According to announcements posted on the Navy’s social media platforms on Monday, these operations were part of Operation Delta Sanity, aimed at curbing oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
On Sunday, the Navy’s Ship Pathfinder intercepted a wooden boat carrying approximately 4,500 liters of illegally refined diesel along the Bakama axis in Rivers State. Additionally, the Navy’s Forward Operating Base Formoso discovered and dismantled an illegal refining site containing around 40,000 liters of suspected stolen crude oil at Brass River and Akansa general area in Bayelsa State. Another illegal refining site with a storage capacity of approximately 30,000 liters of crude oil was discovered and destroyed at Okrika in Rivers State on the same day.
Further operations included the discovery and destruction of an illegal refining site in Bayelsa State by the Nigerian Navy Ship Soroh on March 2. In Ondo State, the Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda uncovered and deactivated an illegal refining site with pits, ovens, and storage tanks containing around 30,000 liters of crude oil in the Ilaje Local Government Area on Friday. The seized products were handled in accordance with existing directives.
In a separate incident, the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft apprehended a Ghana-owned motor tanker, Sweet Miri, suspected of crude oil theft. The vessel, carrying approximately two million liters of the suspected product without approval, was arrested 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria, en route to Benin Republic. The vessel had 13 crew members, including one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians, on board at the time of the arrest. Rear Admiral MB Hassan, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, noted that the vessel had switched off its Automatic Identification System to evade detection.
Despite government efforts to combat oil theft, perpetrators continue to engage in these illegal activities, contributing to Nigeria’s challenges in increasing daily oil production.