By George OPARA
The Nigerian Navy has renewed its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, busting and dismantling multiple illegal crude oil staging sites hidden within creek networks in Delta State.
The Navy disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the operations were carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA under Operation DELTA SENTINEL as part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to combat crude oil theft, illegal refining and pipeline vandalism in the region.
Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director, Naval Information disclosed this in a statement, noting the operations followed credible intelligence supported by maritime patrol assets and aerial surveillance.
“Naval operatives subsequently conducted targeted raids across Madangho Creek and the Ogbe-Ijaw axis, identified as suspected transit and staging points for stolen crude oil.”
Troops reportedly uncovered a network of facilities and materials linked to crude oil theft, including three reservoirs, a hose line, 16 sacks and several cellophane bags allegedly used for the storage and transportation of stolen crude oil.
The Navy said “approximately 6,500 litres of products suspected to be crude oil were recovered from the sites.”
He stated that the discoveries pointed to a coordinated logistics network designed to aggregate and transport stolen crude oil through remote creek channels while evading security agencies.
“The reservoirs, storage facilities, transportation materials, and recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with extant operational procedures, effectively denying criminal elements access to resources intended to sustain illicit operations,”.
The Navy added that the operations underscored its sustained commitment to dismantling the logistics, storage and transportation infrastructure supporting crude oil theft across the Niger Delta.
It stated that by targeting staging locations and supply nodes, Operation DELTA SENTINEL continues to weaken the operational capacity of oil thieves and restrict their activities within the region.
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