… Decries economic loss to illegal oil operations
The Nigerian Navy has taken delivery of a state-of-technology Offshore Survey Vessel, OSV 115, designed and built by a French shipbuilding company, OCEA SA.
It is a 35m-long vessel built for scientific hydro-graphic and oceanographic missions and equipped with progressive technology, including medium or shallow water multi-beam echo sounders and other essential survey equipment.
The vessel, delivered at Apapa, Lagos, is primed to conduct in-depth surveys in shallow and medium waters.
It was delivered with comprehensive support services, including training, spare parts, tooling, and necessary documentation, ensuring seamless integration and operation within the Nigerian Navy’s fleet.
Director of Naval Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, stated on Saturday in Abuja that the latest addition to the Nigerian Navy fleet would operate in tandem with the OSV 190 “NNS LANA’’.
NNS LANA was also built and delivered by OCEA in 2021.
“The primary role of the new vessel is to conduct hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, supporting ongoing efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial waters and optimise the current administration’s Blue Economy initiatives.
“The Nigerian Navy began local production of internationally-recognised nautical charts in 2019 and the newly-acquired OSV will further improve its hydro-graphic charting proficiency,’’ Adams-Aliu stated
In the meantime, the Navy has decried the magnitude of economic loss due to acts of illegal oil bunkering and vandalism of oil pipelines along the riverine communities of Nigeria.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, Commodore Nanmar Lakan, cried out at Okolomade Community of Abua Odual Local Government Area of Rivers during a tour of sites with newsmen on Saturday.
He said crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism should be stopped because of their negative economic impact on the nation.
“It is not good for our economy, and it is not also good for the citizens. I appeal to these undesirable elements to look for other means of survival.
“Stolen crude oil is causing problems everywhere. I assure them that my men and I will work day and night to ensure that this illegality stops,” he said.
The naval officer disclosed that his men uncovered a large illegal site with three tanks used as storage points in Okolomade community.
He said the saboteurs used the tanks as storage points for illegally refined AGO, commonly known as diesel.
According to him, the products will be handed over to the appropriate authority that will do further investigation to ensure that illegality stops in Nigeria.
He said under the mandate of both the Chief of Naval Staff and that of Operation Delta Safe, the NNS SOROH had continued to patrol areas within her operational responsibility.
“I want to assure Nigerians to see and trust us; we will ensure that this illegality stops forthwith,” he said.
The officials of the Navy arrested three persons conveying illegally refined products with tricycles along Okolomade community road.
“With what we are seeing here, we are still pleading with perpetrators to desist from it.
“I told them the last time that we are coming for them.
“I want to assure them that the long arm of the law will continue to catch up with them, so it is my candid advice that stop this environmental pollution,” he said.