Navy’s Technology Deployment Saved Three Billion Barrels Of Crude Oil, Says Monguno

Major Gen. Babagana Monguno, the national security adviser (NSA), disclosed on Thursday that the Nigerian Navy had stopped the theft of more than 3 billion barrels of crude oil over the past four years.

Monguno revealed that this accomplishment—as well as many others—was made possible by the deployment of its multi-billion-naira Falcon Eye Maritime Intelligence Facility at the weekly Ministerial Briefing hosted by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Navy has also used the multi-billion naira facility to intercept about 200 vessels involved in maritime crime within Nigeria during the same period, according to the NSA, who touched on many accomplishments of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the security sector and provided clarity on several murky issues.

Monguno further disclosed that the facility has assisted in the interception of 82 oil tankers transporting stolen crude oil, 38 trawlers engaged in illicit fishing, and 11 million litres of diesel and PMS for the nation.

“The provision of high-quality real-time intelligence and collaboration for the prevention as well as prosecution of over 200 vessels involved in maritime criminality within Nigeria’s exclusive economic zone up to the Republic of Togo.

"These efforts have created an effective deterrence in the Nigerian EEZ.

“Over 82 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft were arrested, the theft of over 3 billion barrels of crude oil was prevented, and 11 million litres of petrol and diesel were recovered.”

“Likewise, over 38 fishing trawlers and vessels are involved in unregulated and illegal activities. While incidents of piracy and sea robbery have been reduced to a minimum around the Nigerian maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea”, he said.

According to him, the recent detentions of the Norwegian flagship MT Heroic Aden and the Liberian flagship MC Alexander J, which were both involved in criminal activity in the Nigerian maritime domain in August and September of 2022, respectively, show how effectively the Falcon Eye systems are used.

However, he noted that the security agencies continue to face internal problems like the insurgency in the north and separatist agitations by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in the southeast.

He claims that the security agencies are making progress in the southeast as the IPOB Easter Security Network loses influence over the socioeconomic structure of the area.

“The Indigenous People of Biafra, also known as IPOB, and its militia wing, the Eastern Security Network, have emerged as a very potent separatist group in the country and equally a major threat to national security.

“However, their activities are being significantly curtailed, as there’s now a marked decline in the number and scale of attacks due to increased security operations by security agencies.

"Apart from the reduction in attacks, some of the group’s key commanders, including IED experts, have been arrested, while major camps have been destroyed.

“Overall, security forces are gradually stabilising the socioeconomic landscape in areas where IPOB terrorised law-abiding Nigerians in the past.

"The armed forces and other security agencies are sustaining these efforts”, he said.

He added that external developments within the West African sub-region and beyond had impacted Nigeria’s internal security dynamics.

He listed terrorism and insurgency, banditry, agitations for secession as well as piracy as some security threats which had raised concerns amongst Nigerians and the international community.

He equally mentioned drivers of insecurity to include the menace of drug trafficking, illiteracy, particularly out-of-school children – Almajire, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, porous borders, illegal mining, as well as hate speech and fake news.

The NSA said as long as these drivers of insecurity were prevalent in any given society, threats to national security would manifest in one form or the other.

He said this administration had been making significant strides towards dealing with the drivers of internal security concerns in the country.

He said dealing with the drivers of insecurity required a whole national approach, which will entail a whole government and a whole societal approach.

“The whole-of-government approach will include the sincere efforts of all arms of government, executive, legislative, and judiciary at the local, state and federal levels.

"In carrying out the activities that I earlier highlighted, while the whole-of-society approach will include the combined efforts of all members of the society such as civil society organizations, parents, traditional and religious leaders, youth leaders, and the populace at large”, he said.

Monguno expressed optimism that the country shall achieve the desired degree of peace and security and prosperity for the nation “as we sustain the current tempo of intelligence-driven kinetic and non-kinetic operations.”