Rear Adm. David Adeniran, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, on Friday said that oil theft and sea piracy have reduced drastically in the Niger Delta region.
Adeniran said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on board Nigerian Navy Ship Okpabana in Calabar. He was speaking on the sideline of the fourth quarter exercise of the Nigerian Navy tagged ‘Exercise Ani-Oforifori’, meaning ‘chase thief’ in Kalabari language.
The FOC attributed the reduction to the constant patrol of the region by naval personnel at sea. According to him, the constant patrol of naval personnel also boosted the confidence and operations of oil platforms at sea.
He told NAN that the patrol also helps the Navy to interrogate and question other vessels operating in the maritime domain.
“The more we are at sea, the better for the economy and the oil platforms including those operating legally at sea. “It is, however, bad news for criminals operating at sea to know that we are on patrol,” he said.
(NAN)
