Nigerian Navy Cracks Down on Oil Theft, Recovers 11,800 Litres of Illegal Fuel

The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal petroleum activities with the discovery of a concealed illegal fuel storage facility containing about 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State.

The recovery was made under Operation DELTA SENTINEL by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER during ongoing operations targeting crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.

Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the Base Anti-Crude Oil Theft Team confirmed that the hidden facility contained 125 sacks filled with products suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

According to the Navy, the operation uncovered another covert storage point allegedly used by criminal networks to stockpile illegally refined petroleum products before transporting them for distribution.

The Service noted that the discovery further exposed the tactics employed by economic saboteurs to sustain the illicit fuel trade in the Niger Delta despite ongoing security operations.

The recovered petroleum products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, effectively dismantling another logistics hub believed to be supporting illegal refining and petroleum distribution activities.

The Navy stated that the successful operation reflects its sustained commitment to identifying and destroying the infrastructure that enables crude oil theft and illegal refining across the region.

It added that by targeting concealed storage facilities and disrupting supply chains, the Nigerian Navy continues to weaken the operational capabilities of criminal syndicates while protecting Nigeria's critical economic assets and maritime environment.

The Service reaffirmed its resolve to sustain intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, aimed at combating crude oil theft, dismantling illicit petroleum distribution networks, and safeguarding the nation's oil and gas resources.