The Nigerian Navy has uncovered and dismantled another illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the Navy said the operation was carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL following credible intelligence.
According to the statement, personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny raided the Bethel Community axis, where they discovered a network of concealed dugout pits used to store suspected stolen crude oil.
The Navy said six dugout pits were uncovered during the operation. Three of the pits contained about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three had been prepared for storage.
It said the layout of the site suggested it was an organised storage facility designed to support illegal refining operations and other crude oil theft activities.
The service added that the illegal storage facility and the recovered products were handled in line with existing anti-crude oil theft procedures, preventing the site from serving as a logistics hub for criminal operations.
The Navy said the latest operation demonstrates its commitment to dismantling the infrastructure that supports crude oil theft, rather than only intercepting stolen products in transit.
It also warned individuals involved in crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage to desist, stressing that offenders would face the full weight of the law.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to combat crude oil theft, protect Nigeria's maritime environment and safeguard the nation's oil and gas resources.
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