The Nigerian Navy (NN) says it has recorded significant operational success with the recovery of over 133,000 litres of stolen crude and the seizure of weapons and ammunition among others in January.
The NN’s Director of Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, in a statement on Thursday, said the successes were achieved under the ongoing Operation DELTA SANITY II in continuation of the Service’s unwavering commitment to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime domain and eradicate Crude Oil Theft (COT).
Within the first ten days in the month of January, operatives discovered and seized one wooden boat and one fibre boat laden with about 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil around Krakrama general area in Rivers State and 9 inter-linked illegal refinery sites (IRS) and 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil in 4 huge tanks, with an additional 1,400 litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) including 2 pumping machines and 2 locally fabricated wooden boats at Obe-Nla riverine community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Operatives also seized one medium sized wooden passenger/cargo boat conveying 1,500 litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in six 250 litre capacity drums around Bendero and Uta Uyata general axis in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. In the process, 5 suspects were arrested.
Between Saturday 11th and Monday, 20th January, operatives raised a militant camp in Opu-Okumbiri, Akassa axis of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, and arrested 2 suspected kidnappers. Items seized from the suspects include: one AK-56 assault rifle, 3 locally fabricated guns, 5 pump action guns, one foreign double barrel gun, 68 rounds of 7.62/39mm, 6 rounds of 7.62/51mm NATO, 25 shot gun cartridges, 4 empty AK-47 rifle magazines, one National Identity Card, one debit card, one MTN sim card, one Itel phone, one Infinix smart phone, a cash sum of 11,500 naira, one chain saw machine, one hand saw and one Airtel pack without sim.
Also discovered was a vandalised point along Akaso well 14 and 17 flow line connected to a dugout pit with about 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil at Tuma and Krakrama general area of Rivers state. The vandalism was reported to appropriate authorities and the stolen crude was seized.
Furthermore, in Bayelsa state, while three Illegal Refinery Sites with 20 drums of illegally refined AGO were recovered around Azuzuwama Okpuktuari area, an Illegal Refining Site with about 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil in a dugout pit was deactivated at Ikputukiri camp area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. Additionally, another Illegal Refinery Site with 10 dugout pits, and one wooden boat laden with about 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil were deactivated and seized around Tuma and Bille general area of Rivers State.
Operatives also seized a 30-meter wooden boat conveying approximately 40,000 litres of stolen crude oil around Obe-Nla Riverine community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, while in Abalama in Rivers, they discovered and seized a store-house with 1,500 litres of illegally refined AGO.
In the last week of January, from 21st to 28th, operatives deactivated an Illegal Refining Site with a large quantity of stolen crude oil at Otuwo area Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa state and discovered and deactivated several Illegal Refinery Sites with 8 cooking tanks, 8 metal storage tanks, 2 reservoirs with large quantities of illegally refined AGO, and a vandalized wellhead around Ogajama area of Rivers State. In the process, 5 abandoned empty wooden boats used to transport stolen crude oil were seized.
Around Tuma and Bille general area of Rivers state, one wooden boat laden with about 2,500 litres of stolen crude oil was discovered and seized. A day after that, one wooden boat laden with about 3000 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil, an Illegal Refinery Site, 2 cooking tanks, 3 metal storage tanks and 2 reservoirs were discovered and deactivated at Tuma and Buguma general area of Rivers state.
Similarly, several Illegal Refinery Sites, 6 vandalized wellheads used for siphoning crude oil, 110 ovens, 45 reservoirs with large quantities of stolen crude oil and illegally refined AGO were deactivated and seized at Egbema West and Onne Local Government Area of Rivers state, in addition to some Illegal Refinery Sites with about 31,000 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil, and 15,000 litres of illegally refined AGO, which were also recovered in the same location.
At Obodo Omadino in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, operatives discovered and deactivated two Illegal Refinery Sites, with about 7,500 litres of stolen crude oil and 1,700 litres of illegally refined AGO, while at Kubufari community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers state, an Illegal Refinery Site with about 8 cooking pots, several metal storage tanks, 15 dugout pits and a reservoir containing about 3,400 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil were also discovered and deactivated.
“These successful operations in January 2025 underscore the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to eradicate Crude oil theft”, Adams-Aliu said, adding reiteration of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, that the Nigerian Navy will continue to work assiduously to eradicate maritime crimes on Nigerian waters.
