Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State in south-eastern Nigeria, has asked the military’s Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta to establish an operational base in the state to help combat crime and crude oil theft.
The request was made on Tuesday during a meeting with Olugbenga Ladipo, the new commander of the Joint Task Force South-South, known as Operation Delta Safe.
Governor Otti said his administration was ready to provide accommodation and other facilities needed to set up the base, particularly in Ukwa West Local Government Area, where Abia’s oil facilities are located.
He said the move would strengthen efforts to tackle criminal activities not only in Abia but across the wider South-East and Niger Delta regions.
“We will continue to support you and your team,” the governor said, adding that understanding how criminal networks operate would make it easier to disrupt their activities.
Operation Delta Safe is responsible for securing oil and gas infrastructure across Nigeria’s oil-producing states. Its headquarters is in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Rear Admiral Ladipo said he was visiting Abia to formally introduce himself as the new commander. He explained that the task force’s mandate includes protecting oil installations, preventing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, and safeguarding lives and property.
He noted that crude oil theft has evolved in recent years. While pipelines were previously the main target, he said more theft is now taking place at wellheads.
“Crime is dynamic,” he said. “Today, we see cases where chemicals are mixed with stolen crude to produce engine oil and diesel, though the refining process is incomplete.”
He warned that such illegal products can damage vehicles and generators.
Governor Otti also commended the task force for security operations carried out during the Christmas period, which he said helped maintain calm across Abia and parts of the South-East.
Oil theft remains a major challenge in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, costing the country billions of dollars in lost revenue each year and posing environmental and security risks.
