Oil theft: Ogalla extends duration of Operation Delta Sanity by 90 days

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla has said he is extending the duration of a special operation launched to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region dubbed Operation Delta Sanity by another 90 days.

The special operation which was launched on January 6, 2024 was to combat crude oil theft and other crimes, particularly in the region, and to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and improve the economy.

The Naval Chief, who was on a one-day visit to the base of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, said Operation Delta Sanity was conceptualized as a major anti-crude oil theft operation that has a deployment of Nigerian Navy personnel, platforms, helicopters, UAVs, amongst others in aggressive surveillance and interdiction operations across the Niger Delta area.

While admitting that Operation Delta Sanity has been a success, Ogalla noted that the operation has denied oil thieves and vandals across various parts of the Niger Delta freedom of action in the maritime environment

According to him, from Bayelsa to Ondo State, Rivers to Akwa Ibom State and beyond the operation had been with the recovery of massive quantities of stolen crude oil products, dismantling of illegal refining sites, arrests of suspects, seizure of stolen products, saying it underscored the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to stamp out crude oil theft

He said:  “Accordingly, Operation Delta Sanity was conceptualized  as a major anti-crude oil theft operation and we deployed Nigerian Navy personnel, platforms, helicopters, UAVs, amongst others in aggressive surveillance and interdiction operations across the Niger Delta area. 

“Commands, units and bases were directed to conduct both kinetic and non-kinetic operations to stem the tide of maritime criminalities. The initial duration of the operations was 90days.

The CNS also noted that since inception of operation Delta Sanity, the exercise has recovered very large amount of barrels of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products.

He said the operation cumulatively, recorded successes which include seized 95 wooden boats, deactivated 119 storage tanks used for illegal refinning sites, deactivated several dugout pits.

He also noted that another notable success of the operation was the significant improvement in air quality within the region, adding that the SPDC has reported an increase in their terminal factor, in addition to crude oil production recorded by NNPCL and other oil operators.

“Of note are the recent arrests of over 14 large motor tanker vessels, including MT harbour spirit. It should be recalled that one of the vessels, MT SweetMary was arrested at about 174nautical miles off Nigeria’s coast which underscores Nigeria navy determination to police the backwaters and also the coastal zones and pursue any erring vessel into the blue waters as far as neccessary.

“I wish to note that the arrest of MT SweetMary was conducted in a very professional way involving hot pursuit of this vessel even beyond our maritime domain. 

“It is on this note of remarkable success that I seem it fit to extend the duration of operation Delta Sanity for another 90 days.”