By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigerian Navy has recorded another major breakthrough in its ongoing campaign against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, uncovering a concealed crude oil storage facility and recovering approximately 17,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Delta State.
The operation, carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, was conducted by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA following credible intelligence regarding suspected crude oil theft activities around the Ugbokodo Creek axis of the state.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was supported by aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering, which enabled naval personnel to identify the clandestine storage facility despite sophisticated attempts to conceal it.
Folorunsho disclosed that the initial search of the area did not reveal any obvious signs of illegal activity. However, detailed observation and analysis of drone-generated imagery exposed a large freshly excavated reservoir hidden beneath layers of leaves, wooden planks, timber and dense vegetation.
He explained that further exploitation of the site led to the discovery of about 17,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil stored in the camouflaged reservoir.
“The site showed clear evidence of recent crude oil theft activities and is believed to have served as a temporary storage point within an illegal supply network,” the statement noted.
The Navy described the discovery as evidence of the increasingly sophisticated tactics being adopted by criminal elements involved in crude oil theft and economic sabotage across the Niger Delta region.
Despite these evolving methods, the service maintained that the integration of intelligence-led operations, aerial surveillance and advanced monitoring capabilities continues to strengthen its capacity to detect and dismantle illegal oil theft networks.
The recovered products, reservoir and other associated materials were handled in line with established operational procedures, effectively denying perpetrators access to resources intended to support further criminal operations.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its commitment to sustaining pressure on crude oil thieves and other economic saboteurs through continuous surveillance, intelligence-driven operations and coordinated enforcement actions.
The service emphasized that Operation DELTA SENTINEL remains a critical component of efforts to safeguard Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure, protect national revenue and enhance economic security in the Niger Delta.
