Connect with us

News

Naval Chief Ogalla Seeks Increased Manpower, Says 30,000 Officers Not Enough Against Oil Theft

Published

on

Spread the love

Nigeria Navy Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, says increased manpower will boost the efforts to curb oil theft in the country’s maritime space.

The naval chief stated this on Monday as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, as part of events lined up for the celebrations of the 69th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy.

Vice Admiral Ogalla said the entire personnel of the Nigerian Navy at over 30,000 isn’t sufficient to man Nigeria’s coastal maritime area which is one-third of the nation’s landmass.

He quickly added that the naval authorities have increased their annual enlistment of fresh minds to fill the vacuum.

FILE: Some Nigerian Navy personnel

 

The naval chief said, “It would surprise you to know that the Navy is just about 30 something thousand, and we have a coastal maritime area that is one-third of the nation’s landmass. Just about 30 something thousand in number. So, we are also building on this number, and we are increasing our recruitment, and our enlistment on an annual basis.

“It is an ongoing fight but the most important thing is that we are making tremendous progress.”

Vice Admiral Ogalla said the Nigerian Navy was not where it used to be, saying that it has become a continental force and a global reference.

The naval chief said, “The Nigerian Navy started with very few boats given to us by the Royal Navy but you can see that today, we are the third largest Navy in Africa and our goal is to become the largest Navy in Africa that can contribute effectively to global force projection.

“In terms of infrastructure and platforms, we have grown tremendously. In terms of surveillance and other maritime awareness, we have one of the best maritime awareness capacity in the world, a system that gives us visibility out there at sea.

“Like I always like to caution, every technology and every infrastructure has its limitation and that is why the human element comes into play, and we are not taking this aspect for granted; we are developing our personnel, we are also equipping ourselves.”

 

Turji
A court gavel

Special Court To Try Oil Thieves

He said Nigeria has recorded a drastic reduction in the activities of oil thieves in the last couple of years.

The naval chief noted that curbing oil theft demands a collective approach among the security agencies including the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force, as well as communities around the coastal areas.

Vice Admiral Ogalla also said that aside from kinetic measures, oil theft must also be tackled through non-kinetic means including unemployment, illiteracy, among others.

 

FILE PHOTO: Security officials seizing a vessel for oil theft.

 

He added some of the ships used by oil thieves are not owned by Nigerians hence it makes prosecution difficult. He reiterated the need for the establishment of special courts for the swift prosecution of suspects.

“We need special courts to make progress in the prosecution of maritime criminals,” Vice Admiral Ogalla said, adding that a presentation on it has been made to the justice minister Lateef Fagbemi and it is being considered.

Severe Punishment

He pledged that oil theft can be reduced to a level where it does not economically affect Nigeria’s oil revenue.

The naval chief also said officers involved in oil theft have been severely punished under his leadership. He said some of them have had their ranks reduced, and some dismissed. “It’s too risky for any of our men to engage in oil theft,” he warned, sternly.

According to him, the Nigerian Navy has a plan for the surveillance and monitoring of the environment to detect oil saboteurs. He added that the Navy is expanding its infrastructure and increasing its fleet for more sophisticated platforms for quick emergency response,

Vice Admiral Ogalla said to boost the drive for increased capacity to fight oil theft, the Navy launched three ships and three helicopters on Sunday.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

NDLEA warns public against fake auction offers using officials’ names

Published

on

Spread the love

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudsters impersonating its officials to defraud unsuspecting members of the public through fake auction offers for forfeited vehicles.

 

In a statement issued on Friday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the scammers have been using the names of senior NDLEA officials, particularly the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to circulate fraudulent letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale.

 

Babafemi described the offers as a deliberate scam aimed at swindling people of their money.

“The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money,” he said.

 

The agency stressed that no NDLEA official is authorised to privately allocate, sell or offer forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.

According to the statement, all forfeited vehicles and assets are disposed of only through public auction processes conducted by government-approved auctioneers in line with legal and public procurement guidelines.

Babafemi added that legitimate auction exercises are always widely advertised in national newspapers and through the agency’s official communication channels.

He urged members of the public to disregard and report any letters, text messages or social media posts claiming to offer forfeited vehicles through Barrister Haruna or any other NDLEA official.

“The NDLEA remains committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations. Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or through our official communication channels,” the statement added.

Continue Reading

News

Initiators Promise Big As NIGMA Gets August 2026 Date

Published

on

Spread the love

 

The organisers of this year’s Nigeria International Gospel Music Awards ( NIGMA) have announced that the upcoming edition will celebrate the very best of the gospel music industry in an atmosphere of excellence, creativity, and inspiration.

 

The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the prestigious Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Kingsley Omoefe, Founder and Team Lead of NIGMA and Chief Responsibility Officer of Golden Heritage Limited, said the August event is designed to bring together gospel music ministers, industry stakeholders, fans, and supporters for a memorable celebration of talent, faith, and excellence.

He stated that attendees should expect an unforgettable experience featuring outstanding performances from leading gospel artists, alongside special recognitions for individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the industry.

The organisers also revealed that the event will feature meaningful conversations designed to inspire participants, promote collaboration, and foster the continued growth of gospel music.

The organisers said the August gathering would create memorable moments that would leave guests inspired, enriched, and motivated long after the curtains close.

They further called on corporate organisations, media outfits, and well-meaning individuals to take advantage of the opportunities available to support the event through sponsorships and strategic partnerships.

The organisers encouraged interested organisations and individuals seeking sponsorship, partnership, media accreditation, or participation to contact the event management for further information and registration ahead of the highly anticipated August programme.

Continue Reading

International News

Nottingham Forest Sacks 5th Manager In 10 Months, To Wrap Up Oliver Glasner’s Deal

Published

on

Spread the love

 

Oliver Glasner is in advanced talks to replace Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach, a move which would see the Austrian become the club’s fifth manager in less than a year.

 

Pereira announced his departure from the club in a statement on Wednesday, saying that it came as a “complete surprise to me and without any warning”.

Glasner is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace — where he won the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield and Conference League the following campaign — and is set to stay in the Premier League.

The 51-year-old confirmed in January that he would leave Palace at the end of the season after two years in charge.

On Thursday, Forest confirmed Pereira’s coaching staff Filipe Almeida, Luis Miguel, Bruno Moura, Marco Knoop and Pedro Lopes had all left the club alongside the head coach.

Pereira, 57, was appointed Forest head coach in February on an 18-month contract which runs until 2027.

The Athletic reported in May Forest had been planning to show their faith in Pereira by handing the head coach a new long-term contract, but those talks were subsequently put on hold.

“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” he said in his statement.

“I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club. Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future.

“Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.

“Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club’s Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever. Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.

“I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment—only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories. Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.”

The Portuguese succeeded Sean Dyche and was Forest’s fourth permanent boss of the season following the departures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.

Nuno had led Forest to Europa League qualification the previous season but he departed in September, less than three months after signing a new deal. Postecoglou was appointed his replacement but was dismissed just 39 days later. Dyche took charge of the team in October before his dismissal in February.

Forest were three points above the relegation zone when Pereira was appointed and he subsequently steered his side to Premier League safety with two games of the campaign remaining.

His appointment marked his second managerial spell in the Premier League after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety during the 2024-25 campaign.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 TheColumn NG