The Nigerian Navy has recovered about 80,000 litres of crude oil from two separate operations targeting crude oil theft in Delta State.
The recoveries were made by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA during operations conducted in different areas of the state, according to an operational report from Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the development in a statement made available in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the first recovery took place on September 21 in the Oteghele general area, where naval personnel discovered a large dugout reservoir containing approximately 30,000 litres of crude oil.
Two days later, another operation in the Obodo Amadino general area led to the discovery of a second dugout reservoir containing an estimated 50,000 litres of crude oil.
According to Folorunsho, the recovered crude oil was handled in line with established procedures.
The operations form part of efforts by the Navy to disrupt activities associated with crude oil theft and other forms of criminality across the Niger Delta and its coastal environment.
In a separate operation, the Navy also worked with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle suspected illicit drug activities in the Warri general area.
The joint operation, conducted on September 22 by personnel from NNS DELTA and the NDLEA, resulted in the arrest of three suspects.
Authorities also seized approximately 15 kilogrammes of suspected Cannabis sativa, alongside 0.5 gramme each of cocaine and methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth.
Folorunsho said the suspects and the recovered substances were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and appropriate action.
The naval spokesperson said the two sets of operations demonstrated the importance of coordinated efforts among security agencies in tackling criminal activities within the region.
He noted that the operations showed the Navy’s capacity to address different aspects of maritime and coastal insecurity while working with other agencies to disrupt criminal networks within its area of responsibility.
The latest recoveries add to ongoing efforts by security agencies to combat crude oil theft and related criminal activities in the Niger Delta, where illegal oil operations have remained a concern for the country’s energy sector and security authorities.
