The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, intercepting a large consignment of illegally refined petroleum products in Rivers State.
Acting on credible intelligence, personnel of NNS PATHFINDER deployed an anti-crude oil theft patrol team to the Abua-Odual and Ogbologo areas, where they intercepted two wooden boats carrying about 15,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
Naval authorities said the suspects fled into nearby creeks upon sighting the patrol team, abandoning both the vessels and their cargo in a bid to evade arrest.
The recovered boats and products were subsequently secured and processed in line with established operational procedures.
The operation, according to the Navy, reflects its sustained commitment to curbing illegal oil bunkering and protecting the nation’s economic assets. It also aligns with directives from the Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, to intensify intelligence-driven operations against economic saboteurs.
The Navy reaffirmed its resolve to maintain the momentum of Operation DELTA SENTINEL in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime environment and critical oil infrastructure.
