior officers that form the top hierarchy of the
Nigerian Navy.
Although, we are unfortunate as a nation to suffer sleazes from time to time
from some unpatriotic Nigerians, this does not imply that there are no
honourable men in Nigeria and some are naval officers. As a matter of fact, to
demonstrate the zero tolerance of the Navy for COT, some officers who at a
time were alleged to be complicit in COT are presently facing charges before a
court martial. It is a routine in the Navy for personnel to be repeatedly warned
to desist from any act of involvement or compromise with oil thieves, most
often by the CNS personally.
Thirdly, the uninformed writers of the report are invited to note that the
difference between oil theft and oil losses. Oil theft occurs when the crude oil
is siphoned from oil wells or vandalized pipelines into barges or wooden boats
destined for ships at sea or the illegal refineries. The loss on the other hand
occurs when a pipeline is shut down, for example the Trans-Niger Pipeline.
The barrels of oil that would have been transported for sale cannot be, hence it
is a loss to the NNPC. Claims of theft of 108,000 barrels of crude oil for
instance implies that on a daily basis 22 x 5,000 barrel (5 tonne) capacity barge
would be required by oil thieves to convey the consignment through the creeks
to the high sea for sale to ships. In a month therefore, about 660 barges will be
required to convey the acclaimed quantity of stolen crude to sea. This is totally
a false assertion because such a mass movement of barges is impossible giving
the operation and daily patrols of the Nigerian Navy. Furthermore, crude oil
losses are attributed to Metering errors and Shut In (as just explained) by
NNPC. Operators of IRS in the Niger Delta source crude oil mainly from
unused and unsealed oil wells and vandalized pipelines to which illegal
connections are made to siphon oil.
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Finally, the Nigerian Navy has not reneged to appeal to political, traditional
and opinion leaders in the region to educate the people to note the
environmental, economic and health hazards the crime of COT and IRS pose
to the operators, people and entire region, hence the need to dissuade the oil
thieves from the crime. To therefore allege the unwillingness of the Navy to
curb the menace is totally false and highly distasteful. The members of the
Fourth estate of the Realm have always been considered to be partners in
progress at resolving the problems of the country and should therefore not
exacerbate the problems. Journalists are please advised to acquaint themselves
with happenings outside their area of reportage, liaise properly with their
colleagues whose area of reportage they may be delving into in the course of
duty and clear doubts on grey areas before going to the press. Do endeavour to
update yourself and make calls and painstaking efforts to achieve truthful and
balanced reportage.
source: nigerian navy