Oil theft: NAF jet destroys boats with stolen crude in Rivers

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force(NAF) said its air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) has destroyed three boats loaded with stolen crude, at Bille, a riverine area located west of Bonny Island and south of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.

NAF, Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who made the disclosure, said: “These are not the best of times for oil thieves and their accomplices in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, as the air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) continue to strike at the heart of their activities. One of such operations occurred on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at about 4 Nautical Miles South-East of Bille, a riverine area located west of Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.

The air strikes became necessary after three boats were sighted tapping crude oil from a pipeline. Consequently, the boats were engaged and destroyed by the aircraft. Flying towards Port Harcourt, the crew also observed an active illegal refining site with tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products, about four miles South-East of Idama in Rivers State. The site was subsequently attacked and destroyed.

Air strikes against these economic saboteurs will be sustained until they desist from their acts of thievery and economic sabotage. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has since directed all air component commanders nationwide to ensure they team up with other security agencies, as they sustain air strikes on all criminal elements in the country. He said: “The days of treating criminal elements in our country with kids’ gloves is over.  We must continue on this trajectory until we bring all of them to their knees.”