President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight that some key threats within Nigeria’s maritime environment, such as crude oil theft, piracy, sea robbery, as well as illegal unregulated and unreported fishing were being effectively tackled.
Buhari who spoke yesterday, March 21, 2023, said over 220 vessels involved in maritime criminality within Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone, up to the Republic of Togo, between August 2018 and March 2023, were prosecuted.
He also said over 87 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft had been arrested, as theft of over three million barrels of crude oil was prevented, while 15 million litres of petrol and diesel were recovered.
He also inaugurated the new Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, and National Counterterrorism Centre, NCTC, in Abuja, as part of efforts to address evolving security challenges in the country, especially terrorism and violent extremism.
Speaking at the inauguration of the two world-class facilities, the President said it would serve as a major legacy to provide the incoming administration with infrastructure to effectively coordinate national security and counter-terrorism efforts.
President Buhari used the occasion to outline significant milestones achieved by his administration on National Security, including gains in combating terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, separatist tendencies, crude oil theft, piracy as well as militancy in the South-South and cyber-security.
