How Operation DELTA SANITY is Turning the Tide against Crude Oil Thieves
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When the 24th Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla activated Operation DELTA SANITY on January 10, 2024, the objective was not just to rejig the modus operandi of the Nigerian Navy in the fight against crude and theft, oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism, but also to sustain the gains recorded so far. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that two months after, the successes recorded gives credence to effectiveness of the operation and resolve to confront this hydra-headed monster decisively and turn the tide against the criminals fueling such maritime crimes
The hydra-headed menace of crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism have continuously sabotaged the fortunes Nigeria because the ill-informed activities of these economic saboteurs portends grave danger for the nation's economy.
As far back as 2003 to 2008, an International Centre of Reconciliation study puts the total value of stolen crude oil and disrupted oil production at approximately N14 trillion.
In 2011 alone, according to reports, Nigeria lost about $7 billion to crude oil theft, a clear but whooping difference from the value of crude oil lost between 2003 and 2008. A Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) report on crude oil theft in Nigeria revealed that the government lost about N3.8 trillion between 2016 and 2017.
That figure has tripled over the subsequent years as NNPC once pegged crude oil in the hands of saboteurs and vandals at an average of 200,000 barrels per day. This was a giant climb from 70,000 barrels per day as of August 2020.
Therefore, it was an aghast nation that heard from Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, that $1.5 billion was lost to oil thieves between January and March 2022.
In 2023, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) reported that between May and the second week of October 2023, about 4,145 crude oil theft incidents were recorded with the country losing 400,000 barrels of oil per day to crude oil thieves.
Vice Admiral Ogalla's Operation DELTA SANITY Interdiction
Consequently, on assumption of office as the 24th Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla set out to resolutely confront this menace by re-jigging the modus operandi of the Nigerian Navy (NN) in line with Mr President's Renewed Hope Agenda.
The goal is to turn the tide on such maritime crimes like Nigeria succeeded with piracy since 2022 which led to the de-listing of Niageria from the list of piracy prone areas, by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
Thus, given the seeming increase in Crude oil Theft (COT) within Nigeria's maritime space, the CNS activated OPERATION DELTA SANITY on Wednesday January 10, 2024 to curb the activities of criminal elements in the country's maritime environment.
This quick interdiction operation to nab nefarious elements bent of stealing crude oil is in line with the vision of the CNS which is to maintain “A highly motivated professional naval force capable of shaping the security outcomes within Nigeria's maritime domain and the littorals including land-based engagements in fulfilment of Nigeria's national interest.”
Thus began the activation of Operation DELTA SANITY with a clear mandate to tackle Crude Oil Theft (COT), Illegal oil bunkering, pipe line vandalism and a host of other criminalities on the nation's maritime area.
Successes Recorded by OP DELTA SANITY
Since its activation, OP DELTA
SANITY has recorded outstanding successes. In the first week of its activation, four a Illegal Refining Sites (IRS), five cooking ovens, one reservoir, five dugout pits and 12 wooden boats were de-activated.
Cost-wise, oil thieves were denied about 1,277.9 bbls (203,200 litres) of product suspected to be stolen crude oil and 19,600 litres of illegally refined AGO, giving credence to the effectiveness of Op DELTA SANITY and the resolve of the CNS to confront this hydra-headed monster decisively. In summary, 4 IRS, 5 ovens, one reservoir, 5 dugout pits and 12 wooden boats were appropriately handled during the period under review. Additionally, oil thieves were denied about 1,277.9 bbls (203,200 litres) of product suspected to be stolen crude oil and 19,600 litres of illegally refined AGO amounting to the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Six Naira Thirty Two Kobo (N151,774,256.32) only.
Not done, further cumulative record of the first two weeks of Op DELTA SANITY revealed that approximately 4,036.7 barrels of crude oil, worth $473,009.589 (N591,498,491.04) and 270,600 litres of illegally refined AGO worth (N157,562,542.57) which sums up to N1,058,448,326.33 that could have been stolen by oil thieves with attendant inimical effects on national security and prosperity.
Essentially, in February, 14 IRS, 25 ovens, 21 reservoirs, 261 dugout pits, 12 wooden boats, one fibre boat and one vehicle were appropriately handled while oil thieves were denied about 1,287.38 bbls (204,695 litres) of stolen crude oil; 70,780 litres of illegally refined AGO and 75 litres of illegally refined DPK amounting to the sum of N233,590,677.83 only.
In specifics, just five days after its activation on 29 January 2024, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER in conjunction with Naval Security Station (NSS) 022, 026 and 028 conducted Recce Ops around Eleme Krakrama Creek in Degema LGA of Rivers and intercepted and deactivated six wooden boats laden with about 600 Litres of products suspected to be stolen AGO and 566 barrels (90,000 Litres) of product suspected to be stolen crude oil.
Same day NN Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO in Bayelsa State conducted