The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said its aircraft intercepted four boats in Wilcourt, a riverine settlement within the creeks of Niger Delta region with “suspected illegally refined products” which it “attacked and destroyed.”
NAF Director of Information and Public Relations (DOPRI), AVM Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement that after the interception of the speedboats, “while heading back, the crew spotted a speed boat with five suspected oil thieves fleeing the area,” and “pursued the speedboat until they arrived at the blocking zone of ground troops where they were arrested.”
According to the statement by AVM Gabkwet: “As the activities of oil thieves and economic saboteurs become sophisticated, so also have the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and other security agencies re-strategized in order to checkmate their activities and be ahead of their game.
“In most cases, oil thieves in the Niger Delta region have continued to find new ways of concealing their overhead tanks used in storing stolen crude oil products from busted pipelines just as they have continued to infuse the use of fast speed boats to convey their stolen goods.
“Unfortunately for these criminals, the NAF and other security agencies have also up their game with modern technology and hardware that enables them to detect and deter the activities of these enemies of the State.
“In Wilcourt, a riverine settlement within the creeks of Niger Delta region becoming notorious for illegal oil activities, the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe sighted and destroyed 3 Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) with a total number of 7 overhead tanks concealed under thick mangrove vegetation.
“About 5 Km downstream, 4 boats were also sighted moving southwards with suspected illegally refined products. The boats were subsequently attacked and destroyed. While heading back, the crew spotted a speed boat with 5 suspected oil thieves fleeing the area.
“Upon sighting the aircraft, the criminals increased speed, hoping to evade the aircraft. The air component then pursued the speedboat until they arrived at the blocking zone of ground troops where they were arrested.
“Similar successes were recorded in the Northwest following a tip-off of terrorists hibernating at Dandunu after rustling cattle from communities around the Kuchi-Kapana axis in Munya LGA of Niger State.
“The NAF subsequently deployed its air assets to scan the area which led to the interception of the terrorists on 9 motorcycles leading the rustled cattle. In several passes, the motorcycle-riding terrorists were struck by the aircraft, and most of them eliminated in the process.
“The feedback from locals around the location have so far been positive, with most of them being able to recover the rustled cattle and returning to their livelihoods.”