How Operation DELTA SANITY is Turning the Tide against Crude Oil Thieves
Anti-COT/Illegal oil bunkering operation and discovered four IRS, five ovens and two pumping machines within Brass, Nembe, Ogbia and Akassa river areas. They also arrested five wooden boats laden with about 704.4 bbls (112,000 litres) of stolen products. While the sites and items were dismantled, the products were handled appropriately.
Afterwards, FOB ESCRAVOS in Delta State in an anti-COT operations around Saghara Creek in Warri South LGA of Delta State dismantled a previously deactivated IRS undergoing reconstruction with an empty reservoir and five dugout pits.
For NNS SOROH, from January 29 to February 2, in conjunction with NSS 030 and Ocean Marine Solution Houseboat Peremebiri, conducted and discovered a vandalised flowline station belonging to SPDC which was recently reactivated, as well as a newly constructed IRS with two pumping machines, three generators, galvanised pipes, 50 kg gas cylinder, construction items and one wooden boat laden with sacks of about 19,000 litres of stolen AGO, all of which were towed to a safe location and handled appropriately.
On January 30, Naval Base OGUTA in Imo State conducted Anti-COT/Anti-Illegal Bunkering operations and discovered one fibre boat laden with about 7.5bbls (1,200 litres) of stolen crude oil.
Gathering momentum, FOB FORMOSO on February 5, once again discovered an IRS with illegal crude oil tapping point on Nigerian Agip Oil Company pipeline and a large storage tank filled with about 138.36 barrels (22,000 litres) of stolen crude oil. The products were handled appropriately while the management of the Agip Oil company was informed of the illegal connection along the pipeline for further necessary action.
On February 6 and 9, NSS 026 and 028 under the tactical control of NNS PATHFINDER in Rivers State conducted joint anti-COT Operation around Cawthorne Channel 1, Krakrama, Bokokiri and Ke Community where they discovered seven isolated IRS with a total of 22 ovens, 10 reservoirs and seven dugout pits filled with both stolen crude oil and illegally refined AGO, as well as a large wooden boat laden with about 556.0 bbls (90,000 litres) of stolen crude near an abandoned oil wellhead, which were all deactivated.
In Cross River, NNS VICTORY on February 6, intercepted two large wooden boats en-route Cameroon laden with unspecified quantity of illegally refined AGO and about 150 drums of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which were seized.
Furthermore, from February 7 to 11, NSS 030 under the tactical control of NNS SOROH discovered four IRS, five ovens, 11 reservoirs, 47 sacks cumulatively filled with about 116.47 bbls (18,520 litres) of stolen crude oil and a Toyota Camry with plate number KMK 520 HU loaded with refined Automotive Gas Oil around Ekpetire and Eduwini II communities in Bayelsa State.
Also, the team intercepted six wooden boats cumulatively laden with about 384.74 bbls (61,175 litres) of stolen crude oil; 45,450 litres of illegally refined AGO and 75 litres of illegally refined Dual-Purpose kerosene (DPK) and also recovered six pumping machines, one electric welding machine, one cutting machine, one generator, one outboard engine and 20 empty drums.
Similarly, on February 7, FOB ESCRAVOS acting on intelligence report visited an IRS at Kokoyo community along Saghara creek in Warri South-West Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State and identified several dug-out pits and 30 polyethylene sack bags filled with about 81.76 bbls (13,000 litres) of stolen crude oil and while the IRS was dismantled, the products were deactivated.
Likewise, on February 8, FOB BONNY conducted anti-COT ops around Cawthorne Channel, Yellow Island, Ijawkiri and Adamakiri general areas of Rivers State and intercepted five wooden boats laden with about 20,500 litres of illegal refined AGO and sacks filled with sludge.
The team also intercepted a fiber boat conveying metal sheets and iron rods intended for construction of ovens. Accordingly, the wooden boats and its items were towed to a safe location and deactivated. Notably, three suspects were arrested and are presently in custody before being handed over to appropriate agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution.
In another development, on February 10, FOB IGBOKODA acting on a credible intelligence visited a building used for storage of illegally refined POL product at Mahin Riverine area in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State where the operators of the site fled. However, the operatives recovered about 330 litres of illegally refined AGO in jerry cans, which were evacuated to a safe location and handled appropriately.
When compared with the previous tw weeks, there was an increase in the numbers of IRS, ovens, reservoirs, dug out pits speed boat and vehicle as well as same number of wooden boats deactivated.
