…AS NIGERIA MAINTAINS ZERO PIRACY STATUS
By Okosun Dennis
The Nigerian Navy has reiterated that its fight against Crude Oil Theft (COT) has achieved huge success under the auspices of OPERATION DELTA SANITY which was re-launched in January 2024.
To this end, within the last nine months of its existence, it has impacted positively Nigeria’s crude oil production leading to several arrests of suspects and vessels involved in COT, and these include MT KALI, MT SWEET HARBOUR SPIRIT, MT SAISNIL, MV TOKITO, MT VINILLARIS and MT SWEET MIRI, among others.
Disclosing this in Abuja on Monday, 20th May 2024 while unfolding events of programme for the NN 68th anniversary celebration, the Chief of Policy and Plans (CPPLANS), Nigerian Navy Headquarters, Abuja, Rear Admiral Joseph Daniel Akpan said the force has made some of the noblest achievements in the last nine months under the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
CPPLANS further disclosed that the force has attained the highest state of operational readiness in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
Part of the briefing read: “Today, the Nigerian Navy has grown from its humble beginning with a handful of coastal boats into a force to be reckoned with, not only in the West African Sub-region but also in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and indeed the entire sub-Saharan Africa.
“In line with its TOTAL SPECTRUM MARITIME STRATEGY, the NN has continued to support land operations in all the Geo-political Zones; providing all year-round situation awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone through its Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities which enabled early detection and swift response to incidences within the maritime environment.
“This has ensured that Nigeria maintained its zero piracy status in the International Maritime Bureau piracy rating. In terms of fleet renewal, the NN has taken delivery of various platforms which have supported its Anti-piracy, Anti-COT, Anti-IUU and Anti-illegal drug trafficking among others.
“Notably, the NN has taken delivery of its second offshore survey vessel, 2 x 32m FPBs, and 2 x Helicopters. The NN is also expected to take delivery of 2 x 76m OPVs from Turkey later in the year.
“In the area of infrastructure, the NN has established a composite operations Base in Enugu State to curtail the prevailing insecurities in the South East and North Central Regions.
R/Adm Akpan further disclosed that in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to eradicate COT to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and exports, OPEC records have shown that Nigeria’s Crude Oil Export rose from #1.23m bpd in March to #1.28m bpd in April 2024, a feat that puts Nigeria as the number
one crude oil exporter in Africa for April 2024 with Algeria and Libya in 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
Additionally, to ensure that officers and ratings have maximum training, the Nigerian Navy has established the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria while the Naval Training Command was relocated to Eleme in Rivers State.
As a result, it was learnt, “the Institute will serve as a strategic maritime think-tank for Nigeria thereby contributing effectively to global maritime discourse to shape the future of sea power and its application.”
The CPPLANS also reiterated the need to collaborate with other maritime security agencies such as NIMASA, NPA, NDLEA, NOSDRA, and NEMA as well as foreign partners, made the NN staged and participated in several local and international exercises and operations such as EX CROCODILE LIFT/AFRICAN GRANDE AFRICA NEMO, EX SEA GUARDIAN, EX NCHEKWA OSHIMIRI, OP WATER GUARD, OP SWIFT RESPONSE and EX OBANGAME EXPRESS 2024.
While appreciating the invaluable support of the media, Rear Admiral Akpan urged them to give maximum coverage to its 68th Anniversary celebrations.
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