The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a major link in the illicit petroleum distribution network with the interception of 103,500 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State.
According to an official signed statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the seizure was made by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL during a routine security patrol around the APS Limited Jetty in Woji, Rivers State.
The statement disclosed that naval personnel observed a wooden boat attempting to discharge its contents under suspicious circumstances. A subsequent inspection revealed that the vessel was carrying approximately 375 sacks containing about 103,500 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO.
The Navy noted that the discovery exposed a suspected creek-to-market fuel transportation route frequently exploited by criminal elements involved in the illegal petroleum trade. It explained that such networks serve as vital links between illegal refining camps and end users, enabling economic saboteurs to profit from stolen national resources.
The intercepted wooden boat and its cargo were secured and processed in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, thereby preventing the products from entering the commercial supply chain.
Reaffirming its commitment to combating crude oil theft and illegal refining activities, the Nigerian Navy stated that it would continue to sustain intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL aimed at dismantling criminal networks involved in the theft, refining, transportation and distribution of illicit petroleum products across the Niger Delta.