Cumulatively, a review of Operation
DELTA SANITY from inception on January 10, 2024 to February 20, 2024 revealed that approximately 5,324.08 barrels of crude oil, worth $578,613.369 (N838,700,078.37); 341,380 litres of illegally refined AGO worth (N232,275,787.17) and DPK worth (N102,150), all summed up to N1,071,078,015.54 only that could have been used to perpetrate acts inimical to national security and prosperity was denied oil thieves.
In total, 40 wooden boats were arrested, while 80, 70, 288, 34 and one Illegal Refining Ovens, Reservoirs, Dugout Pits, IRS and Fibre Boats were deactivated respectively, as well as one arrested vehicle.
Also, while 15 suspects have been arrested, 53 IRS have been deactivated, with 63 wooden boats and five vehicles demobilised. Additionally, four speedboats, 15 pumping machines, two outboard engines, two welding machines and four generator sets have been seized from the criminal elements.
Furthermore, oil thieves have been denied about 10,174,707.33litres (63,991.87bbl) of crude oil, 618,080litres of illegally refined AGO, 75litres of DPK and 77,250litres of PMS. At current market rates, this amounts to the sum of N9,413,465,911.36 denied oil thieves since the commencement of the operation.
Milestone Arrest of Motor Tanker (MT) SWEET MIRI
As icing on the cake, Operation DELTA SANITY recorded a significant milestone with the arrest of a syndicate of 13 crew members (one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians) on board a Ghanaian owned vessel known as Motor Tanker (MT) SWEET MIRI on February 25, 2024.
The arrest was made at about 174 nautical mile (approximately 320km) off Nigeria's coast heading towards Benin Republic, after the vessel was observed to have switched off her Automatic Identification System (AIS) in a bid to evade detection. The infraction by the vessel contravened the International Ships and Port Security Code (ISPS) and she had been tagged a “Vessel of Interest” (VoI) by the NN.
The NN Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure observed the criminal intent of the vessel and subsequently vectored two NN ships on patrol- NNS ABA and NNS SOKOTO to intercept and interrogate the vessel and it was discovered that MT SWEET MIRI was involved in illegalities and the vessel was subsequently arrested.
Notably, upon arrest, MT SWEET MIRI was found carrying about 2 million litres of product suspected to be crude oil without any form of approval from relevant authorities. Further investigation revealed that the rogue vessel had siphoned this large amount of crude oil from an abandoned well-head.
Increase in Nigeria’s Crude Oil Production
It is on record that in less than two months, Op DELTA SANITY has recorded huge successes and the tide against crude oil thieves has turned significantly. Expectedly, the inability of these nefarious elements to continue stealing the nation's resources has impacted positively on Nigeria's production quota.
For instance, when the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) released its crude oil production report for the month of January 2024, it was noted that the nation produced 1.43 million barrels of crude oil per day representing a 6.9 per cent increase when compared with the 1.34 million barrels of crude oil produced per day in December 2023.
The increase in crude oil production in January 2024 is the highest production recorded since January 2022 and for stakeholders, it's due to the commendable effort of the NN led by Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla.
More admirable is that fact that Nigeria has conservatively recorded increase in crude oil production for the past two months at Bonny, Forcados, Escravos, Brass and Qua Iboe oil terminals.
Way Forward
While it is undisputed that the successes of Op DELTA SANITY have contributed significantly to Nigeria's economic well-being, it is however imperative for NNPCL to direct International Oil Companies (IOC) to ensure complete dismantling, deactivation and sealing of abandoned well-heads because in many instances, the crude oil thieves siphon products from these well heads as was the case with MT SWEET MIRI.
Also, there is need for the establishment of Maritime Courts to ensure speedy dispensation of justice and rid the Nigerian Navy of the burden of housing these seized vessels, products and even crew, thus incurring huge financial loss for the navy. This is in addition to reviewing the Armed Forces Act to give the navy prosecutorial powers.
It is also imperative for a comprehensive database for such maritime criminals given the intensity and trans-national nature the theft has assumed.
Meanwhile, stakeholders who spoke to THISDAY were unanimous in describing Vice Admiral Ogalla as a man on a mission to prove that despite the endemic nature of COT within the Niger Delta, the NN's Trinity of Action operational concept comprising Surveillance, Quick Response and Effective Law Enforcement can overwhelm the perpetrators of COT and engender a long-lasting solution to the problem.