The Nigerian Navy says it has uncovered an estimated 52,600 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Rivers.

According to the report released Friday by the navy’s spokesman, Abiodun Folorunsho, operatives of Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER, under Operation DELTA SENTINEL carried out the operation.

The report noted that the naval operatives conducting routine anti-crude oil theft patrols intercepted two wooden boats positioned to offload suspected petroleum products at Ogoloma in the Okrika council area.

“A subsequent search revealed about 250 sacks containing approximately 52,600 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil,” the report said.

It added that the patrol team also recovered materials used to construct illegal refining sites, indicating preparations to expand illicit refining activities in the area and that the operation disrupted another attempt by criminal elements to feed Nigeria’s illegal refining value chain, denying economic saboteurs the crude oil and equipment required to sustain their operations.

The navy also mentioned that the recovered products and associated materials were handled in accordance with extant anti-crude-oil-theft procedures.

According to the report, the successful operation underscores the navy’s sustained operational tempo in dismantling crude oil theft networks, disrupting illegal refining logistics, and protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.

(NAN)