The Nigerian Navy said that it has deactivated 175 illegal refineries and seized 27 vessels involved in illegal bunkering, crude oil theft and other maritime crimes within eleven months of its operations within the Eastern Naval Command.
The outgoing Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sanusi Ibrahim, disclosed this on Friday in a valedictory speech during the handing over and taking over ceremony held at the Headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, Calabar.
Ibrahim, while handing over to Rear Admiral Abdullahi Dewu, said that the Command under his watch arrested criminals who were in possession of 35,384,718 metric tonnes of illegally refined automotive gas oil.
“The Command sustained effective patrols of its maritime Area of Responsibility, as well as undertook several clearance and swamp buggy operations in the backwaters.
“These operations resulted in a considerable reduction of piracy in Nigeria’s maritime domain, as well as led to the seizure of 27 vessels engaged in illegal bunkering, crude Oil theft and other maritime illegalities.
“Other achievements include deactivation of about 175 illegal refining sites and still counting, evacuation of about 35,384,718 Metric Tonnes of illegally refined AGO and destruction of several pirates as well as kidnappers’ hideouts.
“Of particular interest is the recent arrest of MT PREYOR 1 on 5 Jan 22 conveying about 2,458,350 litres of Crude oil in her cargo tanks and additional 10,000 litres of AGO in her service tanks without requisite approval.
“There is also an ongoing Operation River Dominance initiated by NNS Pathfinder in conjunction with the Rivers state government.This operation intensified riverine patrols in addition to establishing waterborne guard posts along the check points.
“Huge successes were recorded which include the arrest of 13 suspects, 14 large wooden boats laden with illegally refined AGO as well as 3 barges each carrying about a million litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
“This is in addition to the Command’s anti-smuggling efforts which led to the seizure of over 3,147 bags of 50kg parboiled foreign rice as well as 1,184 25kg bags of fertilizer amongst others,” he said and solicited support for the incoming FOC.
Speaking, the new FOC, Rear Admiral Abdulahi Dewu, appealed to officers and men of the command to give him the necessary support in the task ahead.
“The responsibilities of the command are very high and demanding that we must go over and beyond the call to duty in securing the maritime domain towards ensuring the peace and security of land towards engendering the prosperity of our great nation.
“I must, however, state that I’m only the head of the command and I need the support of the entire body to achieve my goals. I, therefore, solicit the support of everyone to make this happen,” Dewu said.
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