The Nigerian Navy has uncovered and dismantled an illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil during an operation under Operation Delta Sentinel.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny after receiving credible intelligence.
The illegal site was discovered around the Bethel Community area, where naval operatives uncovered a network of concealed dugout pits used to store suspected stolen crude oil.
The Navy said six dugout pits were found at the location. Three contained an estimated 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three had already been prepared for future storage.
Officials noted that the layout of the facility indicated it was a well-organized storage hub designed to support illegal refining operations and other forms of economic sabotage within the Niger Delta.
The operation also yielded intelligence expected to assist security agencies in identifying and dismantling the broader criminal network behind the illegal activities.
The Navy confirmed that the storage facility and the recovered products were handled according to established procedures for combating crude oil theft, preventing the site from being used as a logistics base for further illegal operations.
It reiterated its commitment to targeting the infrastructure that supports crude oil theft rather than focusing solely on intercepting stolen products during transportation. The service stated that dismantling storage facilities and disrupting supply chains remains a key strategy for weakening criminal syndicates and protecting the country’s oil and gas assets.
The Navy also warned those involved in crude oil theft and related economic crimes to abandon such activities, stressing that offenders would face prosecution under the law.
The latest operation adds to a series of successful anti-oil theft missions carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel. Earlier this year, the Navy dismantled numerous illegal refining sites, recovered hundreds of thousands of litres of suspected stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products, and arrested suspects linked to illicit oil operations across the Niger Delta.
