…6,500 litres of stolen crude oil seized

The Nigerian Navy (NN) on Saturday said ongoing efforts to disrupt the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft in the Niger Delta general area paid off with the discovery and deactivation of multiple crude oil staging sites.

The Director, Naval Information (DINFO), Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, who disclosed this in a statement, said the locations were concealed within creek networks in Delta State.

He further noted that the successful operations were conducted by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, as part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to combat crude oil theft, illegal refining activities, and pipeline vandalism.

Folorunsho said: “Acting on credible intelligence and supported by maritime patrol assets as well as aerial surveillance, naval personnel conducted targeted operations across Madangho Creek and the Ogbe-Ijaw axis, both identified as suspected transit and staging locations for stolen crude oil.

“Across the two operations, troops uncovered a network of facilities and materials associated with crude oil theft activities, including three reservoirs, a hose line, sixteen sacks and several cellophane bags suspected to be used for the storage and transportation of stolen crude oil.”

The statement added that approximately 6,500 litres of products suspected to be crude oil were discovered at the locations.

“The findings reveal the existence of a coordinated logistics arrangement designed to temporarily aggregate and move stolen crude oil through remote creek channels while evading detection by security agencies.

“The reservoirs, storage facilities, transportation materials, and recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with extant operational procedures, effectively denying criminal elements access to resources intended to sustain illicit operations.

“These operations underscore the Nigerian Navy’s sustained focus on dismantling the logistics, storage, and transportation architecture that underpins crude oil theft across the Niger Delta.

By targeting staging locations and supply nodes, Operation DELTA SENTINEL continues to degrade the operational capacity of economic saboteurs and restrict their freedom of action within the region.

“The Nigerian Navy remains committed to maintaining relentless pressure on criminal networks through intelligence-driven operations, persistent surveillance, and coordinated maritime security efforts aimed at protecting Nigeria’s critical energy infrastructure and economic assets”, it concluded.