By Miriam Humbe
The Nigerian Navy, under the auspices of Operation DELTA SENTINEL, has sustained its offensive against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities with the recovery of approximately 1,600 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO)
during an intelligence-led operation in Rivers State.
Navy Captain AA Folorunsho, the Director Naval Information, Nigerian Navy disclosed this in a statement signed on Saturday.
The operation was conducted by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH following credible intelligence on the movement and concealment of illegally refined petroleum products within Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, bordering Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the Anti-Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team deployed to the Orashi Forest area where aerial surveillance using an unmanned system led to the identification of several sacks suspected to contain illegally refined AGO concealed beneath grasses within the forest.
Subsequent exploitation of the area resulted in the recovery of 16 sacks containing approximately 100 litres each, amounting to an estimated total of 1,600 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO.
The suspects fled the area upon sighting naval personnel and no arrests were made.
The recovered products were subsequently evacuated and handled in accordance with extant operational procedures.
The operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s continued commitment under
Operation DELTA SENTINEL to dismantling illegal refining networks and denying economic saboteurs freedom of action within the maritime and littoral environment.
The Nigerian Navy reiterates that there will be no safe haven for criminal elements engaged in crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage, as ongoing operations are designed to give such elements no breathing space across the nation’s waterways
and adjoining creeks.
