70 illegal refineries destroyed in three months – Air force boss

Over 70 illegal refining sites and about 80 overhead tanks have been destroyed by air strikes undertaken by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft under Operation Delta Safe in the past three months.

This was revealed by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, while hosting the National Coordinator of Messrs New Guard Security and Consulting Limited, Major-General Jamil Sarham (Rtd) and his entourage at NAF Headquarters.

While speaking on the current state of oil production in Nigeria, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized the severe negative impact of oil theft and pipeline vandalism on Nigeria’s oil output, which have led to a significant decline in crude oil production and substantial revenue losses to the nation. He also noted the environmental consequences of these illegal activities, which have led to air pollution and waterway contamination with attendant effects on aquatic life and agriculture.

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In response to these challenges, he continued, the Armed Forces were mandated to eradicate the scourge of oil theft and pipeline vandalization in the Niger Delta Region, with the aim of boosting oil production output.

Speaking further, Air Marshal Abubakar gave a summary of NAF’s robust involvement in combating illegal oil theft through Operation Delta Safe, particularly in the last 12 months. According to him, “Over the past year, the NAF has conducted 463 sorties in 560 flight hours and expended 175,000 litres of Jet A-1 fuel in air operations over the Niger Delta region.” He also added that in bolstering these efforts, some newly inducted platforms have recently been deployed to the region and beyond so as to enable the NAF to cover more ground as it liaises with other security agencies in degrading the activities of these criminals in the region.

While congratulating Major General Sarham (Rtd) and his team on their appointment as the new Project Management Office Contractor, the CAS lauded the team’s exceptional military background, expressing optimism that their collaboration with security agencies in addressing the challenges of crude oil theft would add bite to the ongoing efforts. He then concluded by noting that the visit lays a solid foundation for greater cooperation and synergy between the NAF and New Guard Security with potential positive impacts on Nigeria’s national defense and security. In all, the visit marked a pivotal step towards enhancing the security of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure and addressing the economic and environmental challenges posed by oil theft.

Other members of the entourage include Head of Operations, Rear Admiral Akano Adesope (Rtd), Head of Intelligence and Strategy, Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Nasiru Najaja (Rtd), Head of Field Operations, Brig Gen Innocent Olotta (Rtd), Head of Strategy and Planning, Brig Gen Idam Aghachi (Rtd), Head of Human Resources and Strategic Communications, Brig Gen Aminu Iliya (Rtd), and Head of Finance and Accounts, Lieutenant Colonel Christy Musa (Rtd), among others.