By Miriam Humbe
The Nigerian Navy has sustained the momentum of Operation DELTA SENTINEL with the discovery and neutralisation of another illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, further disrupting the logistics chain supporting crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday.
Acting on credible intelligence, personnel from Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY conducted an operation around the Bethel Community axis, where they uncovered a network of concealed 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 pits had been prepared for storage.
The site’s layout indicated an organised crude oil storage facility intended to support illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage.
The illegal storage facility and the recovered products were handled in accordance with extant anti-crude oil theft procedures, preventing criminals from establishing another strategic logistics hub for their illicit activities.
This successful operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s uncompromising stance against economic saboteurs and crude oil thieves.
The Navy will continue efforts to target the infrastructure underpinning crude oil theft, rather than merely intercepting products in transit.
By dismantling storage facilities and disrupting supply networks, the Service aims to weaken the operational capacity of criminal syndicates and safeguard Nigeria’s vital oil and gas resources.
The Navy urges anyone considering involvement in such criminal enterprises to desist, as their actions will be dealt with strictly under the law.
The Nigerian Navy remains committed to intelligence-led operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to combat crude oil theft, protect the nation’s maritime environment, and uphold economic security.
