Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Navy has said the collaborative efforts of its personnel and other security agencies in tackling cases of oil theft in the Niger Delta region led to the increase in oil production in the country.
The commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, made the assertion while speaking with journalists at the end of the officers' 2nd quarter route march, held in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.
Speaking on the march, Igbo explained that the essence was to keep the officers and men of the 'NNS Pathfinder' fit to be able to carry out their duties, applauding the officers for their commitment to the exercise.
Igbo who disclosed that the march was a quarterly exercise, said: "This exercise we did it in the first quarter in March this year. It is Nigerian Navy's quarterly road march. This is the second quarter.
"In the military as you know, fitness is very important. So Nigerian Navy finds it very essential that our officers and men go on road march which is a form of exercise.
"Behind me are our men, we went almost 12 kilometres and all of us came back complete, nobody dropped on the way. That shows you how fit we are to carry out our duties, especially the anti-bunkering duties".
He noted the need for security officers to always be ready to combat all forms criminality in the country.
He said: "We must prevent the enemies of Nigeria from stealing our crude oil and to God be the glory and in pursuance of the Chief of Naval Staff mandate, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, we have reduced the incidences of oil theft in the Niger Delta.
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"We have reduced incidences of oil theft by 90 per cent and we are ready to reduce the incidences of oil in the Niger Delta to 100 per cent.
"The oil production has increased. When we came in it was about 1.1 million bpd and now we are talking about close to 1.7 million bpd. This we achieved in collaboration with other security agencies".
He however, charged officers and men of NNS Pathfinder to continue to keep fit, stressing that when they are fit they will be able to discharge their duties effectively.
Igbo added: "My men have not been found wanting in oil theft, because we have our extant laws, if they do, we will deal with them decidedly and we have told them and they have refrain from compromise of all forms.
"That is the charge the Chief of Naval Staff gave us, he will not tolerate compromise and we have pushed it down to the least personnel, especially in this NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt. None of them will involve in all forms of criminality, they are aware of it and cannot do it under my watch," Igbo assured.
