By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a concealed storage facility containing suspected illegally refined petroleum products and recovered 63,290 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State.
The operation, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, also led to the interception of a vehicle suspected to be linked to an illegal fuel distribution network operating in the state.
According to a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH carried out the operation following credible intelligence on the movement of suspected illegally refined products within the Orashi Forest corridor in the Okolomade Community axis of Abua-Odual Local Government Area.
During the operation, the naval team intercepted a silver Toyota Camry suspected to be transporting illegally refined AGO. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 17 sacks containing the suspected petroleum product.
Further search of the surrounding forest area uncovered additional hidden stockpiles concealed under thick vegetation at different locations. The troops recovered another 56 sacks of suspected illegally refined AGO, bringing the total number of recovered sacks to 73.
The Navy said the recovered products amounted to approximately 63,290 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO, while the intercepted vehicle was secured for further investigation and necessary action.
The discovery highlights the tactics employed by criminal elements, including the use of forest corridors and hidden storage points to move illegally refined petroleum products into distribution networks.
The Nigerian Navy stated that the operation disrupted a key link in the illegal petroleum trade chain and demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations in tackling economic sabotage.
The recovered products were handled in line with established regulations, as the Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to protect Nigeria’s critical economic resources and deny criminal elements freedom of action.
