Navy Dismantles Crude Oil Theft Ring, Impounds Huge Amount of Crude, Boats in Niger-Delta

The Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA under operation Delta Safe Area of responsibility, has recorded huge successes after conducting anti-illegal bunkering/Crude Oil Theft (COT) operations around Ugbodede, Uwakeno, Opumami, Banga Communities and around Escravos general area in Warri South LGA of Delta State leading to the recovery of several thousands of liters of stolen crude oil and smashing score of illegal refineries.

Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche while briefing newsmen on updates of operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria said, during the operations, the team located and dismantled illegal refining sites and a wooden boat with 3 coolers, 136 dugout pits, 201 surface metal storage tanks and 174 ovens laden with about 14,434 barrels of suspected stolen crude oil as well as 1,385,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

The storage facilities were dismantled. No arrest was made as operators of the illegal refining sites fled on sighting the team. Meanwhile, the illegal refining sites have been earmarked for swamp buggy operation.

Similarly, on 11 May 2020, Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS intercepted 3 large wooden boats around Madangho and Sara Creek in Warri South LGA of Delta State.

The boats were laden with about 12.6 barrels of suspected stolen crude oil and 43,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined AGO. Equally, on 12 May 20, the team discovered 7 refining units, 13 metal storage tanks and 4 dugout pits with about 440.3 barrels of stolen crude oil and 180,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

The boats, items and products discovered in the course of the operation were impounded.

In the same vein, on 11 May 20, Forward Operating Base IBAKA patrol team around Effiat Waterways intercepted an abandoned wooden boat laden with 310 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to be smuggled from the Republic of Cameroon. Similarly, on 14 May 20, the Base patrol team intercepted an abandoned medium size wooden boat laden with about 67 drums of products suspected to be PMS around Enwang Creek. The seized bags of foreign parboiled rice, boat and drums of suspected PMS are currently in Forward Operating Base IBAKA custody.