The Nigerian Navy has recovered approximately 24,000 litres of a product suspected to be stolen crude oil during an operation targeting crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The recovery was made by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel, following credible intelligence about plans by suspected criminals to establish illegal connections to oil infrastructure around the Bethel Community axis.
According to the Navy, operatives discovered an illegal refining site, two pits containing about 24,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and extensive hoses believed to have been installed to facilitate crude oil theft.
The Navy said the illegal refining facilities and other materials recovered during the operation were subsequently handled in line with existing regulations.
It noted that the operation disrupted an emerging crude oil theft network before it could become fully operational, thereby denying suspected economic saboteurs the infrastructure needed to sustain illegal activities and cause further economic losses to the country.
In a separate operation in Rivers State, the Navy also intercepted approximately 17,000 litres of a product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder intercepted a speedboat carrying the suspected illegally refined petroleum product along the Onne/Okrika waterways.
He said the recovered speedboat and suspected illegally refined AGO had been handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, while efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest those connected to the operation.
Folorunsho said the latest operations demonstrated the Navy’s continued commitment to disrupting the illicit petroleum supply chain, restricting the activities of economic saboteurs and protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure from criminal exploitation.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel to combat crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.
It added that the operations would also focus on safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime environment and supporting national economic security.
