The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta with the discovery and destruction of multiple illegal crude oil staging sites hidden within creek networks in Delta State.
The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, targeted suspected transit and storage points used by oil thieves in Madangho Creek and the Ogbe-Ijaw axis.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said the operation was based on credible intelligence and supported by maritime patrol assets and aerial surveillance.
According to the Navy, troops uncovered a network of facilities linked to crude oil theft, including three reservoirs, a hose line, 16 sacks, and several cellophane bags allegedly used for storing and transporting stolen crude oil.
The Navy said approximately 6,500 litres of substances suspected to be crude oil were recovered during the operation.
The statement noted that the discoveries exposed a coordinated logistics system designed to aggregate and move stolen crude oil through remote creek channels while avoiding detection by security agencies.
Naval authorities added that the reservoirs, storage facilities, transportation materials, and recovered products were handled in line with operational procedures, effectively denying criminal elements access to resources used to sustain illegal activities.
The Navy said the operation highlights its continued determination to dismantle the logistics and supply networks supporting crude oil theft, illegal refining, and pipeline vandalism across the Niger Delta.
It further reaffirmed its commitment to sustained intelligence-driven operations, surveillance, and maritime security efforts aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s critical energy infrastructure and protecting the nation’s economy.
