The Presidency has declared that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has arrested over 50 vessels on account of illegal oil bunkering.
This was disclosed in a compendium released by the Consultant and Coordinator of President Buhari Legacy Projects, Mr. Patriot Ata Ikiddeh hashtagged #ExtraodinaryAchievementsOfPresidentBuhari.
According to the compendium, President Buhari emerged the first Nigerian Head of State and Petroleum Oil Minister to have secured the most arrests, prosecutions and convictions on illegal oil bunkering since 1960, by the Nigerian Navy.
Mr. Ikiddeh noted: “Contrary to the stories making the rounds about a corrupt and highly compromised military, boot deep in the stifling corruption in the creeks, the incontrovertible fact on ground speaks to the contrary.
“And one wonders if it isn’t the corruption of the greasy mangrove swamps fighting back in order to destroy the reputation of this government and our Patriotic gallant Naval Officers.
“The number of arrests and prosecutions collated here is but a fraction of what has been achieved by the Nigerian Navy. The numbers are simply unbelievable.
“Yet some of you without proper research have vilified the very best of us. These are loyal dedicated and committed PATRIOTS!”
He, therefore, expressed hope that the material gathered in this article on the great work of the Nigerian Navy will help “separate fact from fiction, gossip from garb and truth from trash”.
Ikiddeh continued: “I have never for once doubted the commitment of our military under Nigeria’s incorruptible Commander -in – Chief. You take it or leave it , the man is squeaky clean!
“I embarked on this search out of curiosity and duty.
“Curiosity, because I had read a statement by the Naval Chief in the midst of the cacophony of accusations, that 44 vessels had been accosted and their occupants arrested. The Navy was either telling lies or our itchy ears had become so stuffed with gossip and social media engineered seductive lies, nobody was willing to hear their side of the story.
“Duty, because I am keenly aware that I owe my liberty and freedom to move about without hesitation or hindrance to a breed of unique Nigerians who have willingly given up their freedoms, their comforts and their lives for mine, in order that I stay safe and secure, now and always.
“The least I can give back to these ones is the highest honour – A show of GRATITUDE AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT THEIR WORK!
“It’s sad to watch some of you accuse and impale them with our tongues on the back of the corruption that seeks to swallow and asphyxiate their Patriotic work.
“I stand with the Good ones among them and it is the tireless work of these one’s I present before you. I sound this note of caution – let us not be too quick to get flushed down the messy loo of social media engineered lies and propaganda.
“I believe we still have the best fighting force in the world.
“And it takes an incorruptible Commander – in – Chief committed to fight corruption, to get these results.
“A big thank you to all our PATRIOTIC security agents in the creeks – may these INTERCEPTIONS, ARRESTS, PROSECUTIONS & CONVICTIONS continue until every oil pipeline in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is secure for our shared Peace and Prosperity,” he concluded.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Awwal Gambo, while speaking during an interview on Channels TV, said that “the figures about the amount of crude oil being stolen daily is outrageous and unrealistic,”
Ikiddeh pointed out that there is no perfect system, however, the phenomenon of crude oil theft and crude losses must be properly de-conflicted in order to proffer lasting solutions to the menace which is currently bedeviling our economic resources.
“We need to understand the difference between oil theft and oil loss. In this case, why oil theft is syphoning crude oil from vandalised pipes into badges.
“Oil losses occur when there is no production, especially during short ins and force majeure, as the Federal Government does not earn the desired revenue it should. Losses also occur as a result of metering errors on the operating platforms as read.
“But however, the volume of crude all shot in from ‘no production’ are often added to figures for oil theft instead of declaring them as oil losses which should not be,” he added.
The Buhari Legacy Projects Consultant cited some sources who claim that about 20,000 to 200,000 barrels per day are being stolen in Nigeria but stressed that most of the “claims are definitely outrageous and unrealistic”.
“Let us briefly analyze this, for instance, a 100,000 barrels of crude oil is equivalent to 15.8 million litres of crude oil, which will require a five-ton batch making 3,160 trips per day to convey the product out of the creek.
“How do you pass the estuaries with this? Most of these claims are definitely outrageous and unrealistic.
“Let’s assume you have so many batches, because of the time required to carry these products that means you will entirely close navigable waters heading out to sea through the estuaries to transship them into a mother vessel that will eventually take them out of the country.
“Of course, this is most unlikely because of the heightened presence of security agencies in the maritime environment as well as the launch of the subsisting operation of ‘dantach de barawo’ by the Nigerian Navy including of course the deployment of the maritime domain awareness facilities like the ‘falcon eye’,” he concluded.
See attached below the compendium of vessels arrested on account of illegal oil bunkering in Nigeria:
A report by entitled “Oil Theft: How Nigeria Saved N66.9bn From The Navy’s Arrest Of 44 Vessels”, stated:
“The upsurge of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and illegal refining of siphoned petroleum products in the nation, particularly in the Niger Delta.
“To protect this enormous resources, the Nigerian Navy established dedicated naval operations and initiatives to counter piracy/sea robbery attacks in Nigeria’s maritime environment, while also engaging in deeper consultations with maritime stakeholders.
“In December 2021, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari , commissioned an array of vessels and helicopters to add to the country’s already existing formidable naval assets.
“It is worth saying that with the induction of these new platforms, the Nigerian Navy has continued to beef up its operational capacity as well as the scope and depth of its activities both in Nigeria’s waters and the GoG.”
FACTS & FIGURES
- Over 44 Vessels intercepted and arrested
- MILITARY OPERATIONS: Delta Safe
- OPERATION Octopus Grip
- OPERATION Dakatar Da Barawo
- MILITARY SYSTEMS: Falcon Eye Systems
- Deep Blue Sea system
- Maritime Domain Awareness facility Systems
- INTERCEPTED, RECOVERED & DESTROYED ITEMS: Intercepted petroleum products worth N5, 708,259,338.00 suspected oil thieves, Niger Delta
- Operation Barawo prevented the diversion of over N30 billion worth of crude oil by individuals
- 216 Storage Tanks Destroyed
- 270,000 Barrels of Crude Oil intercepted
- 50 giant boats intercepted
- 20 million litres of illegally refined AGO intercepted & recovered
- N5, 708,259,338.00 petroleum products worth intercepted and recovered from suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta
- 25,977.15 barrels of crude oil intercepted & recovered
- 3,236,130 litres of Automotive Gas Oil intercepted & recovered.
- 26,575 litres of Premium Motor Spirit intercepted & recovered
- 2,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene intercepted & recovered.