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The Air Component of Operation Delta Safe successfully destroyed two illegal refining sites (IRS) along the banks of the Imo River.
Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, announced this in a press release on Sunday.
The DOPRI stated that the illegal installations, which were near Obiaku and close to the Imo/Abia/Rivers States boundaries, included two tanks and a reservoir in one area and three tanks and two reservoirs in another along the Imo Riverbank.
According to him “Observing that these sites were active, authorization was sought and received for air strikes on the targets. Subsequently, air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe were conducted, which destroyed the 2 sites as well as the surface tanks and reservoirs.
“Building on these successes, air operations under Operation Delta Safe will be intensified especially within the areas of interest in efforts to curtail the activities of criminal elements.
The success in destroying these IRS highlights the need for a NAF Base in Abia State, something that both Governor Otti and Air Marshal Abubakar believed was long overdue.
The NAF's continuous efforts in all ongoing operations serve as further evidence of its dedication to upholding aerial dominance over Nigerian skies and working in collaboration with ground forces to ensure the safety and security of Nigeria and its citizens.