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In another string of operations to obliterate the activities of crude oil thieves in the Niger Delta, an illegal refining site has been uncovered by the Nigerian Navy and deactivated.
The active illegal refining site was discovered at Allison Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was learnt that the personnel of Operation DELTA SENTINEL carried out the successful operation, which led to the recovery of over 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
Disclosing this in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Information (DINFO), Captain Abiodun Abidemi Folorunsho said that the troops acted on credible intelligence on the illegal activities within the area.
It was further learnt that personnel of Forward Operating Base BONNY under Eastern Naval Command deployed an Anti-Crude Oil Theft patrol team which led to the identification of an illegal refining site comprising dugout pits, locally fabricated cooking and cooling systems, as well as sacks containing significant quantities of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
Further assessment of the site revealed over 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil was stored within the facility. The illegal refining infrastructure
and products were subsequently handled in accordance with extant operational procedures, while the perpetrators fled the scene upon
sighting the naval patrol team.
Capt Folorunsho reiterated that the operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s sustained efforts to combat crude oil theft and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, in line with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff,
Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who has charged operational commanders to intensify operations and leverage intelligence in protecting the nation’s critical oil infrastructure and actualisation of the Federal Government’s 2.5 million barrels per day goal by this year.
