The Nigerian Navy effected the arrest of 23 ships, 233 suspects and 690 boats with stolen crude oil in the year 2023.
The Director of Information, Rear Admiral Ayo Vaughan disclosed this in a statement dated Thursday, January 4, 2024.
Vaughan also disclosed that the Navy destroyed 703 illegal refineries, adding that tens of barges, 82 vehicles and tanker trucks were impounded as well as crude oil and petroleum products amounting to N105billion confiscated.
The spokesman further revealed that the arrested suspects are with the appropriate prosecuting agencies even as he assured that the fight against crude oil theft is being waged with renewed vigour in 2024.
The Navy therefore frowned at what it termed as malicious publications in the mainstream and online media against it.
It vowed to continue as the lead agency in the maritime environment to galvanize maritime stakeholders in the fight against crude oil theft and protection of national economic assets.
While blaming the campaign of calumny against it on criminals involved in oil theft, it assured that the Nigerian Navy under the watch of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla will not be deterred by the misguided propaganda in the media.
