By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Navy has recorded a major operational breakthrough under Operation DELTA SENTINEL with the interception and recovery of 92,660 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) concealed within the Rivers–Bayelsa border corridor.
According to an official signed statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH following credible intelligence on illegal petroleum activities in the area.
Acting on the intelligence, naval operatives deployed to Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, where coordinated aerial surveillance and subsequent ground search operations led to the discovery of approximately 138 sacks containing suspected illegally refined AGO concealed under vegetation and at strategic points along adjoining waterways.
The Navy noted that the concealment method reflects a growing trend among criminal networks involved in illegal petroleum trade, who increasingly rely on remote creek-side storage locations to evade detection.
The recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations, effectively denying economic saboteurs access to resources intended for illicit distribution and revenue generation.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustained intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling crude oil theft networks and disrupting illegal petroleum supply chains across the Niger Delta region.
