The Nigerian Navy has recorded another significant breakthrough in its ongoing campaign against oil theft and illegal petroleum activities, uncovering a large cache of suspected illegally refined petroleum products and intercepting a vehicle allegedly linked to an illicit fuel distribution network in Rivers State.
The operation, conducted under Operation Delta Sentinel, followed actionable intelligence on the movement and storage of suspected illegally refined petroleum products within the Orashi Forest corridor in Abua-Odual Local Government Area.
Disclosing the development in a statement, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH were deployed to the Okolomade Community axis after receiving credible intelligence regarding the activities of suspected operators involved in the illegal petroleum trade.
According to him, the naval team intercepted a silver Toyota Camry suspected to have been used to transport illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO). A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 17 sacks containing suspected illegally refined AGO.
The operation was subsequently expanded as personnel carried out further exploitation of the area. This led to the discovery of additional stockpiles concealed beneath dense vegetation at different locations within the forest corridor.
Further ground searches uncovered 56 more sacks of suspected illegally refined AGO strategically hidden across the area.
Altogether, the operation resulted in the recovery of 73 sacks containing an estimated 63,290 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO, alongside the vehicle believed to have been used for transportation.
The Navy said the discovery underscores the growing use of forest corridors and concealed storage locations by criminal elements seeking to move illegally refined petroleum products from remote areas into distribution channels.
By uncovering the hidden stockpiles and intercepting the suspected transport vehicle, the operation effectively disrupted another critical segment of the illicit petroleum supply chain.
Captain Folorunsho stated the recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations, while the vehicle was secured for further necessary action.
Reaffirming its resolve to combat economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Navy said it would continue to sustain intelligence-driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel aimed at denying criminal networks freedom of action and protecting the nation’s critical economic resources from exploitation.
Linus Aleke
