The Nigerian Air Force has announced its recent actions against unlawful oil refining sites in the Niger Delta area. On Sunday, the Air Force executed strikes targeting these illegal sites. The operations focused on oil-rich Rivers state, where several illegal facilities were eradicated. Notably, a boat laden with crude oil, en route to open waters, was also engaged.
Nigeria has been intensifying its efforts against oil theft in the Niger Delta region. This campaign involves incinerating ships carrying stolen crude and dismantling small-scale illegal refineries. However, it’s worth noting that aerial bombardments like these are infrequent.
AIR STRIKES TARGET OIL THIEVES IN RIVERS STATE, MILITANTS IN CROSS RIVER STATE AND TERRORISTS IN BORNO STATEhttps://t.co/RKkujYqqgS pic.twitter.com/qjoLl14rJt
— Nigerian Air Force (@NigAirForce) August 27, 2023
The majority of these illicit refineries are often nestled within the remote creeks, distancing them from local communities. Despite this, environmental advocates have criticized the repeated incineration of these facilities.
Past instances have seen authorities destroying confiscated unlawful crude vessels, even with the crude still onboard. These actions mirror the recent strikes.
Interestingly, the timing of Sunday’s operations aligned with a visit by defense and oil officials to Rivers state. During this visit, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, highlighted a sobering fact: the country is losing an estimated 400,000 barrels of crude oil each day to theft.
