By SpringNewsNG Media Limited
Published May 26, 2025

In a major escalation of its fight against crude oil theft and environmental pollution, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed more than 100 illegal oil refining sites across the Niger Delta within the last five months.

The intensified air operations, carried out under Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), are part of a coordinated national effort to dismantle oil theft networks, protect critical oil infrastructure, and secure Nigeria’s economic interests.

According to Air Vice Marshal Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, the operations were led by the 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), which oversees the Air Component of OPDS. He noted that the Nigerian Air Force has taken on an increasingly strategic role in safeguarding national assets against economic sabotage.

Between January and May 2025, the Air Component conducted more than 173 missions and 265 sorties, amassing approximately 270 flying hours through a combination of joint and independent operations.

The aerial campaigns covered several oil-producing states including Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. These precision airstrikes led to the destruction of: Over 100 illegal refining sites

53 boats

74 cooking tanks

2 crude oil reservoirs

Numerous vehicles used in crude oil transportation

Key operational hotspots targeted include Buguma, Imo River, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Egbema/Ohaji, and strategic locations along the Trans Niger Pipeline Right of Way.

“These precision strikes have significantly degraded the logistical and operational capabilities of oil theft syndicates operating across the region,” the NAF statement emphasized.

The statement further noted that the ongoing air campaign aligns with Nigeria’s broader national security and economic recovery objectives, particularly in stopping environmental degradation caused by illegal oil refining, reducing oil revenue losses, and preserving vital energy infrastructure.

Reaffirming its dedication to civil-military relations and regional peace, the NAF reiterated that sustained kinetic operations are essential to dismantling entrenched criminal networks in the Niger Delta.

“The Nigerian Air Force remains committed to national security and economic stability. Securing the nation’s oil-producing regions is key to restoring order and protecting Nigeria’s most valuable natural resources,” the statement concluded.