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The Nigerian Navy has uncovered and dismantled another illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil as part of its ongoing Operation Delta Sentinel.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, who said the operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny following credible intelligence.
The operation was conducted around the Bethel Community axis in Bonny, where naval personnel uncovered a network of concealed dugout pits used for storing suspected stolen crude oil.
Operation Delta Sentinel is the Nigerian Navy’s anti-crude oil theft campaign aimed at dismantling illegal refining operations, disrupting oil theft networks, and protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure across the Niger Delta.
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What the Navy is saying
According to the Navy, 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 three had already been prepared for storage.
The service said the configuration of the site suggested it was an organised crude oil storage facility established to support illegal refining activities and other forms of economic sabotage in the region.
It added that the operation also generated valuable intelligence that would aid subsequent efforts to identify, track and dismantle the wider criminal network responsible for operating the illegal facility.
The Navy said the storage site and recovered products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, preventing the criminals from using the location as another logistics hub for illicit oil operations.
Reaffirming its commitment to combating crude oil theft, the Navy stated that it would continue targeting the infrastructure sustaining illegal oil activities rather than merely intercepting stolen products during transportation.
- “The Nigerian 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 statement read.
The Navy also warned individuals involved in crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage to desist, stressing that offenders would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Get up to speed
In June alone, Nairametrics reported that the Nigerian Navy recovered or intercepted well over 180,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products in Rivers State under Operation Delta Sentinel.
- On June 29, Nairametrics reported that the operation led to the interception of approximately 22,870 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
- Earlier, on June 22, it was reported that the Navy recovered 63,290 litres of suspected illegally refined diesel and intercepted a vehicle allegedly used in an illicit petroleum distribution network in Rivers State.
In another operation, the Nigerian Navy intercepted approximately 103,500 litres of suspected illegally refined diesel and uncovered a suspected illicit petroleum distribution route, also in Rivers State.
What you should know
The latest operation continues the Nigerian Navy’s sustained offensive against crude oil theft under Operation Delta Sentinel across the Niger Delta.
- Earlier this year, the Navy deactivated 22 illegal refining sites and recovered more than 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products during operations conducted between January and March 2026 across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
- The service also recently intercepted two vessels carrying 939 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil valued at over N4 billion, leading to the arrest of 26 crew members.
In another operation carried out in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State in March 2026, naval personnel recovered more than 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and dismantled an illegal refining site, underscoring the Navy’s intensified efforts to disrupt crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.
