Nigerian Navy Destroys Illegal Crude Oil Storage Site in Bonny, Seizes 17,500 Litres of Suspected Stolen Oil
By ThankGod Inalegwu
The Nigerian Navy has recorded another major breakthrough in its campaign against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, following the discovery and destruction of a large illegal crude oil storage facility hidden deep inside the creeks of Bonny, Rivers State.
The operation, carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, led to the seizure and destruction of about 17,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in concealed underground pits.
In a press statement, the Director of Naval Information, Captain Adams-Aliu Folorunsho, said the successful raid was in line with renewed directives from the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to intensify the crackdown on crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s waterways.
Folorunsho explained that the operation was executed by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Bonny, after surveillance systems detected suspicious activities within thick mangrove vegetation in the Opotumbi general area of Rivers State.
According to him, naval operatives deployed advanced maritime surveillance technology to track the illegal movement, which eventually led them to concealed dug-out pits buried beneath dense foliage in the creeks.
During the raid, the operatives uncovered four large storage pits containing thousands of litres of suspected stolen crude oil. The pits, he noted, had been strategically hidden to avoid detection from both aerial and ground surveillance.
He said the Navy’s surveillance network, backed by routine patrol operations, was able to expose the illegal site despite the efforts of the perpetrators to keep it hidden.
Following standard operational procedures, the suspected stolen crude oil was destroyed at the scene to prevent it from being returned to the black market or used to fuel further criminal activities.
Folorunsho said dismantling the illegal storage facility has dealt a significant blow to oil theft syndicates operating within the creeks of the Niger Delta.
He added that the operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s renewed determination to tackle crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of maritime criminality threatening the nation’s economy and security.
According to him, the Navy has stepped up patrols, strengthened surveillance systems and improved collaboration with other security agencies in order to protect Nigeria’s maritime resources and critical national infrastructure.
He stressed that the ongoing campaign is aimed at defending the country’s economic interests and denying criminal networks the opportunity to exploit the nation’s oil assets.
Crude oil theft remains one of the major economic challenges confronting Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta, where illegal bunkering syndicates often operate hidden camps and storage facilities in remote creeks. These camps serve as stockpiles for stolen crude before it is moved to illegal refineries or smuggled to foreign markets.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal elements undermining the country’s oil economy and called on residents of coastal communities to continue providing credible information that will help security agencies identify and dismantle oil theft networks.