Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed at least 100 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta region within the last five months.
It carried out the operation between January and May this year.
The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement, explained that the NAF executed over 173 missions and 265 sorties, accumulating approximately 270 flying hours in support of joint military operations and independent strikes across key oil-producing states.
According to him, "the airstrikes also destroyed 53 boats, 74 cooking tanks, two reservoirs and several transport vehicles."
Ejodame stated that the actions significantly degraded the capacity of oil thieves and vandals operating along critical corridors such as Buguma, Imo River, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Egbema/Ohaji and the Trans Niger Pipeline Right of Way.
He further explained that the operations are aligned with national efforts to curb militancy, stop environmental degradation caused by illegal refining, and protect strategic oil and gas infrastructure, the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.
"NAF 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), which hosts the air component, has maintained a high tempo of aerial missions across the region, dismantling illegal refining sites and disrupting the logistics of criminal networks,” he said.
He said the sustained air operations underscored NAF’s commitment to national security and economic stability by ensuring that Nigeria’s oil heartland remained secure and productive.