Navy has reduced oil theft from 2.4m to 300,000 barrels per month – Jibrin

Usman Jibrin, 

The outgoing Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, disclosed this in Abuja at the handing over ceremony to his successor, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas.

Jibrin said the feat was one of the achievements recorded by the Navy under his command.

He said curbing the menace of oil thieves in the Niger Delta region was a daunting task that was surmounted by the Navy.

Jibrin urged the incoming naval administration to build on the successes recorded in the past months with the bid to taking the Navy to greater heights.

He said: “I wish to urge the incoming chief and his team to build on the achievements, some of which I have tried to enumerate, to improve on the Navy’s service delivery to the nation.

“With specific reference to the issue of oil theft, I urge the new administration to sustain the tempo to totally eliminate crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.”

In a remark, Ibas acknowledged the achievements of his successor and promised to build on them to achieve set targets.

He said his administration would focus on actualising the constitutional mandate of the navy to the nation.

Ibas said the navy would under his command build capacity and provide greater opportunities for Nigeria to explore.

He said: “With your support, I will provide responsive and motivational leadership that will institute appropriate reward system.

“Accordingly, my vision will be to develop a credible naval power in fulfillment of the Nigeria Navy constitutional roles towards enhancing national prosperity and security.”

At the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, the new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadeeq Abubakar, pledged to sustain the gains of his predecessor, retired Air Marshal Adesola Amosun.

Abubakar said his administration would evaluate the achievements recorded and build on them.

He said the Airforce would increase its operational fire power in the counter-insurgency operation in the North East.

He said: “We will leave no stone unturned to support the constituted authorities to discharge their duties to the nation.

“I wish to stress that we will continue from where the immediate past administration stopped in the quest to defend our fatherland.

“I shall attempt to, in the coming days, critically evaluate where we have been, where we are now and where we hope to be with the view to strengthening our capacity.”

Amosun, in his speech, urged the new administration to sustain the service’s operations in the region, particularly in providing air surveillance and sundry support.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the formal change of guard at the Defence and Services Headquarters symbolised the complete change of command by the new service chiefs.

NAN.