The Nigerian Army has reacted to allegations by ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, that cases of oil theft recorded in the South South region were traceable to the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu in a telephone interview with SpyeTV News said the Nigerian army had been vigorously engaged in the fight against illegal oil bunkering, oil theft, illegal oil refining and other sundry crimes in the region with positive results.
Brig. General Nwachukwu said as evident in the increase in daily oil production per barrel from an abysmally dwindling output in the past.
He noted that the Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for any compromise on the part of our troops and will not condone such acts of economic sabotage.
No black sheep will be spared if identified.
Earlier, the Nigerian Navy spokesperson, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan in a telephone interview with SpyeTV News said oil thieves were angry because the land, maritime and air component of the Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE as well as other operations in the South South zone of the country have sustained the efforts to deny oil thieves avenues to sabotage economy through ongoing “Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO” and sustained a relatively safe and peaceful environment for business activities to strife in the region.
"If Asari Dokubo is seeking some form of relevance and he alleges that there are cabals of military personnel who are involved in crude oil theft, let him bring the names. Nobody is afraid of getting the names of those involved in crude oil theft. You can not make such serious allegations and think that we just sweep it down the carpet , there will be an official response from Defence Headquarters on this matter. The Chief of Defence Staff does not condone that, nor those the Chief of Naval Staff under whom I serve.
"The Nigerian Navy as an organisation is actively involved in the fight against crude oil thefts and the resources in the Niger Delta. So, for anybody to say there is a cabal of military officers, the only simple thing is BRING THE EVIDENCE, BRING THE NAMES.", he stressed.