NAF Airstrikes Destroyed 70 Illegal Refining Sites In 3 Months—CAS

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar recently disclosed that airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force destroyed over 70 illegal refining sites and about 80 overhead tanks in the past three months.

The Air Chief revealed this while receiving Major-General Jamil Sarham (Rtd), National Coordinator of Messrs New Guard Security and Consulting Limited, and his entourage at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja.

The CAS, in a statement issued by the NAF's Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, in response to the current status of Nigerian oil production, underlined the significant negative impact of oil theft and pipeline damage on Nigerian oil output.

He added that the menace has led to a major drop in crude oil production and a significant loss of revenue for the country.

Air Marshal Abubakar also pointed out the environmental effects of these illicit activities, such as air pollution and waterway contamination, which have had an impact on aquatic life and agriculture.

The CAS further gave a summary of NAF’s involvement in combating illegal oil theft through Operation Delta Safe, especially in the last 1 year.

“Over the past year, the NAF has conducted 463 sorties in 560 flight hours and expended 175,000 litres of Jet A-1 fuel in air operations over the Niger Delta region.”

He further stated that, to strengthen these efforts, some newly inducted platforms have recently been deployed across the region and beyond, allowing the NAF to cover more ground as it collaborates with other security agencies to degrade criminal activities in the region.

The CAS commended Maj.-Gen. Sarham (Rtd) and his team's strong military background, expressing optimism that their partnership with security forces to solve the challenges of crude oil theft will add bite to continuing efforts.