In a significant crackdown on illegal activities in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the destruction of over 100 illegal refining sites through targeted airstrikes between January and May. This bold move is part of Operation Delta Safe, a joint military operation aimed at curbing militancy, environmental degradation, and protecting Nigeria’s strategic oil and gas infrastructure.
According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the NAF, the air component of the operation executed over 173 missions and 265 sorties, accumulating approximately 270 flying hours. These extensive efforts have not only destroyed illegal refining sites but also targeted other critical infrastructure used by oil thieves and vandals. Specifically, the airstrikes have destroyed 53 boats, 74 cooking tanks, two reservoirs, and several transport vehicles, significantly degrading the capacity of criminal networks operating in the region.
The NAF’s intensified air operations in the Niger Delta have been instrumental in disrupting the logistics of these criminal networks, which operate along critical corridors such as Buguma, Imo River, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Egbema/Ohaji, and the Trans Niger Pipeline Right of Way. By dismantling these illegal refining sites and disrupting their supply chains, the NAF is playing a crucial role in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, which is the backbone of the country’s economy.
As the NAF continues to promote civil-military cooperation and community development in the region, it emphasizes the importance of kinetic operations in uprooting entrenched criminal networks. The sustained air operations demonstrate the NAF’s commitment to national security and economic stability, ensuring that Nigeria’s oil heartland remains secure and productive. With the NAF 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG) maintaining a high tempo of aerial missions, the fight against crude oil theft and the protection of vital national assets is being vigorously pursued, marking a significant step forward in the quest for peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
