Navy extends Operation Delta Sanity by 90 days, records success in curbing oil theft

The Nigerian Navy has announced a 90-day extension of Operation Delta Sanity, a special operation launched to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

The announcement was made by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, on Thursday, at the Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER in PortHarcourt.

The operation, which was launched on January 6th, 2024, aims to combat crude oil theft and ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and improved the economy.

“Accordingly, Operation Delta Sanity was conceptualised as a major anti-crude oil theft operation, the Nigerian Navy personnel, platforms, helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were deployed on aggressive surveillance and interdiction operations across the Niger Delta area. Additionally, commands, units and bases were directed to conduct both Kinetic and non-Kinetic operations to stem the tide of maritime criminalities, Ogalla said in a statement issued by Navy spokesman, Commodore Augustine Adams- Aliu.

Highlighting some of the successes of Operation Delta Sanity, Ogalla noted that the operation has denied oil thieves and vandals freedom of action across various parts of the Niger Delta region including Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.

He said the operation since inception had recovered massive quantities of stolen products, dismantling of illegal refining sites, arrest of suspects and seizure of stolen products.

According to him, the operation cummulatively, has recorded successes which include recovery of large quantities of stolen crude oil and refined products, 95 wooden boats seized, 119 storage tanks and refining ovens deactivated, 447 dugout pits deactivated,120 illegal refining sites deactivated.

Others are 13 fibre boats seized, 9 vehicles seized, 74 suspects arrested and 14 vessels arrested.

Ogalla expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support of the Nigerian Navy and the armed forces as a whole.

He also commended the officers and men of the Nigerian Navy for their sacrifices and dedication to fulfilling the mandate of Operation Delta Sanity.