The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempted sabotage of a critical oil wellhead in Bonny, Rivers State, arresting one suspect and recovering equipment believed to have been assembled for crude oil theft.
The successful operation, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, underscored the Navy’s sustained efforts to protect Nigeria’s strategic oil and gas infrastructure from economic saboteurs.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny intercepted a fibre boat during routine security patrols near the Renaissance African Energy Company Limited (RAECL) Oloma Flow Station.
He said the occupants of the boat fled on sighting the naval patrol, abandoning the vessel close to a wellhead under suspicious circumstances.
A search of the abandoned boat led to the recovery of equipment commonly associated with wellhead tampering and pipeline vandalism, including a portable generator, a cutting/grinding machine, chisels, spanners, cutlasses and other accessories.
The Navy said the recovered items were believed to have been intended for compromising the wellhead to siphon crude oil.
Folorunsho disclosed that follow-up operations carried out in collaboration with other security agencies led to the arrest of one suspect linked to the attempted sabotage, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
He added that the recovered fibre boat has been secured as investigations continue.
The Navy noted that the operation successfully prevented what could have resulted in significant economic losses and environmental damage through the sabotage of critical oil infrastructure.
Reaffirming its commitment to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain, the Nigerian Navy said it would continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to combat crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other forms of economic sabotage.
