The Nigerian Navy has destroyed an illegal crude oil storage site in the Bonny area of Rivers State as part of intensified operations to curb crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The development followed renewed directives by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to strengthen the ongoing Operation Delta Sentinel aimed at tackling illegal bunkering and other maritime crimes.
In a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Captain A. A. Folorunsho, the naval authorities said operatives attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny uncovered the illegal facility within the Opotumbi general area during surveillance operations.
According to the statement, the naval unit leveraged maritime surveillance technology to detect concealed dugout pits hidden beneath thick vegetation within the creeks.
“FOB Bonny elements moved swiftly to the site and discovered four dug-out pits containing a cumulative 17,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil,” the statement said.
The navy added that the recovered products were subsequently destroyed in line with operational guidelines.
The operation, according to the statement, underscored the Nigerian Navy’s renewed resolve to combat crude oil theft and other maritime crimes through sustained patrols, enhanced surveillance, and inter-agency collaboration.
It further reaffirmed the service’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s critical national assets and safeguarding the country’s economic interests within its maritime environment.
