The Nigerian Navy has transitioned to a high-intensity maritime offensive with the launch of Operation Delta Sentinel, a move designed to secure the nation’s 2027 production target of 2.5 million barrels per day. Flagged off at the NNS Pathfinder Jetty in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, this mission replaces Operation Delta Sanity II.
Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, Commander of Task Group 26.1 and Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, declared that the transition is a direct response to the Federal Government’s drive to infuse more vigor into preventing crude oil theft and supporting deep offshore investments.
The new command structure will operate on a one-year timeline with quarterly performance reviews to ensure a proactive posture against economic sabotage. Ibrahim revealed that the Navy is integrating advanced Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure with newly deployed manned and unmanned aerial assets to maintain 24-hour surveillance over vulnerable pipeline networks.
This technology-enabled approach follows a successful 2025 campaign where naval interventions reduced daily crude oil losses by 90 percent, dropping from over 100,000 barrels in 2021 to approximately 9,600 barrels by the end of last year.
As International Oil Companies continue to reorder their portfolios toward deep offshore fields, Operation Delta Sentinel is tasked with providing a secure environment for these high-value developments. Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, reflecting on the close of the previous phase, noted that his team arrested 203 suspects and deactivated 324 illegal refining sites in 2025 alone.
With stolen products worth over ₦3.65 billion recovered in the last twelve months, the Navy expects the new Sentinel mission to drive criminal activity even lower while stabilizing the energy sector for the coming decade.
