The Nigerian Navy has successfully exposed an illicit crude oil depot in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State with an estimated amount of 20,500 liters of stolen crude oil.
This exercise was conducted by military personnel from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny during the currently ongoing ‘Operation Delta Sentinel’ based on intel reports of illegal oil operations in the area.
As reported by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the discovery was made near the Bethel Community axis where naval operatives found the clandestine dugout pits containing stolen crude oil.
This process resulted in the recovery of six dugout pits. Three pits were found to hold some 20,500 liters of the suspected stolen crude oil, whereas the other three had already been prepared to store the same illegally.
According to the Navy, the design of the place indicated that it was the main place where the storage of crude oil occurred.
It was further revealed that apart from the recovered materials, the intelligence gathered during the operation would be used in order to crack down on the entire criminal network involved in this illicit activity.
The recovered products and the facility were dealt with according to the laid out procedure in order to ensure that the place could not be used by oil thieves again.
Reiterating its dedication to safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas facilities, the Navy indicated that its mission will be to attack the facilities that enable the stealing of crude oil and not merely intercept the stolen oil during transit.
The current military exercise is among other operations by the Navy to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. Operation Delta Sentinel has, in the last few months, seen the recovery of hundreds of thousands of litres of stolen crude oil and petroleum products and destruction of some illegal refining facilities.
The Navy further issued a warning to those engaged in crude oil theft and economic sabotage to desist from such acts or be liable for prosecution according to the law.
