…bombards 49 illegal refineries, cooking tanks, boats, others in Niger Delta creeks in 5 months
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Nigerian Air Force, under the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), said it has destroyed 49 illegal refineries, various cooking tanks, and over 20 large crude oil reservoirs used by oil thieves in the Niger Delta in the last five months.
Commander 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) Group Captain Abdulafeez Opaleye, who made this known, said it has not recorded any civilian casualties as its operations are targeted solely on oil thieves and nothing more.
Group Captain Opaleye said this at a briefing with Defence Correspondents on media tour of military operations in Port Harcourt.
He said precision air strikes carried out by attack helicopters, led to the destruction of 16 large boats used for crude oil siphoning which has effectively reduced operations of oil thieves and economic saboteurs of the country.
Giving an update of the operations of the commands,
Opaleye said that the anti-crude oil theft missions were executed with a total of 172 sorties, with fighter and surveillance aircraft accumulating 268 hours and 40 minutes of flight time, consuming 87,938 liters of Jet A1 fuel.
He boasted that the daring operations have forced oil thieves and other criminals to flee their hideouts and abandoned illegal refining sites.
He specifically cited a notable precision air raid at Egbema Ohaji on March 27, which neutralized a major illegal refining hub.
The commander further emphasized the unit’s expertise in conducting various air missions, including precision strikes during day and night, close air support, armed escort, air interdiction, combat air patrols, and casualty evacuation.
While noting that Efforts are ongoing to reactivate a Mi-35P helicopter to enhance the group’s firepower to carry out its mandate, the commander said that Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) deployed from Nigerian Air Force Headquarters has no doubt boosted mission success.
Aside air operations, Opaleye, said the 115 Special Operations Group has deployed ground personnel to collaborate in joint internal security operations with other agencies, helping to police volatile communities and deter organized crime.
The briefing highlighted the technological capacity and operational readiness of the unit, which has deployments in Katsina, Maiduguri, Plateau, and Enugu. It also praised the courage, professionalism, and sacrifices of Nigerian Air Force personnel dedicated to securing the nation.
The commander who attributed the rise in Nigeria’s oil production capacity—from 1.2 million barrels to 1.85 million barrels per day—to the precision air strikes, especially in areas inaccessible to ground forces, said that the group’s night operation capabilities have been “top-notch.”
Opaleye, while noting that the criminals have evolved new methods of moving illegal refining activities further from pipeline routes to escape detection, said
“Previously, these activities occurred near pipelines, but now we’ve seen them operate up to 1,500 meters away from the source.
0They tap into pipelines during maintenance operations and run hoses as far as 10 to 15 kilometers into remote areas, especially deep within forested mangroves,”.
“In some of these places, there is no visible sign of activity on the surface. However, we are able to detect, confirm, and destroy these illegal operations with precision.”
The commander who maintained that the operation is targeted solely on oil thieves and not civilians, said
“Our strikes are designed be as accurate as possible. While we are targeting criminal activities, we are also mindful of the human element. So far, there have been no reports of civilian casualties from our operations. Any reported collateral damage has not involved human lives, and we remain extremely cautious in that regard,”.
In an operational briefing by Flight Lieutenant I.H. Adamu (SO1 Operations, 150 Wing) noted the unit’s available air assets, including EC-135 helicopters for light combat and liaison roles, T-129 Atak helicopters for offensive operations, and Mi-35 helicopter gunships.
Earlier, in his address, Team leader Navy Commander Goddy Egbunu, and other officials representing Defence Media Operations commended the 115 Special Operations Group for its outstanding performance in combating oil theft, vandalism, and criminality in the Niger Delta.
Group Captain Opaleye was specifically praised for his purposeful leadership, tactical expertise, and unwavering dedication, which have positioned the unit as one of Nigeria’s most formidable aerial strike and surveillance teams.
Known as the “home of combat helicopters,” the 115 Operations Group continues to serve as the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, tasked with protecting national assets in the oil-rich Niger Delta and providing critical combat support to surface forces.