The Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sentinel in the Niger Delta has destroyed an illegal crude oil storage site within the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny area of operations in Rivers State as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal bunkering.
In a statement, spokesman of the Navy, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the action followed intensified operational directives issued by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, aimed at strengthening the navy’s campaign against oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
According to the naval spokesman, personnel of FOB Bonny, leveraging the Nigerian Navy’s maritime surveillance technology, uncovered concealed dugout pits hidden beneath thick vegetation within creeks in the Opotumbi general area.
The discovery was made during a routine patrol and surveillance operation aimed at identifying illegal refining and storage facilities often used by crude oil thieves operating in remote creeks and waterways. The hidden pits, which were cleverly concealed under dense vegetation, are believed to have served as temporary storage sites for stolen crude oil siphoned from pipelines and transported through illegal channels.
Acting swiftly on the discovery, FOB Bonny elements moved to the location where they uncovered four dugout pits containing a cumulative 17,500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil. The products were carefully inspected and subsequently destroyed in line with extant operational guidelines and environmental safety considerations.
Naval authorities explained that the destruction of the illegal storage site forms part of sustained efforts by the Nigerian Navy to disrupt the activities of criminal networks involved in crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other economic sabotage within the Niger Delta region.
Crude oil theft has remained a major challenge in Nigeria’s oil-producing region, with criminal elements exploiting difficult terrain and remote creeks to operate illegal refining sites and storage facilities. These activities not only deprive the nation of significant revenue but also contribute to environmental degradation through oil spills, fires and pollution of rivers and farmlands.
The Nigerian Navy has therefore continued to deploy advanced surveillance tools and intelligence-driven operations to identify and dismantle such illegal infrastructure. Maritime surveillance technology has played a key role in improving detection capabilities, allowing naval personnel to locate hidden bunkering facilities and illegal storage points that would otherwise be difficult to identify through conventional patrols.
Officials said the success of the latest operation highlights the importance of technological support in modern maritime security operations. The Nigerian Navy has increasingly integrated aerial and maritime monitoring systems to strengthen situational awareness across the country’s coastal and riverine environments.
The operation also underscores the Nigerian Navy’s broader commitment to protecting Nigeria’s economic lifelines and ensuring that crude oil resources are safeguarded from criminal exploitation. By targeting storage sites and refining camps, the navy aims to cut off the supply chain that sustains illegal oil bunkering activities.
Naval authorities further noted that sustained patrols, intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies remain critical in the ongoing fight against maritime crimes. The navy has maintained close cooperation with other government institutions responsible for protecting oil infrastructure and enforcing environmental regulations.
