Navy Busts Illegal Crude Oil Storage Site in Rivers, Recovers 20,500 Litres

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered and dismantled an illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil during an operation under Operation Delta Sentinel.

The operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny following credible intelligence, according to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.

Folorunsho said the operation took place around the Bethel Community axis of Bonny, where naval operatives uncovered a network of concealed dugout pits being used to store suspected stolen crude oil.

According to the Navy, six dugout pits were discovered at the site. Three contained about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three had been prepared for use as additional storage facilities.

The Navy said the layout of the site indicated it was a deliberately established storage hub designed to support illegal refining operations and other crude oil theft activities in the region.

It added that intelligence gathered during the operation would aid ongoing efforts to identify and dismantle the criminal syndicate behind the facility and other illegal oil theft networks operating in the Niger Delta.

The recovered products and the illegal storage site were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, effectively denying the operators access to the facility for further illicit activities.

Reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas assets, the Navy said it would continue to target the infrastructure that sustains crude oil theft rather than focusing solely on intercepting stolen products in transit.

“The Nigerian Navy will continue efforts to target the infrastructure underpinning crude oil theft, rather than merely intercepting products in transit. By dismantling storage facilities and disrupting supply networks, the Service aims to weaken the operational capacity of criminal syndicates and safeguard Nigeria’s vital oil and gas resources,” the statement read.

The Navy also warned those involved in crude oil theft and other acts of economic sabotage to abandon such activities, stressing that anyone found culpable would face prosecution in accordance with the law.