The Nigerian Army has stepped up efforts in the Niger Delta by training 60 newly recruited soldiers to safeguard oil facilities and tackle crude theft in the region.
The troops, selected from the 89 Regular Recruit Intake, completed the specialised training less than two months after graduating from the Nigerian Army Depot. The programme was held at the headquarters of the 3 Battalion in Delta State, a key oil-producing area in the country.
The training was supervised by the Commander of 63 Brigade, Brigadier General Morounfolu Shonibare, and the Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Abdulaziz Haruna, alongside representatives of other security agencies reflecting a coordinated, multi-agency strategy to secure the oil-rich region.
Sources revealed that the seven-week course, which began on January 5, 2026, covered crowd management, peacekeeping operations, counter-terrorism tactics and internal security responsibilities. A major focus was placed on protecting oil and gas installations while ensuring the safety of civilians and their property.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Monday, Brigadier General Shonibare described the event as more than a routine exercise. He said it marked the soldiers’ preparedness to uphold the standards and duties expected of members of the Nigerian Army.
According to him, the training was specifically designed to equip the recruits for the operational challenges in the Niger Delta, particularly counter-insurgency and internal security missions linked to oil infrastructure protection.
He stressed the strategic significance of the region, describing it as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy due to its vast oil reserves. Safeguarding it, he noted, remains a national priority.
Shonibare added that the course aligns with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision of building a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of carrying out its constitutional mandate within a joint and multi-agency framework.
Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna explained that the programme was carefully structured to enhance the soldiers’ proficiency in weapon handling, discipline, counter insurgency strategies and internal security operations. He also highlighted the importance of continued collaboration with other security agencies and private surveillance firms, including Tantita Security Services Limited, which plays a key role in pipeline monitoring across the region.
Encouraging the troops to live up to the battalion’s motto, “Ever Ready,” Haruna urged them to apply their newly acquired skills effectively in the field. With oil theft and pipeline vandalism still widespread in the Niger Delta where criminal networks tap pipelines and operate illegal refineries the deployment of these specially trained soldiers signals a renewed military effort to tighten security around the region’s critical oil infrastructure.
