Oil thieves behind malicious media campaign, says Navy

The Nigerian Navy has said that desperate individuals and organizations engaged in oil thefts are behind malicious media campaign against its effort towards eradicating the menace of crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the nation’s maritime domain.

The Director of Naval Information, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan said in a statement on Thursday said these criminals were sponsoring unsubstantiated reports in some mainstream media and online news platforms.

He said that it has been observed that the modus operandi of the oil thieves include sourcing the services of third-party agents/sectional egoists to discredit the reinvigorated stance of the Navy in the fight against crude oil theft.

“Ordinarily, the NN would not have responded to such baseless assertions, but it has become necessary in order to prevent gullible members of the public from being misinformed by the erroneous publications. Suffice to state that the NN in the discharge of her statutory responsibilities as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will continue to work tirelessly for the betterment of the nation’s maritime security.

“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 complete fallacy to allege to the contrary via sponsored ill-conceived and uncorroborated publications,” he said.

Ayo-Vaughan said the Nigerian Navy as the lead agency for the security of Nigeria’s maritime environment has been in the forefront of galvanizing legitimate maritime stakeholders for the collective fight against crude oil theft and to secure national economy assets.

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

Some of these operations according to him include: Operation DAKAR TA DABARWO, Operation CALM WATERS, Operation NCHEKWE OSHIMILI and Exercise SEA GUARDIAN among others.

He said Navy’s operations against crude oil theft in 2023 effected 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.

He 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.

“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 6 months as rightly reported by relevant authorities and the media.

“The Navy under the able and focused leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu 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 constitutional enshrined roles in the interest of National economy. Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to jettison the highly unpatriotic publications, ” he said.