The Nigerian Navy has destroyed an illegal crude oil storage site discovered within the operational area of its Forward Operating Base in Bonny, Rivers State, as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
According to the Director of Naval Information, Abiodun Folorunsho, the illegal facility contained four dug-out pits with a cumulative 17,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
Folorunsho disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists, noting that the discovery and destruction of the site formed part of operations under Operation Delta Sentinel.
He explained that the illegal storage facility was uncovered by personnel of the Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Bonny during surveillance operations in the Opotumbi general area.
Folorunsho added that the intensified operations followed a directive by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, ordering increased efforts to curb maritime crimes and protect the nation’s economic assets.
“Following the directive from the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Nigerian Navy has intensified its efforts under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to tackle crude oil theft and other maritime crimes in the Niger Delta region,” he stated. The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at dismantling illegal bunkering networks and safeguarding Nigeria’s oil resources.
