The Nigerian Navy has uncovered 75,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in three reservoirs in Oteghele community, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The discoveries were made during two separate operations on October 12 and 14 under Operation Delta Sentinel, an initiative aimed at protecting critical national assets and curbing crude oil theft.
The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in an operational report on Friday.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta, under the command of Commodore Shehu Tasiu, discovered about 30,000 litres of suspected crude oil in one reservoir on October 12.
A further 45,000 litres were found in two large reservoirs during a follow-up operation on October 14.
Folorunsho said the reservoirs and their contents were handled in line with established procedures, including measures to protect the environment.
He noted that the discoveries exposed concealed storage facilities suspected of supporting the accumulation and movement of stolen crude oil.
“Uncovering these stockpiles disrupts a key link in the illicit petroleum trade and reduces opportunities for the unlawful exploitation of the nation’s oil resources,” he said.
The naval spokesman added that the service would sustain intelligence-led operations to identify and dismantle facilities linked to crude oil theft and illegal refining.
He said the operations were part of efforts to curb economic sabotage, protect critical oil infrastructure and safeguard Nigeria’s petroleum revenue.
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