The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified air operations in the Niger Delta, recording significant successes in the ongoing fight against crude oil theft and the protection of vital national assets.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, in a statement, said the success was recorded through its 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), which hosts the Air Component of Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS).
He said the NAF dismantled illegal refining sites and disrupted the logistics of criminal networks in the Niger Delta region.
“Between January and May 2025, the Air Component of OPDS 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 including Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River,”;; the statement said.
According to the statement, during the operations, airstrikes destroyed more than 100 illegal refining sites, 53 boats, 74 cooking tanks, 2 reservoirs, and several transport vehicles.
These actions, according to the statement, 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.
It said 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.
