In Four Years, Nigerian Navy Seized Over 8m Barrels of Stolen Crude
The Nigerian Navy has recorded a significant milestone in its anti-oil theft operations, confiscating over 8 million barrels of stolen crude oil in the past 4 years.
The service also revealed that it is set to host the 2024 Symposium of the Heads of Navies of Gulf of Guinea countries, in partnership with the European Union and the French Navy.
This was disclosed by Rear Admiral Eugenio Olusegun Ferreira, the Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Navy, at a press briefing in Abuja today.
According to Rear Admiral Ferreira, “The event is scheduled for 26 – 28 November 2024 at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, with the theme “Maritime Security and Sustainable Development in the Gulf of Guinea”.
He said the program is to promote maritime security in the region and strengthen cooperation for effective maritime law enforcement.”
“The Nigerian Navy has confiscated over 8.1 million barrels of stolen crude oil, 86,500 MT of illegally refined AGO, and 788,312 litres of illegally sourced PMS in the past 4 years,” Rear Admiral Ferreira said.
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“These efforts have contributed significantly to the increase in Nigeria’s daily crude oil production output, from 1.23 million barrels in October 2022 to 1.8 million barrels in October 2024.”
According to him, “The Nigerian Navy has also destroyed over 703 illegal refining sites and confiscated goods worth over N105 billion from oil thieves.”
He said these efforts have been part of the Navy’s commitment to protecting the nation’s maritime environment and combating oil theft and other maritime crimes.
Despite these achievements, Rear Admiral Ferreira noted that mischief makers have been spreading false information to tarnish the image of the Nigerian Navy.
He cited instances where the Navy was falsely accused of involvement in oil theft, including the alleged theft of crude oil on MT PRAISEL in August 2023 and MT PRESTIGIOUS and MT MONTAGU in May 2024.
“These false allegations were designed to disrupt the Navy’s operations and dampen the morale of personnel involved in anti-oil theft operations,” Ferreira said.
The service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the nation’s maritime environment and combating oil theft and other maritime crimes.
“The Nigerian Navy will continue to remain focused in carrying out our functions as a highly professional and dedicated force in line with our statutory roles,” Rear Admiral Ferreira said.
By PRNigeria
