Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Oyibe Jibrin yesterday said the Nigerian Navy has arrested over 38 vessels
in the Nigerian waterways since his appointment as CNS, saying that recent Federal Government huge investment to procure equipment for the navy was aimed at curtailing rising activities of oil thieves in the country.
Vice Admiral Jibrin disclosed this yesterday in Warri while briefing journalists during a visit to Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS, Delta.
According to him, to combat the menace of illegal oil bunkering and others illegal businesses in the country’s waterways, the Federal Government has ordered for two offshore patrol vessels from China while it has taken ownership of one from the United States.
The Chief of Naval Staff with the commander of the NNS Delta, Musa Gemu, said that his men are better equipped now to fight the scourge of illegal oil bunkering , adding that the vessels are due to arrive the country in August.
He said “What the Federal Government is doing with the Nigerian Navy at the moment is recapitalisation, the Federal Government has invested in us through the acquisition of platforms and I can quickly tell you that the Federal Government ordered two off-shore patrol vessels from China, we are about taking delivery of one, which was earlier launched by the First Lady in January and before August it will be in Nigeria. The second one will be delivered next year, hopefully.
“The capacity that I earlier enumerated is for us to be able to check oil theft, you know we have always requested the Federal Government to look our direction with respect to the provision of platforms, this is now being addressed and I have just equally told you that we have taken delivery of four boats and they added to the NNS Delta’s impetus to be able to do their job well. Once these are properly deployed, I think these excesses should be brought to the barest minimum.” Jibrin added.
