In a continued crackdown on oil theft, Nigerian Navy operatives arrested six suspects and dismantled illegal refining operations in Bayelsa State, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Director of Naval Information, Aiwiyor Adams-Aliu.
The arrests were made between August 29 and September 2 as part of Operation Delta Sanity, underscoring the military’s heightened efforts to combat crude oil theft in the country.
During the operation, the navy seized 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products and apprehended the suspects along the Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni axis in Bayelsa State on August 31. Additionally, four fibre and two wooden boats used to transport the contraband were confiscated.
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Further success was reported two days earlier, on August 29, when operatives intercepted seven large Cotonou boats and two fibre boats loaded with crude oil around the Botokiri area of Nembe Local Government. The boats were allegedly operated by armed criminals sourcing oil from an illegal extraction point.
The crackdown continued into September, with navy operatives seizing two wooden boats and 328 sacks of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil at the Otuogori community in Yenagoa on September 1. Another 35 sacks of the illicit fuel were confiscated on September 2 in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
“These operations showcase the efficiency of Operation Delta Sanity and demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to eradicating crude oil theft from Nigeria’s maritime domain while enhancing national oil production,” Adams-Aliu stated.
The ongoing raids are part of broader efforts by the Nigerian government to safeguard its oil revenue amid rising concerns over lost production due to theft and illegal refining operations across the Niger Delta region.
(Edited by Oludare Mayowa; omayowa@globalfinancialdigest.com; Newsroom: +234 8033 964 138)
