The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan has challenged the ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo to name those involved in his alleged oil theft claims.
Ayo-Vaughan made the challenge hours after Dokubo accused the Nigerian Military and its cabal of the act.
Dokubo made the claims when he visited President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Friday.
However, Ayo-Vaughan asserted that the Niger Delta leader was only trying to buy the favour of President Tinubu with his allegation.
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The naval spokesman told Channels Television on the phone:
“If Asari Dokubo is seeking some form of relevance and alleges that there is a cabal of military people that are involved in crude oil theft, let him bring the names. Nobody is afraid of getting the names of those involved in crude oil theft.
“For anybody to say that there is a cabal of military officers, the only simple thing is to bring the evidence, bring the names.”
According to the spokesman, the Nigerian Navy has made significant strides in the fight against oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Ayo-Vaughan said:
“The Nigerian Navy is actively involved in the fight against crude oil theft and the resources in the Niger Delta. So, for anybody to say that there is a cabal of military officers, the only simple thing is to bring the evidence, bring the names. I rest my case.”
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He claimed that the Navy’s Operation Dakata da Barawo has led to the arrest of one hundred and thirty-one suspects, seventeen vessels, and the destruction of five hundred and nineteen illegal mining sites.
Additionally, fourth thousand two hundred and sixty-one storage tanks, five hundred and sixty-nine wooden boats, and sixty-nine vehicles were demobilized.
He added that the Navy’s efforts have resulted in the denial of over one hundred and sixteen million (116.9m) litres of crude oil, over forty-five million( 45.1m) litres of refined diesel, and over two million (2.4m) litres of kerosene, as well as three hundred and seventy-two thousand (372,000) litres of premium motor spirit, all worth more than seventy-one billion naira (N71.8b) based on current prices.
Ayo-Vaughan revealed one notable achievement was the recent arrest of the ship Heroic Edun, which entered Nigeria illegally. The court imposed fines on the owners of the ship, serving as evidence of the Navy’s commitment to combating crude oil theft.
