The Nigerian Navy has responded to claims made by Niger Delta leader and former agitator, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, regarding officers involved in crude oil theft. Dokubo had alleged that the Nigerian Army and Navy were responsible for the majority of oil theft cases in the oil-rich region. He made these statements after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, as he briefed State House reporters.
In a swift reaction, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the spokesman for the Nigerian Navy, dismissed Dokubo’s allegations as “spurious and unguarded.” Ayo-Vaughan explained that oil thieves were making these claims out of frustration because the Nigerian Navy and the entire military have been successfully preventing them from sabotaging the country’s economy through the ongoing “Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO.”
The spokesman further emphasized that the Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, would continue to prevent crude oil thieves from harming Nigeria’s economy. Ayo-Vaughan challenged Dokubo to provide the names of the officers involved in oil theft, stating that the Navy has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of criminal activity, including the theft alleged by Dokubo.
He highlighted that the Navy has been actively combatting oil theft in the Niger Delta through Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO for over a year. This operation has successfully prevented oil thieves from stealing crude oil worth over N76 billion. Ayo-Vaughan also mentioned the collaboration between the Navy, the NNPC, and other organizations involved in pipeline surveillance and downstream regulation.
Ayo-Vaughan reiterated the Navy’s commitment to combating oil theft and challenged Dokubo to provide evidence to support his claims. He emphasized that the Navy has been working diligently to curb oil theft and protect Nigeria’s interests in the Niger Delta.
