Rear Adm. Noel Madugu has resumed duty as the new joint task force commander, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), South-South, promising to continue from where his predecessor stopped.

He made the remarks on Friday during the handover ceremony at the headquarters of Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa.

He took over from Rear Adm. John Okeke, who has been moved to Abuja, to assume his new office.

Mr Madugu thanked the outgoing commander for his leadership style and assured that he would add a proactive, driven effort to curb all forms of criminality and their networks.

“A mandate has been given to us by the federal government; we must sustain the fight against crude oil theft and any form of illegality in the oil industry.

“So the mandate is for us to achieve at least 2.5 million barrels per day, which the former commander has done his best, but I assure the public and the government that we will strive hard to achieve that task given to us.

“The former commander did a lot of things, including the host community relationship building on the task of crude oil production.

“It was low, but it is high as he is handing it over to me. So the momentum will be kept so that we sustain the fight against crude oil theft and to ensure that the mandate of 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day is achieved,” he said.

Mr Madugu disclosed the strategies he will use to strengthen the synergy and coercion among the various units, components, and formations of the taskforce for effective results.

The immediate past commander, Mr Okeke, expressed his gratitude to the officers and men of the JTF for their support and cooperation during his tenure as the Commander.

(NAN)