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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, Tuesday said that pipeline vandalism has now become a thing of the past in the Niger delta region of the countrysaying the division did not recorded a single incident in the last one year.
He said unlike in the past when pipeline vandalism was the order of the day in the region, the situation has changed drastically as perpetrators have resorted to go into other legitimate businesses because of intense military operations.
The GOC, made this known when he received Defence correspondence on a media tour of the Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, and the Land Component of Operation DELTA SAFE.
According to him, most oil leakages recorded in the region were linked to aging infrastructure rather than sabotage, stressing that such incidents were promptly reported to the relevant oil companies for corrective action.
Gen. Emekah, while noting that the war against crude theft has yielded tremendous successes resulting in the production of over 2.2 million barrel per day, however called on government to provide the military with Air boat, Weapons, Vehicles and Manpower to bring illegal bunkering to an end.
The GOC, listed sustained military operations, intelligence-led patrols, continuous community engagement and close collaboration with other security agencies and stakeholders in the Niger Delta as some of the major attributes to successes of the operations.
He said “Since I assumed command on Jan. 24, 2025, we have recorded zero cases of violent pipeline vandalism. No oil company operating within our Area of Responsibility has reported any breach of pipelines due to vandalism within this period,” he said.
Giving an update of the operations, the GOC, while noting that in 2025, Nigeria’s daily crude oil production averaged between 1.4 million and 1.5 million barrels per day, said improved security had contributed to an increase to about 2.2 million barrels per day by December 2025.
Emekah, who said the protection of critical national infrastructure in the maritime and oil and gas domain remained the Division’s primary responsibility, said that the performance of the oil and gas sector was a key indicator of its operational success.
On illegal refining, he said that operations were being intensified to dismantle illegal sites, disrupt support networks and address the environmental and security risks associated with the activity, while sustained follow-up actions were carried out to prevent re-establishment.
He also said that continuous engagement with host communities and mediation between them and International Oil Companies had helped address grievances and prevent disruptions to oil and gas operations.
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In his address, the Director of Defence, Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, while noting the strategic role of the media in national security, described journalists as “partners in progress” in the collective effort to safeguard the nation.
Onoja urged sustained cooperation between military personnel and journalists, pointing out that mutual understanding and accurate reportage were essential to achieving national security objectives.
Onoja, who commended the GOC, officers and men of the 6 Division for the professionalism and seriousness with which the media tour was conducted, noted that such engagements reflected the Armed Forces’ commitment to transparency and accountability.
According to him, information operations were a critical component of modern warfare, emphasising the need to counter adversarial narratives that could undermine military efforts.
“In line with Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains committed to transparency and accountability.
“The confidence and trust of the civilian population are critical to operational success,” he said.
Onoja noted that actions at the tactical level, including the conduct of troops at checkpoints, could have operational and strategic implications, urging personnel to remain professional, disciplined and restrained at all times.
He also paid tribute to the sacrifices of troops and other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, whom he said have continued to operate under challenging conditions, often separated from their families.
He said that security was a collective responsibility and called on host communities and the media to contribute meaningfully to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
He described the Niger Delta as a region of strategic importance to Nigeria’s national economy and stressed that peace, stability and security in the area were non-negotiable.
