The Nigerian Navy has intercepted stolen crude oil worth N8.6 billion. | Amebonation – Nigeria's No 1 online website for 100% accurate and accessible information

Between January and February 2024, Nigerian Navy operations in the Niger Delta region resulted in the apprehension and retrieval of stolen crude oil from various criminal syndicates operating in the area.

During this period, the Nigerian Navy successfully seized a total of 60,815.77 barrels of crude oil valued at approximately $5.218 million (N8.12 billion). Additionally, 557,580 litres of illegally refined Automatic Gas Oil (AGO) worth N497 million, Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK) valued at N5.5 million, and 9,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth N5.490 million were recovered.

According to Rear Admiral AO Ayo-Vaughan, the Director of Information of the Nigerian Navy, these operations prevented oil thieves from profiting approximately N8.6 billion, which could have been utilized to fuel activities detrimental to national security and prosperity.

Providing further details, Admiral Ayo-Vaughan disclosed that 51 wooden boats were apprehended during the period, along with the destruction of 105 illegal refining ovens, 85 reservoirs, and 288 dugout pits. Additionally, 41 Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) and three fibre boats were demolished as part of the Navy’s efforts to combat illicit activities in the region.

See also Six Kuje inmates graduate with degrees from NOUN Six inmates at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja have earned university degrees through the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), marking a major milestone in prison education and rehabilitation. The Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, said the inmates completed their programmes while still in custody, describing the achievement as proof that education can reform lives and prepare inmates for reintegration into society, The Cable reported According to NCoS spokesperson Samson Duza, two of the inmates bagged master’s degrees in peace studies and conflict resolution, while four earned bachelor’s degrees in peace studies and conflict resolution, political science, criminology, and security studies. Represented by Deputy Controller-General Amos Kupan, Nwakuche stressed that incarceration should not end personal growth, adding that the service remains committed to providing educational and skill-building opportunities for inmates. The Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Christopher Jen, congratulated the graduates and urged them to use their qualifications as tools for positive change after their release. Also speaking, Francis Enobore, Director of NOUN’s Special Study Centre, described the institution’s long-standing partnership with the correctional service as a “pathway of hope,” noting that learning restores dignity and purpose. Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Abba Kyari thanked both NOUN and the NCoS, saying the opportunity renewed their sense of direction. The ceremony also featured counselling sessions focused on re-entry, skills development, and community reintegration, with the graduates pledging to contribute meaningfully to society upon release.