General
Air Support Troops Clear 20 Crude Oil Reservoirs in Niger Delta
By Adedapo Adesanya
The 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Nigerian Air Force, under the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), stated that it has destroyed 49 illegal refineries, various cooking tanks, and over 20 large crude oil reservoirs used by oil thieves in the Niger Delta over the last five months.
Commander 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) Group Captain Abdulafeez Opaleye, who made this known, said it has not recorded any civilian casualties as its operations are targeted solely on oil thieves and nothing more.
Group Captain Opaleye said this at a briefing with Defence Correspondents on media tour of military operations in Port Harcourt.
Known as the “home of combat helicopters,” the 115 Operations Group continues to serve as the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, tasked with protecting national assets in the oil-rich Niger Delta and providing critical combat support to surface forces.
Their operations complements efforts of OPDS, which announced this week that it destroyed 578 illegal refineries and arrested 681 oil thieves between January- May, 2025.
He said precision air strikes carried out by attack helicopters, led to the destruction of 16 large boats used for crude oil siphoning which has effectively reduced operations of oil thieves and economic saboteurs of the country.
Giving an update of the operations of the commands, he said that the anti-crude oil theft missions were executed with a total of 172 sorties, with fighter and surveillance aircraft accumulating 268 hours and 40 minutes of flight time, consuming 87,938 liters of Jet A1 fuel.
He boasted that the daring operations have forced oil thieves and other criminals to flee their hideouts and abandoned illegal refining sites.
He specifically cited a notable precision air raid at Egbema Ohaji on March 27, which neutralized a major illegal refining hub.
The commander further emphasized the unit’s expertise in conducting various air missions, including precision strikes during day and night, close air support, armed escort, air interdiction, combat air patrols, and casualty evacuation.
While noting that Efforts are ongoing to reactivate a Mi-35P helicopter to enhance the group’s firepower to carry out its mandate, the commander said that Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) deployed from Nigerian Air Force Headquarters has no doubt boosted mission success.
Aside air operations, he said the 115 Special Operations Group has deployed ground personnel to collaborate in joint internal security operations with other agencies, helping to police volatile communities and deter organized crime.
The briefing highlighted the technological capacity and operational readiness of the unit, which has deployments in Katsina, Maiduguri, Plateau, and Enugu. It also praised the courage, professionalism, and sacrifices of Nigerian Air Force personnel dedicated to securing the nation.
The commander who attributed the rise in Nigeria’s oil production capacity—from 1.2 million barrels to 1.85 million barrels per day—to the precision air strikes, especially in areas inaccessible to ground forces, said that the group’s night operation capabilities have been “top-notch.”
The commander noted that the criminals have evolved new methods of moving illegal refining activities further from pipeline routes to escape detection.
“Previously, these activities occurred near pipelines, but now we’ve seen them operate up to 1,500 meters away from the source.
They tap into pipelines during maintenance operations and run hoses as far as 10 to 15 kilometers into remote areas, especially deep within forested mangroves.
“In some of these places, there is no visible sign of activity on the surface. However, we are able to detect, confirm, and destroy these illegal operations with precision.”
The commander who maintained that the operation is targeted solely on oil thieves and not civilians, said
“Our strikes are designed be as accurate as possible. While we are targeting criminal activities, we are also mindful of the human element. So far, there have been no reports of civilian casualties from our operations. Any reported collateral damage has not involved human lives, and we remain extremely cautious in that regard,”.
In an operational briefing by Flight Lieutenant I.H. Adamu (SO1 Operations, 150 Wing) noted the unit’s available air assets, including EC-135 helicopters for light combat and liaison roles, T-129 Atak helicopters for offensive operations, and Mi-35 helicopter gunships.
On his part, Team leader Navy Commander Goddy Egbunu, and other officials representing Defence Media Operations commended the 115 Special Operations Group for its outstanding performance in combating oil theft, vandalism, and criminality in the Niger Delta.
Group Captain Opaleye was specifically praised for his purposeful leadership, tactical expertise, and unwavering dedication, which have positioned the unit as one of Nigeria’s most formidable aerial strike and surveillance teams.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Contrary to reports making the rounds, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly is not considering passing a bill to make it a criminal offence for single ladies having romantic affairs with married men in the state.
On Monday, unconfirmed news went viral, purporting that a phantom Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Akon Etim, had sponsored a bill to ensure single ladies having sexual relationship with married men spend 10 years in prison, while the men pay a fine of N2 million.
It was claimed that the bill was to be passed by the state parliament, today, Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Business Post reports that the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State is Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, not Mrs Akon Etim.
Reacting to the reports, the chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr Jerry Anson Otu, described the reports as “false.”
“The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly wishes to categorically state that this report is entirely false and has no basis in fact. The Assembly has not received or considered any such bill, and the Deputy Governor has not sponsored it.
“We condemn this malicious attempt to tarnish the image of the Deputy Governor and the Assembly, and urge the public to disregard this fake news and any associated commentaries.
“The House remains committed to its constitutional role of law-making, and will not be swayed by mischievous attempts to undermine its integrity,” parts of the statement issued by the parliament stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is eyeing stronger diplomatic and strategic ties when it comes to sustainable development as it participates in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).
President Bola Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday. His plane landed at the Presidential Wing of Zayed International Airport at exactly 11:30 pm local time.
He was received by Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi; Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; and members of the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi.
Several other ministers, including the Minister of Budget and Planning, Mr Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Jumoke Oduwole; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr Mohammed Mohammed, welcomed President Tinubu at his hotel.
President Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi from Europe, where he spent part of his end-of-year break, engaging in fruitful discussions with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement by the presidency.
The 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with the theme The Nexus of Next, All Systems Go, is a global platform that brings together world leaders, policymakers, investors, and experts to advance dialogue and action on sustainable development, climate action, energy transition, and inclusive economic growth.
This visit further reinforces the strong diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while positioning Nigeria as an active contributor to global conversations on sustainable development.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to account for about N55.9 billion earmarked for the purchase of some materials for the 2019 general elections has forced the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to file a lawsuit against the commission.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP asked the court for an order of mandamus to compel INEC to disclose the names of all contractors paid the sum of money.
It was claimed that the N55.9 billion was meant for the purchase of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets and other election materials for the 2019 general elections, which produced the late Mr Muhammadu Buhari as President for a second term in office.
SERAP is relying on the latest annual report published by the Auditor-General on September 9, 2025, to ask for the use of the funds, which is said to be missing or diverted.
The organisation argued that the electoral umpire “must operate without corruption if the commission is to ensure free and fair elections in the country and uphold Nigerians’ right to participation.”
“INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators including the contractors involved are not prosecuted and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered,” a part of the statement issued by the group stated.
“INEC cannot properly carry out its constitutional and statutory responsibilities to conduct free and fair elections in the country if it continues to fail to uphold the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“These allegations also constitute abuse of public office and show the urgent need by INEC to commit to transparency, accountability, clean governance and the rule of law,” it further declared.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn