Nigerian Navy Uncovers Illegal Fuel Depot, Seizes 87,000 Litres of Suspected Illegally Refined Diesel in Rivers
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its offensive against crude oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta, uncovering a concealed fuel storage facility and recovering about 87,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in the Okarki area of Rivers State.
The operation, conducted under Operation Delta Sentinel, followed credible intelligence received by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, leading to the discovery of a hidden depot allegedly used for the illegal storage and distribution of petroleum products.
According to the Navy, the facility contained large quantities of suspected illegally refined diesel and equipment used for the unlawful handling of petroleum products. The recovered products and associated items were handled in line with established operational procedures.
The Navy said the discovery highlights the continued efforts of criminal networks to establish concealed storage facilities to sustain illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft across the Niger Delta.
It noted that dismantling such facilities is critical to disrupting the logistics chain that supports economic sabotage, illegal refining, and the theft of Nigeria’s oil resources.
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s oil infrastructure, the Nigerian Navy said it will continue intelligence driven operations to deny economic saboteurs freedom of operation and support the Federal Government’s efforts to boost crude oil production and strengthen the economy.
The latest operation is part of ongoing security efforts to combat crude oil theft, a major challenge that continues to undermine Nigeria’s revenue generation and energy sector.
