The Nigerian Navy has recovered approximately 80,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil from two separate locations in Delta State, following operations carried out as part of efforts to disrupt crude oil theft and other illegal petroleum activities across the Niger Delta.
The recoveries were made by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta (NNS DELTA) under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, with the operations taking place on September 21 and September 23, according to an operational report released by the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.
The first operation took place on September 21 in the Oteghele general area, where naval personnel discovered a large dugout reservoir containing approximately 30,000 litres of crude oil. The discovery followed an operation targeting suspected activities connected with crude oil theft in the area.
Two days later, personnel conducted another operation in the Obodo Amadino general area, where they found a second large dugout reservoir containing approximately 50,000 litres of crude oil. The two recoveries brought the total quantity discovered during the separate operations to about 80,000 litres.
The Navy said it handled the recovered crude oil according to established operational procedures, although the reports did not provide further details about the specific method used to dispose of or secure the product.
Navy Recovers Stolen Crude Oil in Two Delta Operations
The latest recovery highlights the continued activities of security agencies in areas of the Niger Delta where authorities are targeting suspected crude oil theft and illegal petroleum operations.
The discovery of the crude oil in dugout reservoirs also shows the type of storage locations security personnel can encounter during operations in the region, with the Navy identifying the two locations as part of its ongoing activities within the NNS DELTA area of responsibility.
Captain Folorunsho said the operations formed part of the Navy’s wider efforts to address criminal activities within its area of responsibility. He also pointed to the role of cooperation between security agencies in tackling different forms of maritime and coastal insecurity.
In addition to the operations that produced the crude oil recoveries, NNS DELTA personnel worked with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a separate operation targeting suspected illicit drug activities in the Warri general area and its environs on September 22.
The joint operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of approximately 15 kilogrammes of suspected Cannabis sativa, as well as 0.5 gramme of cocaine and 0.5 gramme of methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth.
The Navy handed the suspects and recovered substances over to the NDLEA for further investigation and necessary action, according to the operational report. The arrests were therefore connected to the separate anti-drug operation rather than the two crude oil recovery exercises.
Navy and NDLEA Continue Joint Security Operations
The separate operations demonstrate the range of security activities being carried out by NNS DELTA and its partner agencies in Delta State, covering crude oil theft, illegal petroleum activities and suspected drug trafficking.
For the Navy, the recovery of the suspected stolen crude oil adds to its ongoing operations aimed at disrupting activities that involve the unauthorised handling and storage of petroleum products in the Niger Delta.
The agency has also continued to rely on collaboration with other security organisations when operations involve activities that fall within different areas of enforcement. In the Warri operation, for instance, the Navy worked directly with the NDLEA because of the suspected drug-related activities involved.
The Navy said such cooperation allows security agencies to respond to different forms of criminal activity within the region while making use of their respective operational responsibilities.
The recovery of approximately 80,000 litres of crude oil from the two Delta locations therefore forms part of a wider security effort in the region, while the separate arrest of three suspects shows another aspect of the joint operations conducted by the Navy and NDLEA during the same period.