The Nigerian Navy has uncovered about 182,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil concealed in dugout pits within Bethel Creeks, Rivers State.
The discovery was made on Tuesday by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY during a follow-up operation launched after naval authorities received actionable intelligence about suspicious activities in the area.
Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the development in an operational report issued in Abuja.
According to Folorunsho, naval personnel discovered eight dugout pits during the operation. Five of the pits contained the suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three were empty.
The operation also led to the discovery of hoses believed to have been used in the movement of crude oil within the creek. The items were subsequently handled in line with established operational procedures, the Navy said.
Folorunsho described the operation as another significant disruption of activities linked to the illegal storage and transfer of crude oil in the area.
The latest seizure comes less than two weeks after another operation by FOB BONNY uncovered approximately 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at four newly activated refining sites around Aworkiri on September 8.
That operation also resulted in the discovery of 19 dugout pits and other infrastructure believed to be associated with the storage and handling of stolen crude oil.
The Navy said the repeated discoveries point to efforts by criminal operators to establish and maintain infrastructure for illicit crude oil activities in the creeks.
Folorunsho said the successive operations demonstrate the service’s continued focus on disrupting the infrastructure that enables crude oil theft, particularly facilities used for storage and transportation.
He added that the Navy remained committed to preventing illegal operators from rebuilding such facilities after previous operations had disrupted their activities.
According to him, the latest operation further limits the availability of crude oil and supporting infrastructure for illegal exploitation in the area.
The Navy has continued to conduct operations across oil-producing communities and waterways as part of efforts to combat crude oil theft and related activities in the Niger Delta.
