The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, destroying an illegal crude oil storage site in the Bonny area of Rivers State under the ongoing Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
According to a press statement, the operation was carried out following the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, as part of renewed efforts to combat maritime crimes and protect Nigeria’s critical economic assets.
The Navy said personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, leveraging the Service’s maritime surveillance technology, uncovered concealed dugout pits hidden beneath thick vegetation within creeks in the Opotumbi general area.
Director of Naval Information, Captain A.A. Folorunsho, disclosed that FOB Bonny elements swiftly moved to the location, where they discovered four dug-out pits containing a cumulative 17,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
The recovered products were subsequently destroyed in line with extant operational guidelines.
The successful operation, according to the Navy, underscores its renewed momentum in the fight against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes in the region.
The Service reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining continuous patrols, strengthening surveillance capabilities, and enhancing inter-agency collaboration to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime environment and protect critical national assets.
The Nigerian Navy noted that the operation forms part of broader efforts under Operation DELTA SENTINEL aimed at curbing economic sabotage and preserving Nigeria’s oil resources
