The Nigerian Navy has recorded another operational breakthrough under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, disrupting an illegal fuel distribution hub and recovering about 13,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.
The statement disclosed that troops uncovered an illegal petroleum products storage and distribution facility equipped with large-capacity storage tanks, reservoirs, drums, hoses and other equipment used for the unlawful handling and distribution of petroleum products.
The Navy said the recovered products and associated facilities were handled in line with established operational procedures.
It noted that the illegal facility is believed to have supported criminal activities linked to the unlawful petroleum products trade, posing a threat to Nigeria’s economic interests and the integrity of the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure.
The statement added that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend individuals connected with the illegal operation.
The Nigerian Navy described the operation as another significant milestone in its sustained campaign to dismantle infrastructure supporting crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and related crimes across the Niger Delta.
It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting critical national assets, safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to boost crude oil production and increase national revenue.
The Navy also pledged to sustain Operation DELTA SENTINEL and other lawful operations aimed at denying economic saboteurs the freedom to perpetrate criminal activities within the country’s maritime environment.
