The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft under Operation Delta Sentinel, recovering 39,500 litres of stolen crude oil and destroying illegal storage facilities in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
He said the operation was conducted by personnel of the Forward Operating Base, Bonny, based on credible intelligence.During the raid, the Navy’s Anti-Crude Oil Theft Team discovered four concealed dugout pits hidden within the creek environment one large and three medium-sized.
“Three of the pits contained an estimated 39,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil, while the fourth was filled with water,” Folorunsho said.
The Navy spokesman noted that such hidden storage facilities are commonly used by crude oil theft syndicates to stockpile stolen products before evacuating them through illegal channels.
By destroying the sites, the operation has disrupted the logistics network sustaining oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
The recovered products and illegal storage site were handled according to standard operational procedures. Surveillance in the area has also been heightened to prevent the re-establishment of similar facilities.
Captain Folorunsho reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustained intelligence-driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel to dismantle oil theft networks, protect national assets, and bolster Nigeria’s economic security.
