NIGERIA’S Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has called for an increase in naval personnel to effectively combat oil theft in the country’s maritime domain.
Speaking during the Navy’s 69th anniversary celebrations, Ogalla revealed that the Navy’s current strength of just over 30,000 officers is insufficient to secure Nigeria’s vast coastline, which spans one-third of the nation’s landmass.
“We’re expanding recruitment annually to address this gap,” he said, while noting that significant progress has already been made in tackling oil theft.
Ogalla described the Nigerian Navy as a growing continental force, now the third largest in Africa, with improved infrastructure, surveillance capabilities, and global recognition.
He stressed that despite advanced technology, human capacity remains critical, hence the emphasis on continuous personnel development.
The naval chief also highlighted the need for special courts to prosecute oil thieves, many of whom operate with non-Nigerian-owned vessels, complicating prosecution.
He confirmed that a proposal has been submitted to the Minister of Justice.
Ogalla emphasized a multi-pronged strategy —military, legal, and socio-economic—to fight oil theft, pointing to factors like unemployment and illiteracy as root causes.
He also confirmed that erring naval officers have faced disciplinary actions under his leadership.
To boost operational capacity, the Navy recently launched three ships and three helicopters, with plans to further expand surveillance and emergency response systems.