Navy Celebrates Recovery of N75bn Worth of Stolen Petroleum Products in Five Years
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has said that the Navy recovered stolen petroleum products worth N75 billion in the past five years.
Ibas who disclosed this on the occasion of the 64th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Navy weekend said the products were recovered between 2015 and 2019.
Identifying the products as crude oil, diesel and petrol, he also disclosed that 2,287 illegal refineries were discovered and destroyed during the same period.
Ibas who was represented on the occasion by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed said that the number of barrels and litres of crude oil and AGO products which the criminals were denied decreased from 2017-2019.
He said, “The Nigerian Navy also recorded successes in anti-crude oil theft operations and illegally sourced petroleum product, which has reduced illegal oil dealings within the Nigerian maritime environment from 2017-2019.
“For instance, in 2017, the NN denied criminal oil entrepreneurs dealing on illegal oil about 218,057 barrels of crude oil valued at about N3,724,413,560 and 60,553,415 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) valued at N11,807,915,925.
“Similarly, in 2018, illegal oil dealings of about 295,028 barrels of crude oil valued at about N5,039,078,240 and 23,991,325 litres of AGO valued at N4,678,308,375 were denied the criminal oil entrepreneurs by the NN.
“In the same vein, in 2019, the NN denied criminal oil entrepreneurs dealing on illegal oil 296,192 barrels of crude oil valued at about N5,058,959,360 and 42,729,530 litres of AGO valued at N8,332,258,350.”
“This could be attributed to the increased efforts of the operational bases and sensitisation and directives to all bases on zero tolerance to COT and illegal bunkering activities.
“The reduction in the number of illegal refineries located since 2018 is attributable to the success of Operation River Sweep, which resulted in the impounding of approximately 9,406,810 barrels of crude oil, 130,517,570 litres of AGO, 897,475 litres of PMS and 3,407,500 litres of DPK from 2017 to 20 May 2020. .
“The breakdown of the destroyed illegal refineries from 2015 to 2019 shows that in 2015, about 140 illegal refineries were destroyed and 128 illegal refining sites were destroyed in 2016.
“However, in 2017, a total of 1,218 illegal refineries were destroyed, while 383 and 418 illegal refining sites were destroyed in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
“From records, 2017 recorded the highest number of illegal refining sites destroyed. This figure decreased in 2018 and later increased slightly in 2019.
“The reduction in the number of illegal refining sites destroyed from 2017 to 2019 could be attributed to the ongoing swamp buggy operations in the Niger Delta which makes it difficult for perpetrators to reactivate destroyed illegal refining sites.”
Ibas who disclosed this on the occasion of the 64th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Navy weekend said the products were recovered between 2015 and 2019.
Identifying the products as crude oil, diesel and petrol, he also disclosed that 2,287 illegal refineries were discovered and destroyed during the same period.
Ibas who was represented on the occasion by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed said that the number of barrels and litres of crude oil and AGO products which the criminals were denied decreased from 2017-2019.
He said, “The Nigerian Navy also recorded successes in anti-crude oil theft operations and illegally sourced petroleum product, which has reduced illegal oil dealings within the Nigerian maritime environment from 2017-2019.
“For instance, in 2017, the NN denied criminal oil entrepreneurs dealing on illegal oil about 218,057 barrels of crude oil valued at about N3,724,413,560 and 60,553,415 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) valued at N11,807,915,925.
“Similarly, in 2018, illegal oil dealings of about 295,028 barrels of crude oil valued at about N5,039,078,240 and 23,991,325 litres of AGO valued at N4,678,308,375 were denied the criminal oil entrepreneurs by the NN.
“In the same vein, in 2019, the NN denied criminal oil entrepreneurs dealing on illegal oil 296,192 barrels of crude oil valued at about N5,058,959,360 and 42,729,530 litres of AGO valued at N8,332,258,350.”
“This could be attributed to the increased efforts of the operational bases and sensitisation and directives to all bases on zero tolerance to COT and illegal bunkering activities.
“The reduction in the number of illegal refineries located since 2018 is attributable to the success of Operation River Sweep, which resulted in the impounding of approximately 9,406,810 barrels of crude oil, 130,517,570 litres of AGO, 897,475 litres of PMS and 3,407,500 litres of DPK from 2017 to 20 May 2020. .
“The breakdown of the destroyed illegal refineries from 2015 to 2019 shows that in 2015, about 140 illegal refineries were destroyed and 128 illegal refining sites were destroyed in 2016.
“However, in 2017, a total of 1,218 illegal refineries were destroyed, while 383 and 418 illegal refining sites were destroyed in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
“From records, 2017 recorded the highest number of illegal refining sites destroyed. This figure decreased in 2018 and later increased slightly in 2019.
“The reduction in the number of illegal refining sites destroyed from 2017 to 2019 could be attributed to the ongoing swamp buggy operations in the Niger Delta which makes it difficult for perpetrators to reactivate destroyed illegal refining sites.”
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