Operatives of the Nigerian Navy have apprehended six suspected oil thieves in Bayelsa State, seizing 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fibre boats, and two wooden boats.
The arrests were made along the Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni route. The Navy’s operations, conducted between August 29 and September 2, 2024, also led to the destruction of several illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta region.
According to a statement by Navy spokesperson Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, the operation, part of the ongoing Operation DELTA SANITY, achieved significant results. Key successes reported include:
- On August 29, seven large Cotonou boats and two fibre boats, operated by armed oil thieves loading crude oil from an illegal site near the Botokiri axis of Nembe Local Government Area, were seized.
- On August 31, six suspected thieves with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fibre boats, and two wooden boats were apprehended along Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni.
- On September 1, two wooden boats and 328 sacks of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil were seized at the Otuogori community river bank in Yenagoa.
- On September 2, 35 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil in a wooden boat were confiscated in the Gbaraun area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Adams-Aliu highlighted that these successes underscore the effectiveness of Operation DELTA SANITY and the Navy’s commitment to combating crude oil theft and enhancing crude oil production in Nigeria’s maritime environment.
