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Oil Theft: Why Navy Will Continue Burning Vessels – Naval Chiefs

  • IOCs, construction coys in Niger-Delta patronize stolen diesel – Army
  • How to disengage vessels, recoup stolen products – Omatseye

Nigerian Navy is poised to continue burning vessels involved in crude oil theft despite backlash for the environmental hazards and economic losses, however, alternative measures are being pursued as the leadership of the Navy has expressed regrets on the development.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla disclosed this while speaking at the 17th Oil Trading Logistics (OTL) Africa Downstream Energy Week, in Lagos.

Ogalla, who was represented by Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, stressed that the Navy’s tough approach in combating oil theft is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s zero tolerance for the menace.

Meanwhile, he noted that the wide criticisms on the environmental hazards have reached the Navy leadership, sparking deliberations on safer alternatives to combating crude oil theft.

His words: “The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla prioritized oil theft in his maiden speech as one of the things he set out to address. This position is in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that oil theft becomes a thing of the past. There is the overriding mandate and instructions from Navy superiors to carry out the arrests and apprehend perpetrators of oil theft. Sometimes, the arrest doesn’t go as planned and Navy officers have a dilemma protecting the seized crude oil as well as protecting crucial government assets and the lives of the officers who carried out the arrest.”

“On this issue of burning ships, there are so many angles to it. Personally, I think there are other alternatives which should be looked at. I can tell you for free that this is something that is being considered by the leadership of the Navy. It has come up severally in our meetings and we are open to good ideas”

Nonetheless, the Naval boss opined that the absence of a facility to store stolen crude also makes destroying the product a last resort for the Nigerian Navy.

The Navy chief, however, maintained that it is unfair to direct criticisms at the Service on the delays in dismissing vessels seized for infractions as the Navy doesn’t prosecute the vessels and offenders.

Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha Bala Hassan, posited that until a new alternative is introduced, burning vessels sends the strongest signal to perpetrators that the country wouldn’t tolerate such practices.

Rear Admiral Hassan, who was reponding to News Diet correspondent’s question, on the economic and environmental consequences of burning vessels, at the 2023 NIMPORT Conference, encouraged the Nigerian public to come forward with a more impactful approach.

On his part, the Chief of Army Staff (CAS) Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who was represented by Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam, lamented that the available huge market for stolen crude oil enhances the illicit trade in the Niger Delta region.

According to him, several International Oil Companies (IOCs), Construction Companies and Multinationals operating in the Niger-Delta region are unknowingly patronizing the services of stolen crude oil processed into diesel.

He warned multinationals to look into their sources of diesel for operating their plants, stressing that some fraudulent employees and contractors purchase diesel processed from stolen crude oil because it is cheaper.

“When we take a proactive stand on the fight against pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, smuggling and other maritime crimes, we will be able to limit the security and environmental challenges. Organizing trainings and workshops, community engagements can be effective approaches,” the Army chief said.

Last week, the CNS, Vice Admiral Ogalla said Navy operatives across the country recovered a total of 803 barrels of crude oil valued at N105billion in 2023.

“During the period, 82 vehicles/trucks and 23 vessels were also arrested. Among the vessels arrested include MT Marine Express; MT Cecilia, MT Ufuoma, MT Vigor I, MV Barge Ayeba Eneni; FT Lamu I, and MT Vinnalaris I Lagos among others.”

“Arising from these, 46,369,219 litres of AGO, 2,472,200 litres of DPK and 438, 886 ltrs of PMS were recovered. Similarly, the NN recovered 803, 353.20 bbls of crude oil. At current market values, the seizures made translate to about N105billion,” Ogalla said.

The service also revealed that a total of 703 illegal refining sites, 690 Cotonou boats laden with stolen crude, and 116 speed boats were destroyed by operatives of the Nigerian Navy.

Speaking with News Diet, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Barr. Temisan Omatseye condemned the approach of burning vessels with stolen crude.

According to him, when an oil spill occurs it takes a minimum of 20 years to repair the eco-system and the Nigerian marine environment will be exposed to enormous pollution if the trend of burning vessels continues.

His words: “There are several ways to disable such vessels without endangering the marine environment. Nigerian Navy has a diving school and it could send divers to remove the propeller. After going through the due process of confiscation, the vessels could be sold off for scrapping abroad. This would have seen the nation retrieve the petroleum products and prevent the risk of destroying the marine environment.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Operations, Tantita Security, Capt. Enisuoh Warredi argued that recent uproar by environmentalists on the dangers of burning vessels may be fueled by perpetrators of such illicit acts.

Warredi maintained that there are more environmentally injurious activities via stolen crude oil and illegal refining operations across the Niger Delta region, yet little or no cry from environmentalists on the issue.

“There are several places where trees may never grow for the next 100 years as a result of illegal crude refining and activities related to crude oil theft. If you check properly, you would be shocked to find that the people involved in crude oil theft are behind the appeals on account of destroying the environment when they are carrying out more harm to the environment,” Warredi remarked.

As one of the fossil fuels, crude oil consists of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Scientists posit that inhaling these chemicals is highly toxic and associated with cancer development.

When burned, crude oil releases greenhouse gases like; carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Consequently, it poses significant threat to human health due to the harmful and toxic nature of its chemical components.

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