The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta with the discovery and neutralisation of another illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operation was carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL following credible intelligence.
According to him, personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny conducted a targeted operation around the Bethel Community axis, where they uncovered a concealed network of dugout pits used for the storage of suspected stolen crude oil.
The operation led to the discovery of six dugout pits, three of which contained approximately 20,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil, while the remaining three had already been prepared for storage. The Navy noted that the layout of the site indicated a well-organised illegal storage facility designed to support crude oil theft, illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage.
Captain Folorunsho said the illegal storage facility and the recovered products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, effectively denying criminal elements another strategic logistics hub for their illicit operations.
He said the successful operation demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the infrastructure that sustains crude oil theft rather than merely intercepting stolen products in transit.
“The Nigerian Navy will continue to target facilities and logistics networks that enable crude oil theft, with the aim of weakening the operational capacity of criminal syndicates and safeguarding Nigeria’s vital oil and gas resources,” he stated.
The Navy also warned individuals involved in crude oil theft and related economic crimes to desist, stressing that offenders would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Captain Folorunsho reaffirmed that the Service remains committed to intelligence-led operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to combat crude oil theft, protect the nation’s maritime environment and strengthen Nigeria’s economic security.
