Ogalla takes on position of Chief of Naval Staff, promises to stop oil theft

Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the recently appointed Chief of Naval Staff, has taken office and has vowed to deal with oil thieves who are undermining the economy of the country decisively.

Speaking at the handing-over ceremony on Friday in Abuja, Ogalla said that among other things, piracy and the activities of oil thieves pose a threat to maritime security as well as the economy of the country.

He declared, “We constantly face serious threats like crude oil theft, the prevalence of illegal refineries, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy, sea robbery, piracy, various forms of trafficking, and other maritime crimes.

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Not only are our economic stability and the advancement of our country at risk, but also our maritime security. To be clear, however, we are committed to confronting these security issues head-on. We will work harder to stop the theft of crude oil and put an end to unauthorised refining.

In order to better protect our maritime domain overall and fight piracy and sea robbery, we will strengthen our existing capabilities.

I am confident that we can fulfil our constitutional mandate by transforming our maritime domain into a safer, more secure, and prosperous area where socioeconomic activities can flourish.

Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (ret. ), the former CNS, claimed that while he was in charge, the service developed more stringent operational concepts and strategies to combat the devastating effects of piracy, sea robbery, the proliferation of illegal refineries, brazen crude oil theft, and destruction of crucial oil and gas infrastructure, among other things.

In order to accomplish this, he stated, “We increased our commitment to anti-piracy operations, anti-COT operations, choke point operations, as well as riverine and swamp operations.

“To give this resolve momentum, we started a massive fleet renewal, strong logistics management, the purchase of additional platforms, the development of human capital, comprehensive infrastructure development, and efficient cooperation with local and international partners.

If it weren’t for the overwhelming support we received from all directions, our resolve to take on the various maritime security challenges would have been lessened.