The Nigerian Navy has recorded another major operational success under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, with the discovery and deactivation of an active illegal refining site in Allison Community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation led to the recovery of over 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
In a statement, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said that acting on credible intelligence about illegal activities in the area, personnel from Forward Operating Base BONNY under the Eastern Naval Command deployed an anti-crude oil theft patrol team.
The team discovered an illegal refining site, including dugout pits, locally fabricated cooking and cooling systems, and sacks containing large quantities of substances suspected to be stolen crude oil.
According to him, further assessment of the site revealed over 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored within the facility.
“The illegal refining infrastructure and products were subsequently handled in accordance with extant operational procedures, while the perpetrators fled the scene upon sighting the naval patrol team,” he said.
He added that “the operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s sustained efforts to combat crude oil theft and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, in line with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who has charged operational commanders to intensify operations and leverage intelligence in protecting the nation’s critical oil infrastructure and actualisation of the Federal Government’s 2.5 million barrels per day goal by this year.”