Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its war against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, uncovering and dismantling multiple illegal crude oil staging sites hidden deep within creek networks in Delta State.
The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, marks another significant push to disrupt the activities of oil theft syndicates operating across the region.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the successful operation followed credible intelligence backed by maritime patrols and aerial surveillance.
Naval operatives launched coordinated raids across Madangho Creek and the Ogbe-Ijaw axis areas believed to serve as transit routes and temporary storage points for stolen crude oil.
During the operation, troops uncovered a network of illegal facilities used to support crude oil theft activities. Recovered items included three reservoirs, a hose line, sixteen sacks, and several cellophane bags allegedly used for storing and transporting stolen petroleum products.
The Nigerian navy also recovered approximately 6,500 litres of substances suspected to be crude oil from the sites.
However , they reiterated that the discoveries reveal an organized logistics chain designed to secretly move stolen crude oil through remote creek channels while evading security surveillance.
The Nigerian Navy noted that the illegal storage facilities and recovered products were subsequently handled in line with operational procedures, effectively cutting off access to resources used to sustain illicit refining and oil theft operations.
The latest raid underscores the Navy’s growing focus on dismantling not only illegal refining camps, but also the supply, storage, and transportation networks that keep crude oil theft syndicates operational.
Operation DELTA SENTINEL, the Navy says, remains a key part of ongoing efforts to combat economic sabotage, protect critical national infrastructure, and safeguard Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.
The Navy also reaffirmed its commitment to sustained intelligence-driven operations, surveillance patrols, and coordinated maritime security efforts aimed at denying criminal networks freedom of operation across the Niger Delta.