Oil Theft: Navy Uncovers 117,000 Litres of Crude in Rivers Community
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered approximately 117,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and deactivated three illegal refining sites in Awokiri Community, Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, conducted on November 5 by personnel of the Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY, followed intelligence reports about the activation of new illegal refining sites in the area.
The Navy disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, November 6, by its Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.
According to the statement, the naval team discovered 16 dugout pits during the operation, nine of which contained approximately 115,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
Another storage tank contained about 2,000 litres, bringing the total volume of crude oil discovered to approximately 117,000 litres.
The Navy also found that four of the pits contained water, while three others had been freshly excavated.
It said the identified sites, dugout pits and recovered products were handled in accordance with existing regulations.
The Navy described the operation as part of its sustained efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal bunkering through intelligence-driven operations.
It said the deactivation of the illegal refining facilities was aimed at disrupting criminal networks, protecting critical oil and gas infrastructure and safeguarding the nation’s economic interests.
The service reiterated its commitment to preventing economic saboteurs from accessing Nigeria’s petroleum resources while supporting efforts to improve crude oil production and strengthen security across the country’s maritime domain.
By TimesNG