The Nigerian Navy says it has destroyed an illegal crude oil storage site containing 17,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in the Bonny area of Rivers State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the operation was carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Folorunsho said the action followed directives by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify efforts against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering across the nation’s maritime domain.
What the statement is saying
The statement said personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny uncovered the illegal storage facility within the Opotumbi general area during surveillance operations.
He explained that the discovery was made possible through the Navy’s maritime surveillance technology, which detected concealed dugout pits hidden under thick vegetation in the creeks.
- “FOB Bonny elements moved swiftly to the site and discovered four dugout pits containing a cumulative 17,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
- “The recovered products were subsequently destroyed in accordance with extant operational guidelines,” he said.
Folorunsho said the operation formed part of the Navy’s drive to tackle crude oil theft and other maritime crimes.
Backstory
The action followed a similar operation carried out by the Navy in Rivers last week, where it dismantled illegal crude oil refining activities and recovered suspected stolen crude oil in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni area of the state.
- The Navy said the operation was carried out under its flagship maritime security initiative, Operation Delta Sentinel.
- It added that the operation, conducted by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder Anti-Crude Oil Theft patrol team, uncovered a tampered wellhead belonging to a company.
According to the Navy, the wellhead had been illegally connected to an improvised pipeline used to siphon crude oil into dugout pits for illegal refining.
What you should know
The Nigerian Navy continues its battle against oil theft, a major crime that has been recurring in the country for several years.
- In 2025, the Nigerian Navy said it destroyed over 800 illegal refineries and recovered 171,000 barrels of stolen crude oil as part of its nationwide crackdown on oil theft over a period of two years.
- The operations also led to the arrest of 76 vessels and at least 242 suspects involved in crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.
- It noted that the crackdown is part of efforts to restore accountability and reduce losses in the oil and gas sector.
As one of the biggest problems facing the Nigerian oil industry, oil theft reduces government income and makes it harder for the country to meet its oil production targets.
