The Central Naval Command (CNC), in Yenagoa yesterday deployed 15 additionally gunboats to boost maritime patrol and curtail oil theft in Niger Delta.
The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) CNC, Rear Adm. Apochi Suleiman, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa yesterday.
The CNC’s areas of responsibility comprise: Bayelsa, Delta, Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers.
Suleiman said that the 15 gunboats were part of the 25 class of gunboats recently inaugurated by the Nigerian Navy.
He said that the increased surveillance was motivated by the support and resolve of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, whose 2016 policy directive entailed “choke point strategy’’.
According to him, Navy is well equipped to stamp out crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
Suleiman said the command was focusing its patrol on the shallow creeks in order to degrade the miscreants’ location and suppress criminal activities.
“Nigeria has over the years been confronted with challenges of curbing illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and criminal activities in the Niger Delta Region.
“These illegal activities have not only led to significant loss in revenue accruable to the government but have also led to damage of strategic oil installations.
“It is impacting negatively on Nigeria’s national economy and security,’’ he said.
The FOC, therefore, said that the CNC had already declared zero tolerance for illegalities within its area of responsibility and beyond.
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