The Nigerian Navy has uncovered an estimated 132,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, in an operation aimed at disrupting illegal petroleum storage and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The discovery was made on Thursday by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel, following actionable intelligence, according to a statement by Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, on Friday.
The operation led to the discovery of 10 dugout pits containing suspected stolen crude oil, which the Navy said could have served as a storage point within the illicit petroleum supply chain.
The Navy said the site and recovered petroleum products were handled in accordance with existing regulations.
According to Navy, the operation highlights the military’s continued efforts to identify concealed petroleum stockpiles and dismantle the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products across the Niger Delta.
It noted that crude oil theft and illegal refining remain major concerns for Nigeria’s petroleum industry, with illicit activities posing risks to oil production, government revenue and the security of critical petroleum infrastructure.
The Navy said it would sustain efforts to locate and dismantle illegal refining facilities while disrupting the networks responsible for crude oil theft across the region.
It also stressed the importance of intelligence-led operations in identifying hidden storage facilities and preventing stolen petroleum products from moving further through illegal supply chains.
The Navy called on community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to provide security agencies with timely information on suspected crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products.
According to the statement, credible information from communities could enable security agencies to respond promptly and prevent illicit activities from expanding.
The Navy further emphasised that protecting Nigeria’s critical petroleum assets requires vigilance and active cooperation between security agencies and the communities in which oil-related activities take place.
It urged residents to remain alert and support lawful efforts to safeguard national resources.