The Nigerian Navy has said it is not against private security firms engaged by the government to secure oil pipelines, but such firms must be professional in their approach.
In a statement on Thursday by its Director of Information, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the Navy acknowledged that engagement of involvement of private security firms in the security of oil installations was not new.
It also affirmed that it had been working harmoniously with all maritime stakeholders in the country and beyond to guard against oil theft.
The Navy’s comment followed an allegation by a group, Ohaneze Think Tank, that naval personnel had been hampering the smooth operations of the private security agencies on the waterways.
In a letter addressed to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the group alleged that rather than being partners in the progress of salvaging the nation’s oil economy from the hands of saboteurs, the Navy was frustrating the efforts of the private pipeline security outfits in order for them to fail.
However, in a statement on Thursday, the Nigerian Navy’s Director of Information, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, stated that the service had been combating oil theft and safeguarding the nation’s economic assets collectively with legitimate stakeholders.
He said, “It is on record that the NN has always worked harmoniously with all maritime stakeholders nationally, regionally, and internationally. The coming onboard of private maritime stakeholders for the protection of critical onshore economic assets in the sole interest of the nation’s economy is a known development, provided professionalism and Standard Operating Procedures are upheld strictly. Hence, it is a complete fallacy to allege the contrary via sponsored, ill-conceived, and uncorroborated publications.
“Evidently, the NN, as the lead agency for the security of Nigeria’s maritime environment, has been at the forefront of galvanising legitimate maritime stakeholders for the collective fight against crude oil theft and to secure our national economy’s assets. This is obvious with the various past and ongoing operations and exercises designed to curb maritime criminalities, particularly oil theft. Some of these operations are Operation Dakar Ta Dabarwo, Operation Calm Waters, Operation Nchekwe Oshimili, and Exercise Sea Guardian, among others. The fight against crude oil theft is ongoing with renewed vigour in 2024.”
Ayo-Vaughan noted that the allegation was aimed at distracting the Navy from the service’s renewed fight against oil theft in the country.
He added that the service under the leadership of Ogalla would not succumb to the whims and caprices of the criminals.
“It is not surprising 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 an increase in oil production in the last six months, as rightly reported by relevant authorities and the media. The Navy, under the leadership of Ogalla, will not be deterred by the malicious and misguided propaganda in the media. The sponsored campaigns of calumny will not deter the NN from carrying out her constitutionally enshrined roles in the interest of the national economy,” he added.
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