The Nigerian Navy has uncovered approximately 182,000 litres of substance suspected to be stolen crude oil in Bethel Creeks, Rivers State, in a fresh operation aimed at disrupting illicit crude oil storage and transfer activities in the area.
The discovery was made on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny following actionable intelligence on suspicious activities around the creeks.
The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement, saying the operation led to the discovery of eight dugout pits, five of which contained the suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three were empty.
Hoses believed to be associated with the movement of crude oil were also discovered during the operation and subsequently handled in line with established procedures.
The latest discovery came barely two weeks after FOB Bonny uncovered approximately 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at four newly activated illegal refining sites around Aworkiri on September 8.
That earlier operation also exposed 19 dugout pits and associated infrastructure, indicating attempts to establish facilities for the storage and handling of stolen crude oil.
The Navy said the successive discoveries highlighted its expanding focus on denying criminal operators the storage and transfer infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft, rather than allowing illicit activities to become re-established after previous disruptions.
The latest operation, it added, further constrained the availability of crude oil and supporting infrastructure for illegal exploitation within the area.
