Navy Uncovers 75,000 Litres of Suspected Stolen Crude Oil in Delta
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered 75,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in three underground reservoirs in the Oteghele area of Delta State during separate operations targeting oil theft and related economic sabotage.
The Navy’s spokesperson, Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in an operational report on Friday, explaining that the discoveries were made on Monday, October 12, and Wednesday, October 14, by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
According to Folorunsho, the first operation led to the discovery of approximately 30,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in a dugout reservoir on October 12.
He said a subsequent operation on Wednesday uncovered an additional 45,000 litres stored in two large reservoirs, bringing the total volume recovered to 75,000 litres.
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Folorunsho added that the reservoirs and their contents were handled in accordance with established procedures.
He noted that the successive discoveries exposed concealed storage facilities suspected of facilitating the accumulation and onward movement of illegally obtained petroleum products.
“Uncovering these stockpiles disrupts a key link in the illicit petroleum trade and reduces opportunities for the unlawful exploitation of the nation’s oil resources,” he said.
The Navy spokesperson said Operation DELTA SENTINEL had continued to target concealed petroleum stockpiles and infrastructure suspected of supporting crude oil theft.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations to identify and dismantle such facilities, disrupt the activities of oil thieves and illegal refiners, and protect critical national assets.
Folorunsho said the operations formed part of broader efforts to curb oil-related economic sabotage and safeguard Nigeria’s petroleum revenue.
By PRNigeria
